Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-06-03
RECONSTRUCTION.
Two girls sat on a broad veranda OF
Southern hotel, while fine, soldier


Unlocking man passed slowly by.
Look. Estelle!" exclaimed tn
younger of the two girls, Il dare sa
there is true Southerner who tough
for the Lost Cause"
Yes" said Estelle, land there
your brother Tom, and he is bringinI
tho stranger here"
Both the girls futtered little, the
settled into feigned Inconsistencies @
any approach, until they were rouse
by Tom Vaughn's introduction of hi
friend, Colonel Dalton. Tom informed
them the Colonel and he had come up
on each other at the American Legation
in Paris and had dome the Continent
in partnership. They were fast friends
therefore, and delighted to meet, especi
ally in this out-of-the-way waterin!
place, where the Vaughn family were
stopping for the sake of Toms health
"lost in the internal swamps of Ala
bama during the war;
In less time than | have taken Il
write it all four were chatting socially,
"Ah, the South is not what it wasn'
ventured Camille, at the first oppor'
tunity. what with the war and its
consequences, we are sorry sight in
deed"
Camille hero is a regular fanatic
explained Tom. "'Pon nv word,
don't believe she knows the war is over,
but means to fight it out to the bitter
end"
Yes" cried Camille, rising to the
full glory of four feet eleven, in cloud
of white organdie; land if the men OF
the south had had the spirit of their
sisters they would have been fighting
yet But truce to this! Colonel Dali
ton, may show you our brds?" And
the two were gone, leaving Tom on the
vcranda to make INDECENT love to his
fair cousin Estelle.
As time passed the gallant Colonel,
always a pleasant companion, was
thcnceforth welcome in the Vaughns'
exclusive circle. Camille fell TO the
Coloners care in their walks, drives
md they came to be on excellent terms
with each other.
During the war there had been an en-
gagcment near the old town and many
Confederate soldiers had been buried
there in cypress grove, which tender
hands had since cared for. Colonel
Dalton and Miss Vaughn had been walk
Ing in this grove and sat down to rest
on rude seat. The melancholy notes
of the mocking-bird came up from the
fragrant woods, and Camille, quite tired
and saddened by the place and its as
sociations, spoke softly:
Il would rather be buried with those
fellows than live to know my country
defeated and her poor-spirited sons for
getting their allegiance"
Colonel Dalton took her hand gently
and told her that this was the fortune
Of war, The South had fought bravely
but had been outnumbered That
when partisan spirit should be lost, in
the march of time and progress, impair
tial history and the hearts of the people
would do justice to the brave upholders
Of the Lost Cause"
Candles tears had gradually ceased
as she listened, and the little hand lay
passively in his.
Colonel. you never told me what
division YOU were with, nor where you
fought"
There was pause; then he spoke,
slowly and firmly:
Il was Union officer in the Army
Of the Potomac. l fought in the
Wilderness, at Gettysburg. at Pittsburg
Landing, Antictam. ! starved for nine
months in Libby Prison. and was al
most cut to pieces at Vicksburg."
Great heaven" cried Camille; you
were a Yankee soldier?'
Il was" said the Colonel calmly.
land loyal in thought and act to the
Federal cause"
There was long silence, and then
she timidly asked, Were you in Ken
tucky?"
"No; never in Kentucky during the
war"
"Well, am glad of that" and she
drew long breath; then we can still
Abe friends. But | must always hate
every Yankee that desccrated the soil
of my native State. You have been
very gentlcmanly and very kind" she
faltered, "but of course we can never
be quite the same again-though !
thank heaven you never fought in dear
Kentucky
Colonel Dalton bowed. "Whatever
isyour pleasure shall be my duty" he
answered stiffiy.
Camille shivered and said she ought
10 be in out of the evening dew. So
the Colonel gave her his arm and they
walked silently home. As he turned to
leave her in the hall she stopped him.
"Of course it is so different now, be-
cause you are Yankee. Still you
How stupid he was not to notice the
poor child's confusion, not to notice
her quivering lips and her timid hesita-
ton, in such marked contrast with her
usual manner!
But he only bowed and said:
Your friendship is very dear to me,
Miss Vaughn; but, trust me, l will re.
spect your peculiar aversion"
''He might have apologized for be-
ing nasty Yankee" sobbed Camille
in her own room, little later. Ever
when l limited that l might be able t.
overlook it because he had not helped
to desecrate dear old Kentucky, h
didn't seem to care whether l did o
not"
After this there was a GOODNESS be
tween the two. He scrupulously re
garded her prejudices against tn
Northerners and she was too proud +
show that she relented. She smarted
little too, under the knowledge that sh
had Inundated herself a little tina
night in her half apology for him, an
she could not quite forgive him for nc