Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-12-09

silent.
II seemed 10 me that / almost knew
the lonely soldier bov, who on that
! famous march 10 the sea, wrote 80
bravely and courageously, even while
the hot tears blistered the pages on
which he wrote.
What had become of him, l wonder
ed, and had he ever again reached the
home and mother he so longed to see?
Then l fell to wondering why his
knapsack should be here in this old
house in Georgia, for Ihad never heard
of any one in the family by that name.
At last could stand it no longer and
resolved to go down and see If my un-
Gle could throw any light on the mat
ter, but I did not get my courage up
to the point till late in the evening,
when knew my aunt and cousin were
in the drawing room entertaining COM
pany, for dreaded their ridicule.
left the diarv in my room, and TAX
ing the old knapsack stole softly down
to the library, when, as said, l found
my uncle reading.
When he saw what had he looked
thoughtful.
"Where did you find it, Dolly?" he
asked.
ain the garret in a box of aunt Hat
ties letters, was it wrong for me to read
them, uncle?" / added timidIy, afraid
that he was not quite satisfied.
mo, child, no, Hattie would not
care for your reading them, little girl"
"But fancied you looked troubled" )"
l returned kindly. My uncle stroked
my cheek softly with his hand, which
was soft as woman's.
"Bless your tender heart, child, it was
only that ] remembered how blithe and
lighthearted you poor aunt was when
she came in that morning, bringing
that old knapsack from the camp where
the Union men had been the night be-
fore. That had been fearful night,
for we had heard terrible reports of the
doings of the invaders, and we watched
through closed shutters all night long
the camp fires, and hardly dared speak
, above whisper. But we were not mo-
Tested, and daylight saw the column on
the march again. was laid up then,
had been wounded and sent home, and
was not yet able to stir, but the chill
[ dren and Hattie, for she was fond OF
fun and excitement, sailed out to ex-
anime the deserted camp. They found
various things, among others this KNAPP
[ sack, which Hattie took possession Of
1t contained diary, l think, then"
: Eyes" said "there was a diary in
it. And you never found the man, mol
learned what became of him"
mo-" said my uncle, "Your aunt
used to say that when the war was over
l she should write and tell him where hi.
l property was, but before that time, hel
r own trouble came, and she never lived
to see a time of peace, poor girlr
Dear uncle" I said softly, 'she il
happy now"
5 YES" said my uncle, II should MOI
, mourn for her."
t Still | saw that he was deeply affected
7 and I crept softly away and left hin
e alone.
= Early in the following spring my un
l Gle came home one day to dinner, bring
: ing stranger with him. He had com,
: to Georgia for his health, which wa
v poor, and had been recommended t
S my uncle by mutual friend. He wa
t a tall, fine looking man of thirty-tive o
e forty, and felt attracted to him at once
i So, also, was my cousin Eloise, judgin.
8 from the animated conversation sh
u kept up all during dinner, and from tn
d pleased look on her face when my un
n Gle, with southern hospitality, urge'
him to make our house his home dur
! ing his stay.
e My uncle introduced him to us a
n "Mr. Morris" and longed to know
d his name was "John," but it seemed
r foolish fancy, for of course there wer
y many people in the world by the nam
Of Morris, and it was not at all probabl
v that this gentleman was the owner o
d the little book which lay in my burea,
h drawer.
'Ehe spring passed away and tn
e 81 amer wore along, and, though MI
t, Morris health seemed quite restored
d he still fingered at my uncle's. And
?, fancied that knew the reason why
|. that he loved my beautiful cousi
d Eloise. They always seemed to be S
a happy together, they talked and laugh
re ed and sang, for Eloise had beautifr
lie voice, and his rich tones blended wit
j, it exquisitly. Some times he asked nj
er to sing, but felt sure that it was onl
n, his kindness of heart that prompted til
request, and l we'll knew that Eois
is did not care to have me join them, an
so SO almost always refused, and sat
to my quiet corner apart, or, when cou
in no longer bear the sight of them t.
e. gether, would go away to my ow
rom and sOh NV heart o,,t