Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-12-21
once before you go.a


''you do yourself injustice and me no honor
in urging such suit. Speak of it no more,
and we may part friends tomorrow"
Lesley, you shall not escape my love- You
shall not crush my heart--yes, and mar your
own life-simply because, by an unfortunate
incongruity, the proudest Virginian blood
flows through your veins, while my pretty
mother trusts Knickerbocker descent 1t is
absurd to let such things separate us. What
though today wear the blue and you wor-
ship the graya That does not alter the fact
that we two were destined for each other
from the beginning of the world. Our wisest
men declare that this fratricidal war cannot
last another year. 1t must end-and end
soon-in victory for the stronger cause.
Don't turn from me trembling, darling.
Twenty five years hence, when we celebrate
our silver wedding, we viii scarcely care
which side triumphed."
81 shall care forever" she passionately
cried, land we two must be forever APART
Leave me now"
II will not, Lesley, unless you declare that
you do not love mel
II detest the uniform you wear!''
'sBut you love me!n
II loathe the government you obey" =
''But you love met!
Il hate your cruelty to mel"
The soft Virginian morn could not smils
away the frown from savage Massanutten
when, half an hour later, two figures walked
slowly up the avenue, and Lesley's yellow
curls were blowing over the blue coat she de-
tested.
''Vanburgh, must you leave me so soon?'
she asked with sigh.
eyes, he replied, II must go tomorrow.
I shall bless always the southern bullet that
almost shattered my poor arm, but gave me
you, soul of my soul. But now even the pro-
lection of Lindon Place might not save mo
from being made prisoner soon. Besides,
beg to insist that you and your mother leave
the valley for a few months, at least. I trust
that in the late autumn can come back to
you"
A little tremor shook her form, but he drew
her closer as she would have slipped from
him.
s'You must not do that, Lesley. swear
by the immutability of yonder grim noun
tain that neither prejudice, nor pride, nor
defeat. nor victory, nor any other thing shall
separate me from you, the one love of my
whole life!"
The 10Th day of October, 1864, when the
Virginia valleys wore the soft, hyacynthine
glories of late Indian summer, was a fatefui
day for thousands of men there. Exactly
one month beforehand not many miles dis
tant-had been fought the battle of the
Apegnon, Winchester's disastrous day
Capt Vanburgh Elmer, of the Fifth Uni
ted States cavalry, under Brig. Gen. Merritt,
had cause to remember that 10Th of Septem-
Der and the Apegnon with unpleasant vivid
ness For as he pressed on the retreating
confederates taat day a young cavalryman,
with close cut chestnut curlS and shining
brown eyes, had turned, and, taking steady
aim, had sent a bullet through his shoulder.
while Elmer's return shot had only grazed
the gray sleeve
But the wound had not been as severe as
the officer expected, and by the middle Of
October he was able to join his men again.
-Four mornings afterwards, in the midst Of
darkness and fog, dawned the 10Th, when the
Union army awoke to hear Kershaw firing
Thoburn's captured guns. The reeking
drama Of Cedar Greek had begun. Slowly,
slowly, cold Massanutten lifted his head
through the heavy mists to the southwest to
gaze drearily on scene from which even
Lucifer's subjects must turn with sickening.
What did he see during that long day of car
mage?
He saw thousand souls sent precipitately
before their maker, who must needs be stern
to them, encrimsoned they were with
brothers blood. He saw more than 1900
spirits quivering to escape from the agoniZed
bodies that imprisoned them. He saw Con
federate troops first victorious, sweeping
every position, Staying, capturing, chasing
the confused Union forces. He saw them be-
fore noon relaxed in the fatal security of "a
too easy triumph. Then he saw Phil Sher-
idan, the idol of his men, dash up from his
long forced ride, and once more the day was
LOST and won, and for one side calamity fol-
lowed glory, and for the other glory was
plucked out OF calamity.
Near sunset, Theo Floyd was reluctantly
obeying orders to retreat when his horse was
shot down under him, and he narrowly es-
capped capture by slipping into the thick,
skirting underwood. A few rods within, Il
young federal officer rose to sitting posture
to face him, and Floyd recognized at once
the enemy with whom he had exchanged
shots on the Apegnon. Afiame with the de-
feat following the hooking victory of the
morning, he was about to start the man with
out allowing him to draw, when the latter
groaned and fell back. Theo ashamed,
stopped to examine his wounds, and saw at
once that undoubtedly they We're unto DEATH
And when the white lips murmured, 'water''
he ran, forgetful of his own loss of blood, to
little stream close by and filed his battered
canteen. When the dying officer had drained
it, he drew from his breast a long, golden
curl and a little velvet case, and softly and
brokenly said:
Seek out my beautiful lady and tell her,
that, though wearing the blue, l did as a
bravo CHI /,
sweet pictured face at my lips and her love
at my heart saved me agony in DEATH
II will" promised the young confederate,
looking into the frank grand eyes so fast
| filming.
'Now, pray for me- breathed the other.
Theo sent up few full words to the God
of battle, who is also the God of pitiful love.
Then he laid his ear close to the manly heart;
it had but few more pulsations to make
| Why should his own stir so wildly when his
eyes came closer to that amber curl? He
| Gained himself. That other heart would
never stir again. He would take the minia-
, ture as u clew to guide him in the search he
had undertaken, for the officer had strangely
| forgotten to give the name of his ''beautiful
lady" He gently unclasped the fast stiffen-
ing fingers. Then great darkness fell upon
his soul, for he had recognized, with one wide
| eyed, tortured gaze, the face of Lesley Lin-
| don.
Ten years messed the graves in the Vir-
ginia valleys. And 1874 saw many home
smile again that 1864 had ravaged and desc
lated and many lares and penates restored
,, that had seemed exiled forevermore.
Again on a June day two figures were
, straying down the long avenue of Lindon
place. A mans deep, subdued tones were
! heard:
'Once more have come back to your feet,
my liege lord-still your loyal knight. Will
not your gracious hand bestow at last the
one gift cravep'
''1heo, do you really care to take what
have left to giveg'
| "Can you doubt it, Lesley? Have lived
| for anything else?"
The gold brown head and lovely mournful
face found resting place, and Theo's faith
full heart was never again to be wholly sad.
Just at that moment an aureate cloud
haloed the brow of benign Massanutten.-