The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-03-15

~ saw it was a student who took his
meals with US, named San, Fellows.
He had no sooner come within calling
distance then he shouted:-
"Have you heard the news: There's
been battle! Onr side has lost. I
am going"
80 am l." said Cyril. jumping up.
THANKSGIVING just shut her hands
tight together, and said not q word.
II have waited too long already,
and shall go at once" As Cyril spoke
he came forward and taking Thanks
giving's hand brought her right up
before me, and then he spoke so all
could hear
"Mr. Woodward, Unjust ask you
what never meant to ask till l was
ready to take her to q homo of her
own. I love Thanksgiving as Hove
myself and l would marry her before
l enlist. As my wife she could come
| to me ii necessary, and If worst comes
to worst she would have my property.
Can we be married at once? You know
me and you know whether I could
make her happy"
Poor child! Though she was nine
teen, l thought of her as a child, and
saw in the moonlight her face grow
winter and winter, and l believe she
would have fallen down if he had not
put his arms around her and kept her
up:
Well, they were married late that
night, and next day nearly all the SEN
Tor class started for Washington, and
we were alone-wife, Thanksgiving and
l. That day a low covered buggy,
with jet.black horse came up
from town, and the man who lett it
said that Cyril had told him to
bring it up for his wife.
In the next mail came q letter, tell.
ing her to ride every day, and show
how brave she was by keeping cheerful,
and we'll, and happy. It was q hard
matter, but she was no common girl;
and every morning at sunrise she
would start off on a ride with either
her mother or me, and then come
home and work all day as it she were
paid for it. We all knew what it
meant-that she made herself tired so
as to sleep nights, and so we let her
work as much as she liked. One day
q letter came from New York. It was
from Cyril's mother, saying they
would be there next day to call on
their sons wife. saw two bright red
spots come on Thanksgiving's cheeks
as she read it, but not q word did she
say. She brought in fresh ferns for
the sitting-room, and made the house
look as CHEEKY as if it were summer
time; and when it was time for them
| to come, she took q book in her hand,
and sat down by the window.
l knew what she thought, and
knew she wished they had not come
at all; but as you said, ma'am, she
was q strong character, and never
hung back from what she thought
right to do. And so, when the car.
rage drove up. and an old gentleman
| with gold. headed cane asked if Mrs.
Hazlltt lived there, she went forward
and bowed, and said that was her
| name. There were three of the stran.
gers, his father, mother and sister, and
all OF them looking at THANKSGIVING as
If they wanted to SEQ what kind OF a.
girl she was, and not over friendly,
| thought, at first; but in q moment
they put their arms around her aud
kissed her, and began to talk about
| Cyril as if it did their hearts good to
tell how they loved him. When they
got through, said: 1--WE know all
about him, and we set sight of store
| by him; but we have boy OF our
own, just as good, who is with him
now, if he's a!ive.' At this, they all
burst out laughing, and were just
like old friends.
! They staid week at the hotel, COM
ing up every day for Thanksgiving to
60 driving with them, and then took
her with them. Wife and 1 did not
dare to say we could not Ter her 20,
for we could see she was getting paler
and paler every day, so we never let
on how lonely we'd be without her;
but when she was gone, we felt as If
the world had slipped from our feet,
and we were all alone. She wrote to
us every day, telling US the places she
was visiting, Niagara Falls, the sea
shore and the great lakes, and by and
by we got kind of used to doing with.
out her, and living on her letters. We
never saw her again till Christmas. and
/
bringing that picture as u Christmas
present. She was just the same as she
always was, only shade more state
ly. She was dressed like q high born
lady, can tell you, and if her hus.
band had been safe and her twin
brother, l knew she would have been
as happy as q queen.
She told US all about the high socie.
ty she had seen, and how the richest
and best OF the ladies gave up their
fine dresses and pleasurings to scrape
lint and make comforts for soldiers,
but she did not tell US what l found
out afterwards, that she had given
her time to hospital work in New
York, 80 as to know better what to do
if she was needed for the soldiers. One
night q telegram came to her saying:
II am i'll; come to me. WELCOME"
'"This means Cyril" she said, and
left on the AFTERNOON tram for New
York. You can imagine how
our hearts quaked with fear at
the thought OF our boys dan
ger. "Faith, ma am, is a great thing,
but it does not take away human love.
We waited for another message. It
came next day, and told us both boys
were sick in the hospital. Then we
prayed for strength and tried to be
patient. The third day came the word:
"Meet me on the train at midnig hit. {"
Should we meet both or one? We
dared not think, and again we waited,
and as We waited, prayed. They
both came. Our boy Welcome and
his twin sister, but he was lying with
his face upturned in his coffin, and she,
almost as white, could not speak. He
was the first of all the college boys to
die. and his grave is near the gate of
the college burying ground. l some.
how can't remember all that followed.
1t seemed as if l lived in g. terrible
dream. Wife mourned over Welcome
and tried to save Thanksgiving's life,
as the fever fought for her.
Weeks passed, and she got we'll.
Then I knew all. She had
found husband and brother in the