Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-09-27

5M@NS5EI the surface OFT Of the
EaGEMMS2nN<s earth more prone to
~ lavish rapsures on the
H4& beauties of other lands
<MS*&IfAzS than the Americans.
a7ER4H5E fFLE You, who have per-
,kkES chance raved over the
#4S338g4 81 Rhine, have probably
but little conception OF
= @sassAsysS .,m the glory of the River
s msjs cla,s, as e i f sSs
8 eastern er saSss Ct sls alsh a
mile wide, two hundred feet deep a very
epic poem written in water by Natures
own hand.
AT a pend in its course, half way between
the two lakes it connects, stands a substan-
tial farmhouse surrounded by neat outbuild-
ings and b~lossoming orchards. IL is from
the latter feature that it inherits its name
the Orchard House.
And in that pretty dwelling lives a family
which has a history.
When you look at the little summer-house
m tho garden, which was evidently once
the pilot-house Of a steamer, and see the
tall, tapering mast with the stars and stripes
floating in the breeze, you are prepared to
be told that it is the home of a sailor.
A very old, weather-beaten hulk is Daniel
Winthrop now, but in the year when my
story opens, nearly three decades ago, he was
a hale, wellprpserved man of sixty, whose
silvery hair was the only external Fremont
ton of advancing age.
When the glad spring sun of 1851 was tint
ing the surface Of his beloved river with
every hue of the rainbow, who had a greater
right to say: "The Lord has prospered mt
and my cup is full Of JOY" than Daniel Win
thropi
For thirty years he had sailed the lakes as
captain of his own ships. Before s'the pes
ky railroads. rs he expressed it, had
dropped the bottom out of freights," he
had made money ''hand over fist,'' and
while yet enjoying the vigor of man.
hood, had settled down to retirement
in "a sailors Elysium-a well-stocked farm
house, where he could sit on his own stoop
and watch the vessels glide by and the
eyer-changing beauty of the lordly river.
But he had bigger treasures than bank
stocks, broad acres and shares in ships
his wife, Martha, who was the sweetest,
simplest helpmate that ever made sunshine
in a man home; his daughter, Nell, just
twenty years old, whom he had done his
best to spoil, but whose gentle nature had
been proof against every Indulgence; and
his son, Harry, four years older than his
darling daughter, who had never given
him a hours anxiety, but had been stu
diously inclined, had taken a fair degree ut
college, and was now occupying a wellpaid
position as teacher in the public schools of
a distant city.
Moreover, during that winter his home
had been frightened by the visit of : radi
ant girl, Kate Frobisham, the daughter
Of a distant relative of his wife, who had
married a Southern gentleman living In the
Shenandoah valley, and the old sailor had
learned to love the beautiful young Virgin.
ian maiden, who became especially dear &c
him when he learned tina she I'D promised
TO become his sons wife.
But lightning came out of a clear sky and
struck the Winthrop homestead-as 1t did
the whole fair land, which had for years
been basking in the sunshine Of prosperity.
Fort Sumter had surrendered, and the
terrible war of secession was a reality.
An American of Americans, coming Of an
old Puritan stock of New England, Daniel
Winthrop's heart was afame with honest
indignation.
Thus, one day In spring, just as the big
ice barriers OF winter had been swept away
and the glorious waters Of his loved river,
rejoicing to be free, were once more rolling
in their accustomed grandeur, Daniel Win
throp sat in the 'best room Of his farm.
house in council with his women folk.
In his hand he held a letter, which a boy
had brought from a ~neighboring post-oflce.
"Yes," he said, in reply to the appealing
looks of the ladies, as he hastily SKINNED
its contents; sit is from Harry, sure
enough. Don't take on about it, mother;
but he's done just what a Winthrop should
do when his country calls on him, he's
'sNot enlistedln Martha gasped, her face
white as her snowy apron.
''That is just what the high-spirited lad
has done, God bless himli the farmer
chuckled. "Pshawi Martha, l am aston
ished at you. What is there to whimper
abouti It won't take moro than a month or
two to bring these stubborn rebs to their
knees, and them
He paused abruptly, for Kate Frobisham
was standing before him with flashing eyes
and heaving bosom.
captain Winthrop she said, speaking
more calmly for her suppressed passion,
let me retire before you have said what
would make me forget all your kindness.
This night | leave your house 10 return to
my own peoples do not make my parting
moro bitter than is necessary
"Why God bless my life,r Winthrop
stammered, 'you don't mean to say that
you are at heart a rebel-you, a gentle,
lovable girl not six months out of schooll
The thing is preposterous."
81 am a Southerner," Kate said, quietly,
sand ! never was so proud of the land of
my birth as / am at this moment. The
meanest trooper in my brothers regiment
is, in my eyes, a hero.n
"And Harry; my boy, Harryln the father
pleaded.
as no more to me, Captain Winthrop,
than any other of the band of marauders
whose ranks he has joined"
"Oh, Kater' Nell sobbingly reproached,
and he loves you so!n
Sand / loved him, Nell. All, God knows
how / loved him." the girl acknowledged,
with trcmulous lips.
"Then, surely you will
"Never of my own accord set eyes on
INN again. 1t is my one hope that l may
be able to forget his cruelty and mourn for
HIM as one who is dead.n
"Hush, child, hushl" Martha Winthrop
interposed; 'syou do not know what you are
saying"
aye" added the Captain, soothingly.
"Do not say in haste, lass, what you will
repent of at leisure. And, as for your GO
ing home, that is q matter which,
SIS all provided for, SIR
"Eh, how soE''
There was a flush of indignant surprise as
he asked the question, for IL was hard for
him to believe that the girl he had thought
worthy to be Harry's wife had deliberately
laid hor plans TO return home without
vouchsafing a word of explanation to his
family.
"a friend leaves for Cincinnati tonight
who viii give me his protection thus far;
there some of my own people will meet me-
Kate replied, with assumed Indifference,
while at heart the proud girl was ready to
fling herself at the old mans feet and con-
fess the anguish these words cost her.
"Who, in tae name of goodness, is taking
you to Cincinnatig' the old man Numbered.
Ere Katie's lips framed the reply she
cast a little a%pologetic look at Mrs. Win
throp and Nell. for the consciousness was
strong within her that the revelation would
cost her their sympathy.
"Mr. Lecroix,'' she stammered, ahas
offered-that is / have asked HMM fact
Winthrop broke in on her confusion.
"Alphonse Lecroixr ' he exclaimed, while
a start of panied surprise showed his wife's
and daughters dismay.
And why not!' Kate asked, with we'll
feigned calmness. "Why not Mr.. Lecroixii
The question was too much tor the old
sailor, who rose abruptly and said, with as
much of a sheer as he could assume, for
the ~good-natured Captain was not strong in