The Progress. [volume] (White Earth, Minn.) 1886-1889, 1889-06-22
clustering heads between their eyes met;

clustering heads between--the eyes met:
a steady look of welcome and repose
When his address was over there was an
other song. and then the crowd began
gently to trickle off toward the rows of low
mounds where the soldiers slept as they
had fought in ranks. Mordant had made
his way from the platf orm- gently through
the congratulent crowd, with smiles and
words OF thanks-till he stood before the
woman whose gown was pale gold, like the
SUMS after-glory, whose lips moved softly
as he looked at them
Good evening, he said Several mon
fingered indecisively near her did keep
you long? had not forgotten you were to
wait for me-" The men melted politely
away. The tide softly ebbing from them,
they two standing ir.esolute
Shall we-those fowers?n he said,
glancing towards the soldiers tombs
She shook her head my soldier = grave
" smiling, lis not among his comrades, but
with his people. You will go with me there?''
They moved forward, away from the
shifting figures busy with wreaths, toward
that line of dappled wood land darkly linn
ing the impid west. In the last lot She
having entered the rusty iron gate-stooped
over a slab OF gray stone and laid on its time
worn surface the bunch of loose roses He
watched her with wistfuI eyes, ls
7 know why you do that, 2 he said, as
she raised up and stood outlined to him
against the scrap of amber beyond her. She
looked at him S Your mother loped him.
that soldier
yes" she answered, reverently. 81 do
it for her. While she lived she came thus
on this day and remembered him He''-
she looked at the crisp roses she had placed
on the stone-'she died for her,
II know" said her companion, quickly.
Il have been told, my father loved her, too,
and he also is with the dead"
1T all happened" said she, softly, look
Ing up with dreamy, awed eyes, s.before
either you or were born This man." she
touched the gray stone, land your father
Went to the war, each with her image in
his heart; they were friends She did not
know then where her heart lay, and so
when they went she told them when her
heart spoke the beloved's name in his alb
sence she would send to him letter that
amidst the roar of battle and the lonely
watch by camp fires he might know his
loves prayers followed him. One night
they two sat weary and sad in the light of
the camp flame and he saw your father take
letter from his breast and sit gazing upon
IL with dreaming looks. His cheek waxed
pale Jim!' he said And CHANGING up
your father saw that wan dread fixed in his
eyes as they sAared at the letter Jim
turned in that instant whittier than his
friend. Yes, John, yes,' said he, in hur-
ried, husky whisper.
Next day." the speaker gazed at the dis
tant woods with her hand laid against the
laces at her throat, "the next day your
fathers friend sought Oblivion in the thick
est of the fght-and found it y
Do you Judge him harshly my father?"
asked Mordant, wistfully, Watching the soft
wind at play amidst the light dusk hair
Remember, he loved her so-and it was
but half a lie. Gould he know his rival
would take it as he did?"
Never mind, !" said she, kindly, consid-
crate of the gloom that had come into his
eye. 1T is all past She loved this poor
fellow and he died for her. AS long as
live he shall have roses''- tenderly, under
her breath-'.for her sake. y En- @
She came out of the lot and was beside
him, her earnest, sweet eyes meeting his as
she spoke.
Do you, then" said he, ''lay such store
by true love2 You would reward it? Ger