Connecticut western news., 1889-03-13
Miss Pinkney, Governess.
BY WILLIAM BROWN.

when Sheridan rode twenty miles, or more, to rally his demoralized troops a Federal and Confederate met at the front of two opposing lines, during a charge. A ball from the formers pistol laid the latter at his feet, dying man. Even amid the roar and fury of the bat tie, the dumb appeal in the Confederate s eye held and overcame his foe. He bent over the fallen man, who was trying to draw something from his bos- om. The Federal assisted him, and the stiffening fingers resigned to the north ern soldier small velvet case, then wet with his own life's blood. With final effort, the dying man raised his head, and gasped:
 "Send it-home"
 A gurgling groan concluded the sen- tence, and he sank into insensibility The fighting drew near. The Federal was obliged to remount aud ride away. After the battle, he examined the velvet case It inclosed the features of pretty little girl, some five or six years old, painted on ivory, with the words "For dear papa" written underneath. On the other side was the fathers official title. His I regiment was not named, neither was there any further clew to his identity.
 After that, for weeks, the Federal tried faithfully, by such means as he could use, to discover the dead man s friends. But under the hindrance i'm posed by the exigeaces of war, his eff | forts were futile. Time lessened his in- terest, and he finally ceased to try. Peace came at last. After the grand re- view at Washington, he returned home. For many years the velvet case and its fatal stain lay unnoticed in his old army trunk, now relegated, with other cherished, yet useless memcntos of the war, to an old store room in the attic of his home in New York.
 
 "Well, girls, we'll have to try the old garret for costumes" said Laura Hinton, the daughter of the house. s'There is old family trumpery that's been ac- cumulating there since great grand mothers time.
 A Martha Washington tea party-then quite fashionable-was the expressing local vagary in that vicinity. Revolu- tionary relics were at social premium. Several young ladies were discussing the all-absorbing theme. After Laura's re- mark, raid upon the family store room was at once organized, and in a few minutes the old attic resounded with more of life and merIment than had fallen to its share in years.
 sWhat can this be2' cried Laura, fish ing from an old trunk an oval velvet case, with faded brown stains thereon 'Ill bet it's a picture. This is father: old army trunk; that accounts for there being nothing serviceable inside"
 The case was opened and passed around, those who had looked, at once resuming the more attractive search fo by-gone fnery. Suddenly there was faint cry from Miss Pinkncy, tn, governess, to whom the case had beer handed. She stood, gazing at tn miniature inside, with blanching face As the girls looked up, wonderingly, sh sank upon an old chest, as though about to faint.
 ''Dear Miss Pinkncy," said Laura springing to her side, ''what can be thu matter2 Here, let me take the old pic ture"
 But Miss Pinkney clung to the case while slowly regaining composure. Then looking around upon the girls, she saic weakly, yet with dignity:
 "Pardon me, Laura. I should like t.
 show this picture to Major Hinton. l this is ono of his old army mementos you will understand my own interest il it, when say that my-I-that I ono saw it before it could have come int, his possession
 Miss Pinkney, though still pale, hat quite regained her self-possession. sh quietly pocketed the relic, and, with polite apology to the girls, went dow stairs, leaving them somewhat aston ished, yet politely reticent, for Mis- , PInkney, though only governess, wa
 still person of some social considera
 ton.
 She had come from South Carolina , and was understood to be of an old an distinguished family. They had bee reduced to poverty during the Civil War Through the influence of friends, she ha - obtained her present position in Majc Hinton's family. She was quiet, rathe reserved, perfectly competent, and UT c deniably distinguished in manner an e person. She gave herself no airs, an T attended conscientiously to her dutie; } Though possessing sweet and gent 4 disposition, she at times displayed III s doubted force and dignity of character d In her womanly heart, the conflict tn, !. had bereft her, left no bitterness towar " the conquerors. Therefore, being low Y bls, shs came to be loved by them.
 Na3ss Hinton was ia his library, wAs