Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-06-13

door, though evidently reluctant to give up
feastang her eyes on the fast approaching
stage coach. The groau had issued from
the lips of her invalid father, dyspeptic
and hypochondriac, who seemed to delight
only in the misery by which he surrounded
himself.
But there was beauty in the landscape,
:as the rays Of q summer sun fell on the hill
top. and she turned again to gaze q mo-
ment upon the bright picture. The old
fashioned six-horse stage-coach was rum
bling down the turnpike hill, and her
cheek flushed just the faintest tint of
crimson as she murmured, half audibly:
"Oh-I wonder it," but seeming to be-
come suddenly aware of the fact that she
was about to reveal something which to
her was precious secret, she closed those
L. cherry red lips, and blushing a still deeper
crimson, entered the sitting room. where
her father reclined on an old-fashioned
black sofa.
"Do you want any thing, father!" she
asked.
LOOK over the papah-lt hu'ts my eyes
to read-and see if thar's any wah news. 1
decla' the secesh an abOlitionists are
gwine to tar the country t. pieces. Pears
= mo that things get wuss every day"
Mr.. Jordan Neff, as his dialect would in
dictate, was Southern man. He was born
In South Carolina, but had removed to Mis-
souri, when young. At the time our story
opens he was a wealthy Missouri farmer,
a widower with two children and over q
score of slaves. Mr.. Neff, not unlike q
great many others inhabiting the Dor
der States during the dark days of 1861,
found ii difficult to espouse either cause.
Like the father, his only son Albert, q
promising young man of twenty-one,
seemed fluctuating between love for his
sunny South and patriotism for his country.
That which many peaceful citizens of the
border States had hoped would only prove
. speck on the political horizon, was grow
sng day by day into q most terrible war
cloud and threatening to shut out the light
OF human happiness. Neighbors began to
mistrust neighbors, and friends of q life
tune became suspicious of each other, while
sven brothers took up the sword on oppo-
site sides, and no one knew ut what time
the land might be deluged with blood.
Lille drew the old-fsshioned armchair to
her fathers side, and taking the paper
glanced over its columns. It was filled with
war runors and the movements Of vast
armies
ud6 u We Sccs NIX XNcn uSkCu.
''Price and Mccullough are moving on
Lexington"
''Ohi they're Jest gwine T. hev awful
times''
He was interrupted by the opening of the
door. A woolly head and black face was
thrust in, the body, for the most part, re
manning outside.
'.De stage am gwine ter stop" said the
darkey; and in confirmation Of his assertion
there came the soft, mellow blast Of the
drivers horn.
"He's come, he's come" cried Lille
springing to her feet and running to the
door in burst Of joy which betrayed hel
anticipation and anxiety.
"Who's comm. Lilliei What's tn mat
ter with ye! Idecla' ye act like ye war
but che was out Of sight and hearing, and
tho old man did not finish the sentence. Ehs
was out on the lawn, hurrying toward tn
gate, before her father could shuf1e to hi,
feet
Tho old stagec oacn bad stopped almos
directly in front Of the gate, the door wa
opened and . young man descending tn
steps His only baggage was . small hand
sachel, which was sluug by q leathern stra,
over his shoulder.
'-Ohi Luke, Luke, have you comet" criel
the pretty girl, swinging coquettishly upos
tho gate The stage rolled on, and b,
tho time Luke had reached Lilies eide
was disappearing around . bend in the road
~Yes, Lille, did I not write You / woull
b here this weekl'
ayes; bat lawi tho country u % torn b
Pieces that I didn't think you would dar,
s1x1xel"
s0Es growing . little dubious, but
- sway"
HIs low, tender vuice. earnest look, genta
preosure Of tho hand, cd warn kiss Whicl
6roMGht the 6ush Of cximooa % Lfllisi
Ieheek told that they were neeo thal