Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-03-15
ROMANCE OF THE WAR.

The hero Of Mr.. Parkins' story,
Lawrence Bryant, was a civil engineer
IN the south at the beginning Of the
rebellion. He had been there about
I've years, and had made many
friends; he liked the country and its
,eople, and did not wish to leave it
IN fact, was determined not to leave il
Unless he took with him Miss Laura
aeyton, TO whom he was engaged to
,e married. But he was a northern
nan-a Union man-and that fact
vas certain, as he knew, 10 make his
situation very unpleasant. His asso-
late engineer, Tom Baxter, who was
lso from the north, said TO him:
This movement means war-misera-
Die, horrible, bloody civil war-and
you've got to take your choice, our
lide or the other; II you remain here
Il must be the other" Bryant replied
hat he should stay, all the same-for
what reason his friend we'll under
TODD. II wish you good luck, my
boy" Baxter rejoined; ''but she is q
khh 1a4t Ieo n hoi AAlOih
nan-God help you'll"
Miss Laura's father, Judge Peyton,
doubted tie wisdom of secession, but
when it was once decided upon he
ave it his hearty support His resi-
lence was near Columbia, S. G. AS
the days passed ne saw regiment after
egiment march by, en- route to
Charleston. Els son Arthur enlisted,
rs did most of the other young men
If the vicinity; and his house rang
With Confederate songs. Under such
circumstances, a sense of duty con-
strained him to refuse his consent to
the marriage of his daughter and Law
renee Bryant. He said to Bryant:
You have my highest personal es-
teem, but until the political horizon
becomes clear, l wish you to forget
entirely that Laura has given you rea-
son TO hope for her hand" At Laura's
instance he finally agreed to let the
engagement stand, but insisted that it
must not be announced, and that the
marriage must not take place so long
- the pendingtroubles lasted. 1T will
be all right in a month" Laura glee-
fully declared TO her lover, and he,
made foolish by love, believed her
words.
The next month made things worse
instead Of better, however. II was
evident that the struggle was going TO
be O hard and prolonged one. Bryant
was offered a place upon the staff Of
Gen. Beauregard, which he promptly
declined. This was noted by the local
papers and commented upon in no
iaftering terms. Even Laura re-
marked, with a sigh: "What a pity,
Lawrence, that you are not one of us
one who loves the south" "As much
an ! love one of its maidens," he re-
Piled, la~ughingly; but the laugh was
forced and hollow. He knew that the
time was near at hand when he must
take some definite action. The Con-
federate government had decreed that
all persons remaining under its pro-
lection after the LIST day Of July, 1861,
should be regarded as its subjects and
not be permitted TO leave its borders
without official permission-and that
day would soon arrive. After a night
spent in warning between love Of
county and love Of Laura Peyton, he
decided 10 return to the north-taking
her with him as his wife, il possible.
When he made known this purpose TO
her, she not only declined TO 60 with
him, but forbade him 10 go alone if he
expected her TO believe in his love.
Thus it happened that Bryant tarried
IN South Carolina until the LIST of
July had passed, and became subject
TO military laws a. a citizen of the
Confederacy. He was again offered a
staff appointment and again refused
it; but no action was taken 10 force
him into the service, probably because
his experience as a railroad engineer
was Of great value just at that time.
The Confederacy drifted along fortwo
years. Then Arthur Peyton came
home with an empty sleeve, accom-
panied by Maj. Harry Walton, a rival
Of Bryant's for the hand Of Laura.
Miss Belle, LAura's sister, said 10
Bryant with flashing eyes:
''It was your friends who did this TO
my brother. How can you expect me
ever 10 endure your sight againY"
Laura apologized for her sister as
well as she could, but il was plain that
she, too, was inclined 10 hold Bryant
responsible for her brothers misfor-
tune.
s'Think, dear Laura" no said, ''in
what a cruel position l am placed"
And she answered;
IT will try 10 remember-if / can"
In the course Of tho next two
months Arthur recovered sufficiently
to lounge on the veranda, but his
empty sleeve was q constant reminder
10 his sisters OF what he had lost, and
stimulus 10 their hatred of the north,
which fell upon Bryant as its nearest
representative. He was no longer re-
osived with cordiality, and Laura
Demed 10 grow colder and colder 10
him, and TO show moro and more re-
gArd for Maj. Walton. A crisis was
approaching manifestly. II came the
day Maj. Walton left for the front
agAin. His parting with Laura was
ofs kind that made Bryant decidedly
lsslous. A quarrel ensued, in which
Laura said. "You have made me at
lat remember, Mr.. Bryant, what my
love for you made me forqet-that /
- . southern girl. God knows how
hsys loved you, and hoped TO win