The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-06-29

She is still beautiful, and though far beyond the heydsy of youth, she seems like girl, and is as tender and gentle towards the world as she was long years sgo. before her life thrown into an eclipse from which for time it seemed that she could never emerge. But nature is stern mis- tress and often decides that shall live and labor at another task hen chosen one has been taken away and we only covet death.
 You ask why she has never married. She is SO charming in person and manner bountifully supplied with natures and fortunes choicest gifts how comes it that she, paragon, yet lives with out mate, and while pcrvading all about her with the swe, tness of friendship and peace, throws out barrier, invisible but real, which none can pass?
 You suppose it is a love story-the old one of deception or inconsistency Well, it is a love story but not the old one, because there voluntary wrong committed. She lived right here on "The Hill," where she lives HOW, and was just ixteen She was the only child and her father became rich so the great mansion of which she is now the sole m stress is not the house in which Dick Harper won her heart and got the promise of her hand
 Dick WAS my schoomate long before and in the winter of '63 we both joined the same company, and were sent 10 the army of the Potomac. We had seen service in the Guard, and he was made a first and a second lieutenant in the company of volunteers in which we were to serve. So know the story if it my own, and knew Dick Harper well as l did myself.
 And he was, without exception, the noblest fel- low l ever met He had face like some of those
 
 trying to paint Christ and & heart pure and true ever beat in & mans breast. He was 1.-the and active, but by no means an athlete, and never thought him suited to the awful hardships of war. In fact tried to induce him not to go but it just after Murfreesboro, when patriots were sorely needed and he said he felt he could not take shelter under the stars and stripes unless he did his part save his country from it's enemies. He was only a boy-just twenty-but full of srdor old Greek, and brimming with patriotism to his lips He would feel himself dishonored he said, unless hs faced the foe that sought his country's ruin.
 He was cheerful enough about it all after his mother gave her reluctant consent until it came to the day of parting with the beautiful girl who loved him S such fellow deserved to be loved Then he completely broke down because she clung to him and declared he should not go. was a strong man myself, five years his senior and had been married year My little wife said:
 "Go, and may God watch over you"
 And though l knew her heart was breaking, I knew that back of her grief spirit which would prompt her to shoulder musket and fight by my side ii need be.
 So Dick brought me along to cheer him up and put good face things for the girl, and can tell you it was & ask that wouldn't like to undertake again.
 She allowed there were plenty of others to do the fighting, and that there wasn't bit of use of his riskiDg his precious life What could one sim gle recruit do anyhow, and especially one so unfit tor hardships? she asked in pleading voice that would have melted the heart of 6 veteran. His stay ing going could not make particle of dif- ference to the country while it was all the world to her.
 she did, and have often thought that she might have had some vague presentiment of the sequel, that was only known then to the Infinite. But, at last, Dick tore himself away to cast his life will ling sacrifice upon the altar of his country.
 We reached the army in Virginia few days