Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-04-13

uoor, tuouBn eVluenIly retuctant to give up feasting her eyes on the fast approaching 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 tho rays of Q summer sun fell on the hill top, and she turned again to gaze a 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-1 wonder if-'' but seeming to be- come suddenly aware of the fact that she was about to reveal something which to her was J ecious secret, she closed those cherry red Alps, and blushing still deeper crimson, entered tho sitting room, where her father reclined on an old-fashioned black sofa.
 Do yoa want any thing, fatberl" she asked.
 Look over the papah-lt hu'Ls my eyes to read-and see if thar's any wah news. I decla' the secesh an' abolitionists are gwine to tar the country t pieces. Pears t me that things get wuss every day"
 Mir. Jordan Neff, as his dialect would in dicate, was Southern man. He was born in South Carolina, but had removed to Mis- souri when young. At tho time our story opens he was q wealthy Missouri farmer, widower with two children and over a score of slaves. MT. Neff, not unlike Q great many others inhabiting the bor- der States during the dark days of 1861, found il difficult to espouse either cause Like the father, his only son Albert, Q promising young man of twenty-onc, seemed f1uctuating between love for his S1,, h l A,.so That which many peaceful citizens of the border States had hoped would only prove 0 speclz on the political horizon, was grow ing 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 a life tune became suspicious of each other, while even brothers took up the sword on oppo- site sides, and no one knew at what time the land might be deluged with blood.
 Lillie drew the old-fashioned arm chair to her fathers side, and taking the paper glanced over it's columns. It was filled with war rumors and the movements of vast armies
 ''What d. ye see?" MT. Neff asked.
 "Price and Mccullough arc moving on Lexington"
 "Oh! they're jest gwine t hey awful times"
 He was interrupted by the opening of tho door. A woolly head and black face was thrust in, the body, for the most part, re- maining outside.
 'De stage am gwine ter stop" said tho darkey; and in confirmation of his assertion there came the soft, mellow blast of the drivers horn.
 ''He's come, he's come," cried Lillie, springlng to her feet and running to the door in a burst of joy which betrayed her anticipation and anxiety.
 'Who's a comin', Lillies Whats tn mat ter with yea Idecla' ye act like ye war" but she was out of sight and hearing, and the old man did not finish the sentence She was out on the lawn, hurrying toward the gate, before her father could shuf11o to his feet.
 The old stage-coach had stopped almost directly in front of the gate, the door was opened and a young man descending the steps. His only baggage was small hand sachel, which was slung by a leathern strap over his shoulder
 "Ohl Luke, Lul1e have you comeF' cried the pretty girl, swinging coquettishly upon the gate. The stage rolled on, and by the time Luke had reached Lilies side it