Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-21
HIS LAST BATTLE.
BY JEAN " FAlRFAx.v
Written FOR tho Dispateo.l
CHAPTER

CHAPTERI /.
II therc was one thing which especial
~ disliked when was young and busy IT
was a person who systematically had nothing
70 do-an idler.
was the wife Of the most successful
LAWYER in our village. OF course he was
busy and found great deal to do caring
for our three children and looking after
our new. and, what seemed TO mo them
very handsome house.
would not have acknowledged ~ even
to myself. but know now ina, my naplS
rounc heart had well-spring OF vanity IA
h which made me cold and UNJUST some
times. NV husband had a warmer h9art,
bigger soul, and a better mind than l. ana
ne used so say 70 me hhcn,
we must cultivate our hearts. desr-the
hear. the soid moan, Is the re"l man, ana
not the intellect nor the Douy. VIC mus nus
be wider In our sympathies' lu'i'r III our
Ion YES l would saw that is very well
In the abstract. tut all the same. William,
I can't like horrid people. You arc like
Sincslcv-a man has only 70 be oio7Ch'T'
droo56.i for Won 20 like him, and be IN
aympathv with him. / like nice gentle,
manlv pcople-I admire Mr.. Sheffield and
r..
Dr. 'Minehibber' an1 Major Eoyden.
Which would Won wish our Charlie TO pe
like nv friends or yours.' I'll.
"Well. Nellie" he answered, noltner
the ono nor the other. / should Ike MN
10 have the centlemauly bearing ana loi,,
ished manners of Grew ana Shehelu'
,hould also Ike him 10 have some OF the
pencrositv az Winemhber.' "a You cali
Eim. and something that old boyIen pos
tesses. though il has no name ana orlhss
In no money 90 its poss"'sor. -,
"a fine iHcnc,s / suppose Won mean, L
tan,led "That ~ Lis most striking cha-
r.cteTistic nnd he oaCrs q truhsnt example
IL the Young mon and maldens ABOUT hln,
! must cav. Bu' what j. IL You IKE nm
fory Tell ne once again, dear "lIlaih'
and / will try to ToIncuuer.
There is httlc use IN my telling you
No,ln he answered crGyelv. Don't you
rc,ner,ber what Carlyle SAYS: We can
co only what We lrrg with Us the power
e. seq something Ike that any way.
wei. Won have not tho power, little VIE;
o. sec what | see. or fancy see. IN TINS oIl
solder. Ii NAV be ali lmac nation; out i
th;nk there IS q quiet 5omething when ~
aI,,oet bcrols,n IN tho spartan-ike way IN
which he lives her" that he may send haf
cs ms miserable pitteuce TO some one IN
Ncvico--some one who was kind to HIM
or MS moor WIFE Il ls no shame
IN my ewes that he should have
RESIGNED from the army aud come home
before the war ended. / tnlnk | should
Iove done So 600. Uewas ordered TO bonn
Sol tle li.,le town where his young span
ish wife was ILL. le made Iorculean eloris
10 rrovent tho l0uhrrdmeut or 10 Get eX-
CHANGED before the fs'al hour arrived, but
ielnr unable 20 90 ANYTHING ne ~ the laSt
hour disgu ised himself ae q Mexican ana
went into the town % try and ~ her re-
moved before that quoritr should pe AZ
tackled. She was to1l'lt - pear the change;
be kissed her and ms LILLE newborn Gmld
and went bacl. ID the battle and ordered
tbe sbor and shoU 20 le hurled into the
devoted town. as was his duty. hut when
ibe frht was over he sent uD ms resigna-
zion from the service and came home, as
wife and child were both dead and he had
no heart for the laures which mad begun
to shower on him. Ii YOU know a sadder
story than that DO not
"fes, II i terrible / sail,
"But, william, V1u would have touno
yorne other worthy object in life IN all
these vears. You would not have turned
into fossil Ike him. lie has sisters and
brothers ii he chose TO 1.-Two near them; but
lie is dead TO every affect on now. pity,
but DO not admire him"
"Well, we will not discuss the ola fellow
snv longer, my pet: so goodbye And
NV husband left me for the office.
You see. had heard that story often
before and whilst had cried bitterly over
n on first / had got used to ii. think
William never got used 10 It," lie saw
the wife and baby in the Mexican town
whenever he saw the old MAJOR. dld,
too. when he first came 70 1--we near u.s. out
wears are too long and life IS too busy and
prosiac at G,iriyto Toe softened byromance,
al least Ii was for me, and cordially dis
liked 1.-THE old idler," as 1 called him. My
husband say, that for some time after set
Ting in this village Royden had held him.
self little aloof from the common run OF
the people. but lattcrly the stress OF cir
cumstances had been too hard, suppose,
and now he seemed to regard himself as
only one OF them.