Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-11
AS IT WAS TOLD.
AaomANce OF THE WAR
rvrt,,.n for the Dispatch by Miss Fanny KEN
bic Johncon.l
CHAPTER I.

(ndE Il Tn II
wedid not know what war was at iirs.,
Cr,ssy. We thought 1t sort OF , ules'
s.ars3e our youngest, our noblest-look-
-, no sent them of with smiles ana
~evinr OF hands. IL was not upth tnes
,r.re brought back to us--as Courtney vas
nvcbt hack---that we began 20 reanze
sh"t h meant. | Will never forget that
worninp. IL was in the sprlng OF 100,
g'he great hedges Of white lilacs were 10
hloom all along the garden fence, anu tnem .
scent drugeed the the, al" ma br Ishs and the
snS in the branches were white WIN
- we were all out in the porch when
~. lf,cd him up the steps. re bao
sa'r,od from main. bnt we did not know
nee thoucht him dead. A deatny ueM ,.
shook us Your grandfather turned wnl.e,
and Won. little thing OF hye tncn, h'u ss; odd'
face in my dress and tremoieu a~ 10 boy
Aered million deaths III was terIi-
NJ :. nios terr,blel shot had taken MN
=, ;be hack some way-I don't know now
aoctor would say it-and sometimes there
soa,ced no relief. Cbloroform Was no more
tban go much water. 1t almost killed your
Grandfather. Courtney was ms uariihs'
bis delight. the eldest ana dearest, anJ ~
ne ~, tortured like that was agony be-
so,d words. The poor boy was oIave
49,. Il but one cannot lie stretched on
az rsck Tor weeks and not cry out buV
- ,ras only once that he gave way COM
nlc,Slv That day he had seemed easier,
and when he called me to nm 4 went
smiling. He drew my face down 20 ms.
81 want 20 sleep. dear ne sslu an abe
me alone little "nhe' az" '
room first. .o-od 20 tho win
dow and did not hear HIM. .uY,d won-
"yyan, Ia sleep. COurtney?"l SAID won
ds-;rglv for he had slept some hours that
,nn,ntng-more than usual. Suddenly ms
arms frightened on my meek. his eSo'
'iD 1ouick, Ouick," he whispered behind
-. SIaunbo1 teeth. such aSony-l-l
H., Stand il to-day. Don't let him see
n HINTS him so. Darker the room ana go
HT Jnst then. dear. You fell down on the
gravel walk outside, and your grand
father fastened ont to qulet You,
screams My poor hoy was so ~ IN go; Sni on5
tIat closed the shutters and left him. anu
a. shnt the door / heard HIM sob, hur-
ried ont 10 where your grandfather was
PV ".Fa,ber' =" said. won't you take Crissy
for n walk II will do you 1oth goOu'
Courtneg wishes TO sleep and ! have dark
ened the room. so that therein De ho'uihs
10 disturb him" .-uu "r rror,, On
looked
ont Of hearing distance he salu. oait
me the moment he awakes. Don't you
think he is better to-day. Jenny
"Of ccnrse - | answered. kissing nm.
He hes fated. hut al last turned and led
von down the walk. 1 stood for a little ana
watched YOU both. | can see you low
Crissy, lust as plainly. You weIe suGn
solemn, hlack-eyed little morSel, OI!s ne
wind was blowing your dress out nan
ward almost, and your curls were All IN
yonr face. The scarlet band had slipped
down on your neck. and one tlnY suoe Iau
comeunbuttoned. You were always coming
10 pieces somehow. You were great trial
10 me. There, my sweet one, KISS me. You
were the Joy of my hfe-my hrst httIe
babv-my daughter. We'll, went oack 10
Courtney-not IN the room; j waited out
sidc II seemed cruel TO leave him al
alone. I could not do it. 1t was Ike
death TO hear him sob ike that. He
,bon0ht no one could hear-lny poor
bow And | could only stand there
and listen listen. listen There was no
thing we could do. 1t vas dreadful lie
was so Young 10 met seemed only the
other dav that nv mother. dying. gave him
into nv arms. frightened, crying child OF
fya. and vet he was old enough To have
sucb tears forced from agony, and sixteen
wears had conc bv. At last the sobs stop
ned. mt nv face TO the door. lnere
wa no. n sound. ! went in softly. His
hands were clenchcd IN the railing at the
head Of the bed. but the rest OF his BODY
showed the relaxat on that comes after the
tenseness Il pam. HNeI IoI au
hour he saii with FAINT smile, don't
know what makes me such baby to-day,
rnioss- -is-because-- He was silent
a little. Hislip trembled. Il have fear,
dear-lean close, dear. DO Won know what
Dr. Carter thinksr That I'll be cripple
If ever get up" turned pale. The dread
of IL had been with Us all the time, but ne
was the first one brave enough to pNt IL IN
at can't be-" said, we will send for
DR.. ". from Richmond. viii send this
evening. DIR. Carter is an cid fogy."
Courtney looked up eagerly with a CLEAN
OF hope IN his eyes.
Trg and save me. Jenny; I'd rather die
than be that wey-never to walk again
O. JENNY" He caught his breath ana
turned his face t. the wall; but only for
Where is nv book z" he asked present
Iy 81 had it--bcfore-ah. there It Is on the
door. dear. Now put my tan by me and
bring your work, lie 70 watch You sew
and "a flush crept into his pale cheeks
els Miss Arnold busy, Jenny! I'd Ike her
20 read TO me-"
Miss Arnold was your governess, Cris.
She came from New Hampshire, believe
She was slender thing. q mere child. DID
YOU ever notice apple blossoms on
"A windy morning-now. PINK, now
white, Won can never tell which? Her
face was like that. That strange, uncer-
tain color was her only charm almost. She
had not feature. positively not one, and
her HAIR was Just the common brownisl
shade you sec everywhere IN America
How should Imagine that he would fall
IN love with her? They say love Is blind,
child. but lovers not so blind as pride. ]
never even dreamed If such a thng-and
the mischief was done. ANY one else
might have noticed her bushes when |
called her. Might have noticed how slow
lv she came-yet how eagerly. Any ono
else might have known from his face as
che stood by the bed, but II never saw
thing.