New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1890-11-19
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Jall-D1fd!
sSoldier, Won't you listen to me?'
1t was O woman with emaciated
cheeks and hair turning gray who
spoke. She was dressed all in black,
very plainly but decently, like a
widow who strives to hide her sor-
row. There were dark circles under
her eyes; and they were eyes that
bore the traces Of sleepless night;
they looked SO sad, fearless as they
were, that one might have thought
all the despair of humanity had
passed through their depths.
She was not selling anything.
Her hands, encased in black cotton
gloves, held a parasol, much worn.
She was endeavoring to make a
place for herself among the peddlers
and tayern-keepers; but they pushed
her brutality aside and then she
would move quickly away, finding
an other little empty space, from
which standpoint she could watch,
at first with glance Of supreme
hope, followed thereafter by one of
indescribable anguish, every soldier
as he passed. Her countenance
offered one continuous alteration of
anticipation and despair.
"Eb," said a Zouave, II know her!
She was planted here a year ago.
II saw her in the same spot six
months BEFORE" said another. And
a third added: ssShe's the widow of
the whole Grand Army!'' 8.
And everyone began to laugh, and
the sellers of trumpery and the
tavern-keepers loudest OF all.
But she, the widow" only adj
vanced with a timid motion of the
hand as though she wished to accost
someone. Then when only half a
dozen laggards remained to bring
up the rear of the column-dragging
themselves and their fevers, and
their canvas bags heavily along
she nerved herself to speak:
''Soldier, won't you listen to me?"
''Eh? What? What do you want
old woman?"
cold woman! She was scarcely
that, she had barely passed Ter
tortieth year-the full bloom time of
the happy ones of earth. But for
her, as for the women of all those
just now landing, the years must
have counted double.
"Soldier, won't you listen to me?"
Such despair was in her glance,
such supplication in her voice, that
] stopped, moved to sympathy. But
the laughter round about broke out
afresh.
"Well, crazy Jane! Is it he?" cried
some porters.
A knot of custom-house employees
looked on grinning. Mortified and
embarrassed [ passed on.
When looked back, q few PAGES
further on, the woman was stand
ing, motionlessly, in the same place;
and [ thought two tears had left
their traces on her withered cheek.
An impulse seized me to return, to
approach her, again. Why did those
coarse brutes stand there laughing,
grinning all over their animal faces.
winking their cynical eyes?
The woman, unmindful of their
mockeries, as though she were we'll
accustomed to them, gave one more
desolate look toward the vessel
which had brought us from the Afri-
IAN coast, and seeing that the last
passenger had left it, turned and
dwelt a long time on the molly as
semblage of soldiers along the quay,
as though something dearer than
life were at stake for her. Then, low
ering her black veil. she moved away
slowly, like phantom Of despair.
For several days that phantom
haunted me. Among tbs restored
delights of home the voman's face
would start suddenly before me, and
thememory other stricken eyesquench
the laughter on my lips. But by de
grees the obsession ceased, and
had forgotten it wholly, when, three
months later, my convalescent's fur
Tough having expired, I met the wo-
man again on the quay as I was
about to take the packet
Yes, it was she; all in black. with
her great sad, despairing eyes, I'M
dimmed by all the tears they had
shed, and her poor but decent cloth
ing. She was waiting for the landing
OF a vessel which had just brought
some troop from Philippeville.
In three months had not he whom
her heart awaited yet come? Was
she about to take her place again in
the midst ofthat vile crowd, elbowed,
insulted, pushed about Ikea woman
Of the town?
so you're here again. said a
seargent de vile brutally "Move
on. You've been told before not to
hang around"
She made as though she would
protest, but the words died away be-
fore the mans burly visage died
and she walked, without speaking,
to a point further on.
'Whorl is she waiting for?"
asked
The policeman shrugged his shout
ders and touched his forehead.
"But whom does she expect?'
"Bah!o he muttered indifferently.