Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-03


Hugh - said the sweet impressive voice.
God forbid There is no question Of
tiat Marion
Il could love thee, dear, so much,
Loved not honor more
am one Of Marion men,, as the boys
call me now. by birth and breeding, for
my great-grandtather was sworn aide and
ally of the Swamp Fox Hugh Heriot OF
that day was his leaders right hand all
through their long hiding and skirmishing
that so harrassed the British from swamp
and morass. Many tale has my grandfath.
er told me by the big fireplace at Heriot Of
chose old days, till my heart and head was
full of patriotism. was fed On love fol
my country from my first remembrance
do you think it will fail me now?"
Marion Lancaster's dark eyes flashed
back the look at her lovers. No! but
then Will it seem patriotism to them,
Hugh-to your people at home?'
Il don It know. have horrid doubt
sometimes. But it is my country; | have
no other-my own grand, magnificent
eountry-east, west, north or south
Fight for Its unity, against its separation
for no latitude or longitude. If my own
people had lived so long in Georgia that
their good Scotch blood runs thin with the
ianguor of luxury, | have been here in
these hills long enough to get back the iron
into mine that lay only in allegiance.
must 90, Marion, and | must go on the
side of right. You could not keep me,
dear, and | know You would not
A spasm of anguish quivered over her
beautiful, proud face, but her voice was
true and clear. 81 dare not keep you,
Hugh. Women have a sense of honor,
too-a love of country
Some of them," said Hugh, bitterly.
He was thinking of his classmate and
ehnm, whose weak, lovely little fancee
was doing her utmost to keep him out of
the army, day after day. Hugh looked at
Marion with love and pride in his eyes.
N'TOu are the right sort, he said, as he
drew her more closely against his Shout
der.
II wish I knew how things are with
Sandy he went on. Mother has no
one else on the plantation but Cornelia;
my cousins. know, have joined the army
Aunt Carr was Connecticut woman, like
mother, they are typical southern
ers; they have neither my Scotch
blood nor my northern education. |
know well which way is theirs. [ can t
with them.
Marion looked up to her lover with
something higher than emotion in her
eyes; his justice and candor amazed her.
inthe seething passions of the times she
never before heard one just word uttered
from those whose honest convictions ar
rayed them on the other side.
at is we'll now for your mother that
Sandy did not share your strength, she
SAID, thinking, with q woman's instinct,
how lionel y Mrs. Heriot would he without
either son.
Hugh laughed. Perhaps it is Just as
well for me, Marion, Had we both been
strong and we'll we should have come north
mother Is a fanatic about New England
educatlon-and then we should both have
Fallen In love with you sweetheart. What
dilemma for you!'
How do you know?" said Marion half
smiling.
''Oh, Sandy and | are twins all through,
except for his delicate organization He
ana liked the same things. dreamed the
same dreams, read the same books, are
so alike, even mother was at times puzzled
to tell us apart. Old DIR. Severance used
to say that we were, after ALL only one
boy, without physique enough for the two
bodies we materialized' into. | always
felt ashamed, in dull sort of way, to be
so robust when Sandy conld not keep up
with me; but he is far the sweeter-natured
st the two. You would have loved him
tSDR h. ter, Marion"
"Nayer!' was the swift indignant
answer
So Hugh Heriot enlisted with north
ern regiment, parted with his sweetheart
braveIy, and LETT her to wait. as hundreds
like her were left in those dreadful days.
Did we known then, shall we ever know
we who came out scathless those
women suffered who, tied hand and foot,
rnaddened by the poor recurrent routine OF
daily life. filled with vague imaginative
Ferrors. had yet to live and do their petty
duties under the edge of a sword worse
than the tabled blade of Damoces?
II there were other wamon who suffered
more than Marion Lancaster in this dire
suspense she did not know it; it seemed to
her no heart could be more torn with
anxiety. more tortured by the silence that
vet thrilled with dreadful possibilities,
than hers. She did not consider that her
Rove for Hugh Heriot was young passion
scarcely rooted in her breast: that she
was bound to him by none of the strong
kies Of those who had sent their husbands
out 10 war. and crouched on desolate
hearthstones with clinging Children about
then who might the next hour be waillng
orphans; she thought she suffered all she
could. and as week after week grew into
month after month, and the second year
game lingering on, she grew thin pale and
astfess
For Hugh Heriot had yet had no fur
Tough; the few times Marion had heard
from him he had spoken of his intention
10 apply for one at the years end, but
he had enlisted for the war, and felt that
while his strength lasted he must fight; ne
was more needed on the field than even
Marion needed him.
Yet after that first year began there
were no more letters, and after the battle
of Lookout Mountain the lists of killed and
wounded came in so slow y that it was d
Bong week before the very last" showed
among the list of missing" Hugh Her
lot, Major c. Tenth Infantry.
''Missing.' Can words expound what
that one word meant in those days? Not
Che sharp blow of wounded, which I'M
piled possible life and even hope of i'm
mediate repair to the sufferer, and all the
gentle ministries to receive one and con-
sole the other, blessed In giving or taking
Not the tun and desolation of Dead,
that left no worse to fear nor tantalizec
with the iqnis fatuus of hope; but that ont
fatal word that tortured but did not slay
that bound the victim to the stake anC
piled the fagots, but delayed to light tn,
ere till the waiting grew to be mad
ness.