Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-08-06

Copyright. 1891 by A. N. Kellogg Newspaper Co.
CHAPTER XIX.
HOME, SWEET HOME.
Whenever railroad train rolled up
to the station at Meltonburg its passen-
gers were accustomed to smilingly re-
mark that every man, woman and child
In the place was loafng on it's platform
to gaze at the arrivals and departures.
What, then, must they have thought
when one bright August morning the
express from Columbus dashed up to
the little depot with series of jubilant
shrieks that showed that the engineer
was in sympathy with some unwonted
excitement, and they saw the depot
draped in fluttering h-1nting and alive
with hundreds of country folks arrayed
in their best, while local band, with
more energy than harmony, brayed the
air of 'See, the Conquering Hero
Comesr'
And the conquering hero who came
to Meltonburg on that sunny morning
was none other than Frank Besant,
who was dumfounded at his noisy re-
ception, which was really due to the
energy of the editor of the Weekly Adj
vertiser, who had reused the honest
rustics to what he afterwards described
In the columns of his journal as ga red
hot burst of enthusiasm" And, when
the village president, an aged and es-
Unable hardware merchant, stepped
forward and fired an grafton at him,
which was a little personal at first, but
soon drifted into Fourth of July
screed, that Frank thought he had
heard before, the young soldier felt
that he would rather endure another
Chickamauga than go through the or
deal But he had to face the music-to
hear Rev. Lubin Ferry compare him in
dnlcet tones with every Biblical hero
from David downwards, and declare
that his ma thought this day that the
Meltonburgers would forever be proud
of-and to accept at the hands of a COM
mittee, of which the Advertiser man
was spokesman, the presentation of a
sword, on which was engraved a list of
the battles in which he had-Or ought
to have-taken part. AS the Adver-
tiser said, 1T was high old time, and
the welkin rang with the plaudits of
thousands, when the youthful hero, in
few but appropriate words, gracefully
acknowledged the tribute to his brav-
cry"
But they let him go at last. Even the
little boys, who had shouted themselves
hoarse, had sense to leave him, when
he opened the garden gate and turned
up the avenue of walnuts to his home.
. '.Mother!'
''My boy!'
1 draw the curtain over the tender
scene and leave them to their bliss.
And Grace came, too, blushing and
trembling, and oh! so glad, that Frank
took her in his arms and stroked her
hair and rained kisses upon her uplifted
face, just as though he had a right to
do it and she was his afianced bride,
not at all in the subdued, yet affection
ate manner in which he greeted cousin
Kate. Why, the two receptions would
not bear comparison; and was she not a
happy girl? But she was happier when
that night the young soldier told her
the old, old tale of love, which in her
ears sounded as sweet and fresh as
though icons of ages ago it had not
called the blush to the damask cheek of
woman.
And when on Sunday Mr.. Brentwood
preached to crowded congregation a
memorial sermon, in which, after
touching tribute to the Meltonburg
boys who had died in action, he remind
ed his hearers of the debt of gratitude
they owed the brave survivors of that
awful struggle, you should have seen
the widows eyes blaze with triumph.
She did not now look down in trembling
confusion, nor did her boy hide his face
or sicken with shame at the words of
the preacher.
And Franks sympathies were with
the minister too, when he added: ''We
are a proud people this day, exultant in
victory, almost for the moment forget
ting our tears for the loved ones who
have fallen on the BATTLE field; but there
d one thing we have not thought of.
While we pour out heartfelt gratitude
to the heroes who have maintained the
metonomy of this mighty Nation,
whose noble deeds shall inspire the
poets of unborn generations, can we
not spare from the overflow of our ella
tion some sympathy for those who
fought for cause they believed to be
just, and who now have to add to the
desolation of blighted homes and ruined
prospects the bitterness of defeat?
We can afford to be generous. Perhaps
1t Is old age that brings ON me the spirit
when we shall record with pride the
courage and devotion of the people of
the South, whose marvellous endurance
has no parallel in history, and say ex-
Oltantly, And these men were Ameri-
cans;' when the gallantry Of Lee and
Jackson will be remembered without
robbing the crowns Of Grant, Sherman
and Sheridan of single laurel-leaf''
Though the people generally were
not ripe for the expression of such lib
eral criticism, the soldier element of
the congregation nodded appreciation.
The countenances of Miss Ruth and
few others, however, manifested de-
tsrmined signs of disapprova1 and Rev.
Lubin afterwards remarked that his
ma considered Mr.. Brentwood's senti-
1nents hardly decent.
The pastors sister, too, had another
subject which caused discomfort.
81 declare" she said to Grace, going
home from church, that Mary Besant
does not look twenty-five years old to-
day-guess it's that bonnet she had