Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1891-08-15

In his bed that night Reuben did not
weep. Men do not habitually, but he
felt as he had never felt before. The
demon jealousy had entered into him.
He was full Of rage and hate, and these
emotions were new to him. Suddenly
he found himself sitting up, clinching
his pillow with his left hand and deal
ing it heavy blows with his doubled
right fist.
81 should like to kill him!" he said,
thinking Of Du Bois. ITO kill hint To
kill himr' He seized the bolster with
both hands and smothered with It an
imaginary Desdemona. Then he was
very much ashamed of himself there in
the dark, and thought how his dead
mother would have grieyed could she
have known Of his violent and absurd
emotions.
That fair, delicate mother had been a
Quakeress. Often she had taken him
with her to meeting, and lie had listened
to the mild, sweet, drawling speech OF
the Friends whom the spirit moved to
speak. 1t had had an influence upon
him. Had he chosen a profession he
would rather have been surgeon to
heal men than soldier to kill them.
But now all his nature was altered, and
he felt there was no possibility of follow
ing the steps of his father and grand
father as dealers in groceries. Her speech
concerning the superiority of those who
had distinguished ancestry who had
never engaged in trade seemed to ring
in his ears. 'I'n be soldier" he said.
"Pll go to the war. No one can despise
soldier"
In imagination he saw himself staying
men like this Du Bois. He rode into the
ranks of the enemy unscathed. HE
bears a charmed life," he heard them
say, but knew that he feared nothing,
because the life in which Beulah had NO
share had no value for him. He threw
himself back upon his pillow, rose in
imagination from the ranks to a captain
cy, was major, colonel, major general,
fell asleep then and dreamed that in q
wild, smoke yelled contest he stood face
to face with Du Bois, the man whom
Beulah loved. Then-he never could re-
member what followed, but he awoke
determined to enlist.
The poor old father uttered a groan
when he came home one day and told
him that he had done SO, but he felt Q
little thrill of pride notwithstanding.
But what was done could not be un-
done.
"Ef wasn't too old I'd go along with
you," he said. "Td like you and me to
fight side by side. wonder eff they'd
take me2"
mo, no, dad" said Reuben. "rn be
back soon."
81 shall pray for you," said old Spicer,
"but dunno as I'm listened to-" He
was thinking of the prayers he had
offered to heaven that his boy and he
might never be parted. And it had all
come to this. He knew why.
"Just a pretty little girl, and there's
such lots of little girls" he thought;
land he's only got one old dad, living
on borrowed time, too, and fonder Of
him than words can tell, and he amt
nothin' to him compared with one little
girl" But he bade his SOD godspeed,
and waved his large red handkerchief as
the regiment marched away, and stepped
to the music little himself, and whistled
his way home, but his hair got winter
after that, and it was at breakfast time
next morning that black Sally noticed
for the first time that he was beginning
to stoop.
AS for Beulah. she not been well since
the night of the birthday party. Not
We'll enough to see Mr. Du Bois when he
called to say goodby, and had been so
gallant to her mother that the old lady
stood before the mantel mirror for ten
minutes after he had gone, and said to
herself that she must be wonderfully
well preserved for her age.
No, Beulah had not been well, but on
this day mother and daughter had gone
out for a ride together and had driven
down toward what was called the land
ing, when they were aware of q steam
boat lying there. the stars and stripes
flying and a regiment marching on board
of her.
The long line of boys in blue stretched
up the street; the band played The
Girl Left Behind Me-"
The pony attached to the basket
phaeton thought it respectful to stand on
his hind legs and widen his nostrils, and
a man who was watching the procession
took him by the bride and held him,
soothing him by certain pats and whis-
pers.
Another lot of men off, see," said
Mrs. Barton.
"Yes," said the man, "there is Free
man Pennypacker and Rodman Calkin-
dahl and Phineas Spot, and the youngest
of 'em is Reuben Spicer, Grocer Spicer's
boy. l see him stop to shake hands with
his father just now. It's rough on the
cid man-rough. Like enough he won't
see Reu again in this world"
1t was just then that Beulah leaned
back ON the cushions. A little later her
mother discovered that she had tainted.