The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-10-15

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the quiet skies. and shuddered in their
beds when the sullen boom Of cannon
shook the earth Not one word or line
came from the absent son and brother,
and to the anguish that was whitening
her mothers hair Glen dared not add
one pang by disclosing this traitorous,
disloyal, nameless feeling that had grown
up in her heart. Obi that she could
crush it out like q poisonous thing-this
strange madness which had changed her
from q careless girl to an anxious, sad
dened woman. The old rooms and the
quiet wood where she often wandered
to escape her mothers eyes seemed to
mOck her with memories Of things that
had passed away forever
It w& one day late in April, when she
wAs rotuLninS from one Of these aimless
Tambles. that she saw q body Of horse
men InoV ny along the road before her.
Tasy might be squad Of cavalrymen
like thUse who had passed and halted
many days before, she thought, uncon.
sciously quickening her steps. But no.
they wore the Confederate gray, q strag-
CLING, disOrderly band. torn and tattered,
with unkempt hair and boards. Many
Of them reeled in their saddles, with
songs and reckless laughter, but she felt
no fear Of them, She put her hands to
her mouth. trumpetwise, and shouted;
what newsS Has Lee surrendered"
Aud the leader, swaying heavily over
his horses neck, shouted back with an
oath.
mo. miss, and he'll never surrender"
He'll never surrender they all yelled
In wild chorus, As they put spurs TO
their maddened horses and disappeared
IN q cloud Of dust.
When she reached the house her
mother met her. with new light on her
stricken face. and led her gently in. and
there upon the sofa lay her brother, pale
and worn and wasted indeed, but sound
In body and limb at Is all over, Glen,'
be said, springing up to meet her and
clasping her in his arms; ''it Is all over.
and Lee has surrendered" He broke
down In burst Of sobs.
And now a strange hope awoke in
Glen's heart and lived there It budded
with the spring, and blossomed with the
summer flowers that opened this year to
shed their petals upon many graves; but
when the autumn came and the wood
dove moaned all day in her plaintive
tones and the wind awoke in the pines.
newspaper, the first in many weeks,
founds its way to them It was out Of
date. but still welcome, and Glen went
TO the open window TO read 1t and there.
In q list Of the dead. she saw his name.
She was alone, but she did not cry out
or faint She had never been guilty Of
anything 90 weak and womanish but
once in her strong young life, but she
stepped out upon the lawn, though It
was raining heavily, and went like .
wounded thing down the long dark ave
nue. Of moaning cedars He is dead"
she said TO herself, when at last she
reached the great gates and stopped;
dead, and he will never know that ]
prayed he might come back TO me-that
no matter what happened he might
come backt-that he might only, only
come back.
Through all the wind, and the falling
rain, and the darkness did he hear that
despairing cry1 For he was there. clasp.
ing her in his passionate arIns
ut was not This Is not my ghost,
darling" he was saying, as he showered
kisses upon her white face; 81 have come
back in the flesh to claim you mine.
Glen-mine--always minel"
"And to think" she said. lifting her
happy eyes to the tall man who leaned
against tree beside her, leisurely smok
ing and watching her as she rested on
her royal couch Of pine needles. ito
think that In this very spot was once
90 very, very angry with you, AlanI"
"And to think" he answered, bending
down to pat the sturdy youngSter who,
seated in his mothers lap. was pulling
all her bright hair down with his brave
hands, "that just four years after q
southern girl-a Virginian Of Virginia
should confess that she blessed the day
when Lee surrenderedr
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