The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-12-10

with equal facility the men. taking excellent
heed OF the Majors caution, poured out as large
n quantity OF liquor as The capacity OF the
glasses would allow.
" DO any at YOU gentlemen happen to remen-
Der Iuscph AubrayY lie used 10 1--we here IN
Cactus Bar said the Major, abandoning the
glass Of claTet he had called for as too unpalat-
able 10 be swallowed.
81 do" said two men almost simultaneously.
"Joseph hubray,' repeated Sam Peters,
"whv. yes of course Joe, rs we called hlm,
enlisted In the -- Illinois Volunteers"
The same man. returned the Major
"lie was killed. /" continued Sam, at Gettys-
burg. aud was brought home about year ago
and buried up Ia the graveyard.
- helped lower his body in the grave"
" Yes, gentlemen" said the Major, 81 served
in the same regiment with Joe, poor fellow,
and ] held has head on MY knee when he
breathcd his last"
lis that possible2" quericd the landlord, Gu
riousy.
ION the second day Of that terrible engage
mont, Joe received q fatal bullet wound IN has
right lung. lie died an three hours. hap
pCned TO be In charge Of one OF the hospitals
owing to the death of two Surgeons on the field,
and so received the last dying commission OF
/ the poor fellow"
INe conversation RnnllNutu ptlNf'H tilN
/ Major aud sam Peters who seemed delighted
with the opportunity TO relate some remins-
I ccnces Of the deceased soldier until bell an
nounced that the Majors supper was waiting
H.
on the following morning the Major, having
received directions as 10 its location from
/ Draper. left tho hotel aud proceeded toward The
/ house in which Miss Anbray and her widowed
I 1n1 10 fpsHnflRn ia
4 form the duty which had been intrusted 10 him
/ by poor Joe and leave Cactus Bar that day.
Certainly his trying journey from Chicago
! had not heen relieved with any agreeable IN
cidonts worthy Of remembrance, and Cactus
/ Bar-well. why should he stay here any longer
than he could help2
just before leaving Cactus Bar 10 join tho
army Joe Aubray had been presented with a
dainty little gold chased locket containing the
miniature of the givcr, Miss Ruth Aubray, his
charming sister. During his last moments on
/ the battlefield he had said 20 the Major: " My
sister Ruth would like "a last token of me, IN
sure, and il IL would not he asking too MUCH
be had gasped, ia like 10 have you cut of
lock Of my hair and put IL in this loclct, which
contains hrr picture. Sometime, If you are
ever near Cactus bar, will you not 90 there
. and give the ioCket and hair TO Suthy It's a
good deal 10 ask, bat -
+" viii DO 10, Joe. rest assured viii do IT,"
4 tho Major. deeply affected, had answered. aud
this WAS the errand that had brought Major
Thompson 10 Cactus Bar. As he came in sight
of the Aubray house, the Major much as be
had hattled against the inclination, could not
refrain from opening tho lOcket and looking,
Tor The FIRST time nj tho picture which d con-
tanned
perfect Venus" he exclaimed as his
eyes rested upon the fair face. " How bcauti-
lul she is!
lie closed the loclct and hurried forward
through the gate. lie was soon ushered into
The pretty little reception room aud stood in
the presence Of Joe's sister. That face Yes,
il was the exact counterpart Of tic face he had
seen in the locllet only 10 was more serious
aud carcworn
"Myuamo, madame" The Major Immediately
found tho courage to say, Z" is Thompson. ]
was a friend Of your br0thcT's"-
" Indeed I" interrupted the young woman ;
please be seated"
a. supported him in my arms when he
passed away continued the Major. Just be-
fore the end he requested me 10 cut of a lock
Of his hair and place il in this locket which
be said contained picture Of you. j promised
to deliver them 10 you sometime in person, and
that is my present mission here"
" Dear Joe Ans his last thought was Of
mc?" she asked, with tears in her eyes, al
she received and opened the loclet and ten
derry kissed the coil Of blonde hair neatly ar
ranged opposite her own picture
4" Yes T" was the Majors simple answer
T" ] do not know how % express my gratitude
10 You" she said, with a quavering intouation.
The Major tried 20 protest that 10 was only a
duty he owed TO the dead, but she repeated
other phrases Of appreciation that touched his
heart as the utterances Of no other woman had
ever done. An hour passed before the Major
rose 10 take has departure. The circumstance
Of their meeting and the sympathetic charac.
ter OF their conversation had already made
them friends
The Majors nervous manner might have In
dicated that on his side a deeper feeling even
than friendship had taken possession Of him
Such, ia short, was the case For, despite th,
fact that he had remained marriage proof 10
~ years be was now after this brief acquaint
ance with her, wholly infatuated with Ru.l
Aubray. But he had the will aud good taste {,
, desist from speaking Of his sudden passion lo
weeks alterWard.
The chronicle Of Mai. Thompson's courtshil
would perhaps not disclose any particularly new
phases Of human nature aud, therefore, for The
sake Of hrevity, IL may be plainly stated tina
lac won Miss Aublay's hand and heart by din
Of great galauiry, true devotion. aud, for
time. with DO few misgIyinEs Of what the &C
} tual termination Of his suit would be-
2 The wedding WAS arranged 10 take place il
the carly part " April. One day about "A wccl
! preceding the event letter was received b!
! Maj. Thompson, aud this is what il said:
PEoEIA III, March % IS.
Ny DEAR BH0THER j write 10 say that j hnv
completed ali arrangements 10 begin another leS
ture tour through the South and West. supp0.
this move viii not meet with your entire sanction
= but have any Swing 10 get, aud do MOI know .
| amy better way 81 getting .. hope 90 be NOR
I successful tiils lime, D have prepared a NOR
Z popular discourse. IL b. entitled Evenings d
/ Home
expect 10 start next week Mr.. Haulcy wi
manage the route aud eyers lining ~ that kind 81
Z me, aud b. 10 have oue-illrd 81 the net proli
< Aud now, Major, iu regard 10 Tommy. your uuut
sake. have concluded 20 send him 60 you au
i, lci you adopt him. az you suggested doing SONS
4 Time ago.
newer could have consented 70 this thing Ia
&c IN The fact that ] CHuuot tHisr him with nae.
you muy look Tor him meat Tuesday. As you lH
b, Indicated that you would remain lu Cactus Bar {,
. sometime 10 come ] shall send him there comm
q liul aboard tIo stage iIai runs 10 The town whcl
F." you Rrc staying, 1uI some mysterious reason.
"A j know you VIII Boz glad 90 take care a. riv fai
erics- boy and train him 40 be true Reutlema
Z like hoe uncle
2 Your afccuonute sister Lucy VLEY.
Well here Is q pretty mess ] declare" q
4, claimed The Major as be folded up aud pac,
7 the letter IN bis pocket. So Lucy has dccid,
10 send Der young heir 10 me after All. We
little Tom, who has always called me pap
p since he could lisp the word will be WELDON
- I've desired 20 adopt him FOR a long time an
: ii ] do, am quite sure Ruth viii not object
y On Thursday Tommy reached Cactus Bar
y the stage. lie manifested a pronounced juv
y nile delight al again being with his uncl