The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-07-30
Copyright 1891. ty A. N. Kellogg Newspaper Co
CHAPTER XIX.

AhAflEh
HOME SWEET HOME.
| Whenever railroad train rolled up
to the station at Meltonburg its passen-
gers were accustomed to s,nilingly re-
mark that every man, woman and child
in the place was loafing on its 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
drapcd in fluttering bunting and alive
with hundreds of country folks arrayed
in their best. while local band. with
more energy than harmony. hrayed the
mir of See, the Conquering Hero
Comes
And the conauering hero who came
t. 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
~ertiser. who had reused the honest
rustics to what he afterwards described
In the columns of his journal rs IA 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 n little personal al first, but
soon drifted into a 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 lnusie-to
hear Rev. Lubin Ferry compare him in
dulcet tones with every Biblical hero
from David downwards. and declare
that his ma thought this a day that the
Mcltonburgers would forever be proud
of-and to accept at the hands ola COM
mittec. of which the Advertiser man
was spokesman, the presentation of a
sword. on which was engraved list of
the battles in which he had-or ought
t. have-taken part. As the Adver-
User said. 1T was high cid time. and
the welkin rang with the plaudits of
thousands. when the youthful hero in
few hut appropriate words. gracefully
acknowledged the tribute to his hrav-
cry"
Eut they let him go at last. Even tho
little boys. who had shouted themselves
hoarse. had sense to leave him. when
he opened the garden gate and turned
up the avenue of walnuta to his home.
Mother
my boy"
draw the curtain over the tender
tcene and leave them to their bliss.
And Grace came, too. hlushing 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 right to
do it and she was his atiianced bride,
not at all in the subdued, yet affection
Intc manner in which he greeted cousin
Kate. Why. the two receptions would
not bear comparison; and was she not n
happy girl? But she was happier when
that night the young soldier told her
the old. old tale of love, which in her
ears founded as sweet and fresh as
though icons of ages ago it had net
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 a
touching tribute to the Meltonburg
boys who had died in action. he remind
ed his hearers of the deb. of gratitude
1hey 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 fee
or sicken with shame mt the words Of
the preacher.
, And Franks sympathies were with
the minister too, when he added: I'VE
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
is 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 VIZ
rot spare from the overflow of our ella
ton some sympathy for those who
fought for cause they believed 10 b,
Just, and who now have to adj to tn,
desolation of blighted homes and RUNE.
prospects the bitterness of defeat
We can afford to be generous. Perhap
it is old age that brings on me the spiri
of prophecy, but l can see the tim
when we shall record with pride tn
courage and devotion of the people @
the South. whose marvellous enduranc
has no parallel in history, and say es
ultantly, And these men were Amer
cans when the gallantry of Lee an
jackson will he remembered withou
robbing the crowns of Grant, Sherma
and Sheridan of single laurel-leaf."
Though the people generally wer
rot ripe for the expression of such iii
cral criticism. the soldier element q
the congregation nodded approbatio,
The countenances OF Miss Ruth and
few others, however, manifested d.
tcrmined signs of disapproyal and Re,
Iubin afterwards remarked that hi
ma considered Mr.. Brentwood's sent
ncnts hardly decent.
The pastors sister, too, had anothe
subject which caused discomfort.
II declare" she said to Grace, goin
Lona. frora church, that Mary Resan
uocs net look twenty-five years old t6