The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-07-11
THE
COIolsI Of the Fourth
IS A STORY Of the Late Wars
BY BERNARD BIGSBY,
Author of Loyal at Last" 'My
Lady Fantastic" &c.
CHAPTER XIX.
HOME. SWEET HOME.

to the station at MeltOnburg It's passan-
gers were accustomed TO smilingly re-
mark that every man, woman and child
in the place was loahng 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 q series of iubiant
shriells that showed that the engineer
was in sympathy with some unwonted
excitement, aud they saw the depot
draped in fluttcring bunting and alive
with hundreds of country folks arrayed
in their best, while a local band, with
more energy than harmony, brayed the
air Of "See, the Conquering Hero
Comes"
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 "a red
hot burst of enthusiasm" And, when
the village president, an aged and es-
timable hardware merchant, stepped
forward and fired an Grafton at him,
which was a little personal at 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 music-to
hear Rev. Lubin Ferry compare him in
dulcet tones with every Biblical hero
from David DOWN. ards, and declare
that his ma thought this a day that the
Meltonburgers would forever be proud
of--and to accept at the hands of com.
mittee, of which the Advertiser man
was spokesman, the presentation of
sword, on which was engraved list Of
the battles in which he had-or ought
TO have-tal1en part As the Adver-
tiser said, 1T was high old time, and
the wellkin rang with the plaudits Of
thousands, when the youthful hero, in
few but appropriate words, gracefully
acknowledged the tribute to his bray
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"
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 right to
do it and she was his afiianced 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
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 a crowded congregation a
memorial sermon, in which, after a
touching tribute to the Meltonburg
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 sickep 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 battlefield; 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 we
not spare from the overflow of our ella
ton some sympathy for those who
fought for a cause they believed to be
Just, and who now have to add to the
desolation of blighted homes and ruined
prospects the bitterness Of defeats
We can afford to be generous. Perhaps
1t is old age that brings ON me the spnll
of prophecy, but l can see the time
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
ultantly, And these men were Ameri
cans;' when the gallantry of Lee ant
jackson viii be remembered withou
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 o.
the congregation nodded appreciation
, The countenances of Miss Ruth and {
few others, however, manifested de
! termined signs of disapproval and Rev
Lubin afterwards remarked that hi
ma considered Mr.. Brentwoods senti
ments hardly decent