The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-21

heart was loyal to Hugh, although she
could not help wishing that his man.
ners were more polished, and that he
had enough grit to stand up for his
rights when tramplcd upon by the city
dandy. That night she robed herself
in the dress he most admired, and
with repentant words on her lips, wait
ed for his coming, but her waiting was
in vain.
Il will write him note in the morn
ing," she said to herself. as she lay
tossing to and fro upon her sleeplcss
couch; but when the morning came she
heard that he had joined Col. Arm
strong's volunteers and was already
many miles away.
The blow fell with crushing weight
upon her aching heart, but she was
proud, and to hide her disappointment
accepted the attentions of young
Ienox, the man above all others she
most despised.
Hugh did not write as she hoped he
would, and in the letters that came
back to other associates he never so
much as mentioned her name.
his brother Ben. and Ben's wife, who
was something Of gossip, kept him
well posted concerning Marion Jewell's
Irritation. Hugh endured the torture
in silence. until the thoughtless woman
repeated the report of q wedding close
at hand, and then he begged her never
again to mention the name of Marion
Jewell, name that had once been so
dear to him.
Marion's eyes lost their sparkle and
her face grew thin and white with her
weary waiting. but she never COM
planned, and except that she was a
trifie more thoughtful than in old days,
no outward change was visible in her
conduct.
When Thane Lenox went back to the
city people said that he had grown tired
Of the rustic beauty and had cast her off
| just as she had done poor Hugh, and they
did not pity her either. But they were
wrong, for his going was great relief
to her. and had they known her loyalty
to their favorite. they would have been
more considerate in their censure.
The report that came back from time
to time of Hugh's conduct on the battle
field proved that he was anything but
coward. and others besides Marion
had cause to regret the hasty words
they had spoken in the days gone by.
The months dragged slowly along un-
| til two whole years were gone, and
Marion was beginning to look forward
to the time when Hugh's time would
expire, but her days of waiting ended
suddenly, when, with the news Of the
conquest on Lookout mountain she
learned that Hugh's life had been part
of the price paid for the victory. That
he had died at his post did not ease the
pain at her heart, and after the pine
box containing what his comrades sent
home as his mangled body was laid
away by the side of his dead kindred,
! she shed many bitter tears over the fresh
made grave.
But Hugh Curtis did not sleep in that
quiet tomb, for far away under a south
ern sky he tossed to and fro upon his
couch in a prison hospital. lie was
not exchanged until the war closed, and
then, knowing that his friends had
AOH6 06O 6AsSA AiIH VIZ 80 uCdsts HC uclcT-
mined never to undeceivc them, but to
make for himself lonely home in the
sunny south.
The years came and went until more
| than \ score was gone, and yet in all
| that time Hugh had never heard a word
from the old home, nor looked upon a
face that was once familiar. Still he
was restless and discontented, and the
| yearning in his heart for the old home
and old associates was at times almost
beyond endurance.
One morning-it was in May, 1882,
just twenty-one years after Marion had
spurned him from her as coward, he
determined to crafty his longings by
paying q visit to his native town.
There was some delay in the journey,
butearly on the second morning after he
left his southern home he stepped up-