Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-03-24

spathos. When interests were diverse the
healthy, blooming daughters could hope
20 make little headway against the inva-
lid son. They had all the sunny hours
of many long years before them; he per-
haps only the hurrying moments of one.
For Warner a change was imperative
$50 imperative that even the rebellious
girls were fain to admit its necessity.
His condition required a gentler, kindlier
atmosphere than that of New York. The
poor diseased lungs craved the elixir of
pure air; painted for the invigoration of
breezes freshly oxygenized by field and
forest, and labored exhaustedly in the
languid devitalized breath of city. The
medical fraternity copiously consulted,
recognized their impotence, but refrained
from stating it, and availed themselves
of their power of reference to the loftier
physician-the boy must be healed, if he
was to be healed, by nature. The coun
try, pure air, pure milk, tender care;
these were his only hope.
General Smith was a man trained by
military discipline to be instant in de-
cision and prompt in action. As soon as
the doctors informed him that his sons
case required-not wanderings-but a
steady residence in climate bracing, as
we'll AS mild. where the comforts of home
could supplement the healing of nature.
he set himself at once to discover a place
which would fill all the requirements
To the old soldier, New England born
and Michigan bred. Virginia appeared a
land of sun and flowers, country well
nigh tropical in the softness of its eli
mate and the fervor of its heat. The
doctors recommended Florida, or South
Carolina. as in duty bound, and to the
suggestion of Virginia yielded only a
dubious consent; it was very far north.
they said but still it might do. To the
general, it seemed very far south, and he
was certain it would do.
In the old time, he remembered, when
he was in lower Virginia with Mcclellan,
he had reveled in tine softness, the de-
light of that, to him, marvellous climate.
He had found the nights so sweet; the
air, vitalized with the breath of old
ocean. SO invigoratng the heat at noon
day so dry, and the GOODNESS at evening
30 refreshing. There We're pines, too; old
fields of low scrub, and some forests of
the nobler sort; that would be the thing
for Warner He remembered how, as he
sat in the tent door, the breeze scented
with resinous Odors used to come to him,
and how. strong man though he was, he
had felt as he drew it into his lungs that
1t did him good.
In those old campaigning days the
fancy had been born in him that some
time in the future he would like to re-
turn and make his home here, where
"amorous ocean wooed gracious land"
that when his fighting days were over
and the retired list heightened by his
name it would be a pleasant thing to
have his final bivouac among the gallant
foes who had won his admiration by
their dauntless manner of giving and
taking blows.
The exigencies and absorptions of mill
tary life in time diinmed the fancy. but
it never altogether vanished. Out on
the plains with Custer. away in the
mountains and the Indian country. vege-
tating in the dullness OF frontier posts.
amid the hustle, the luyury and excite
ment of city life. the fancy would return:
the memory of those soft stdrlit Nir-
ginia evenings would infold him with u
subtle spell In thought he would again
sit smoking in the tent door. the gray
stealing ont from their covert
in the woods. reconnoiterng all the
country ere thsg swept down and took
possession in the name Of their queen
the night The air would grow cool
with the fragrant breath of the ocean
and the pines, whip-poor- wills would
chant in the tree tops and partridges
sound their blithe note away in the fields.
1t was not wonderful that when the ne-
cessity Of securing a country home arose
the fancy should resume its sway, and
that meditated fitting southward
should suggest Virginia as its goal
The idea that any portion of his family
would be displeased by the realization Of
his fancy or feel themselves aggrieved
by his arrangements never entered into
the veterans calculations. He returned
from the south with his purchase made
and his mind filed with anticipations Of
the joy the unlading Of this precious
honey would occasion in tine domestic
hive, aud when he was met by the angry
Duzz Of discomfort instead of the gentle
hum OF applause his surprise was great
and his Indignation umb0unded.
what the devil are they grumbling
about he demanded Of his wife. .-Shir-
eys fine plantation. The water IS
good. the air superb; there are excellent
gardens aud first rate oyster beds Tire
house Is old fashioned. but its comfort
able. aud little money viii make it
more so. What's the matter with them
The girls are young. Percival, ex-
5laiupd the mother nuffirrr in a rlea for