Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-05-27

| part or the afflcted old man were in
vain. 1t was contrary to the doctrine
of non-resistance. tenet of the church;
II was raising the hand of the son
against the relatives who were left in
the south; but the brothers firmly clung
TO their determination, gently persisting
and doing all possible to settle the poign-
ant grief they inflicted. Grandpa Water
sons lips quivered as he bade Henry
! good-by, and the broken-hearted moth
er clung to the neck of her eldest born
until Inconsistencies released her from
the pangs of actual parting.
A few days later Charles rode forth
on his own horse, gallant black, of
Kentucky lineage, and everybody
agreed that no finer, braver boy would
do battle for the union. He joined the
Ringgold cavalry. Early in the war he
was left wounded on the field and was
kindly cared for by southern family.
His chief nurse was pretty little rebel
with soft, wavy hair, great brown eyes,
| inviting lips and disposition as CHEEKY
as the clear sunshine after an April
shower. No woman had a right to re-
sist that big, brave, handsome fellow,
| and there the union soldier was be-
| trothed to the bewitching champion of
secession. Then Annie, for that was
her name, began to correspond with
Ruth, and through this intangible link
of connection the whole family fell In
love with the little confederate.
Charles rejoined his troops as soon as
able. After desperate engagement
H. nj l,a
hemmed in on every side except where
the rugged mountains of Virginia
lowered up behind him. Boldly he
turned the black, went flying over foot
paths, leaping chasms and forcing his
way where few could follow. But
there were bold mountaineers in the
chase and when they brought Charles
to bay, the gallant stand he made,
drawing his saber when his revolvers
were emptied, saved his life for the
time. His desperate courage won the
heart of the southerners and they per-
sisted until he was taken alive.
He was sent to Libby, made his es-
cape, went for days without food, and
when at length he found il, ate SO
much that death followed quickly upon
the pangs Of starvation.
Henry's record was as brief as glori-
ous His regiment worshiped him. No
man of them, westerners though they
were, could outride or outshoot him. He
led wherever he asked his men to go.
A giant in strength, he was hero in
courage.
At Pleasant Hill, La, he was shot
&c., L.. 1...A -, Ia
after being fatally wounded, three Of
the enemy bit the dust before his hand
dropped senseless TO the ground. His
remains came home, and never was
brother, son and neighbor more sincere
ly mourned. Charley's story was never
learned until after the war.
But now comes a sequel stranger than
the story itself. Grandpa Waterson
and his wife had borne their sorrows
with fortitude that only people like
them can understand. They talked of
their lost boys and together found a
grim pleasure in reviewing the child
hood, the youthful experiences and the
manly qualities of the dead sons. Time
and time have / seen them az the end of
the front veranda, overgrown with hon
eysuckles, sitting hand in hand talking
of Henry and Charles.
One day came n letter from Annie,
announcing that the would visit the Wa
tersons. There was great preparation,
for she would have been Charles wife
in her own right, for she had never
ceased to send those welcome letters,
always bright and cheery save when
Charles fate forced its way into her
thoughts.
She came to royal welcome. / inn
agine now that was over-officious in
plotting her around, pointing out every
thing that Charles was ever associated
with and gabbling away as boy whose
voice is at the hen-cackling stage of adj
vancement, will.
"Thee is great comfort to us"
Grandpa Waterson used to say to Annie.
and when grandma got her arms around
the pretty southerner, there was al
ways gentle kiss and a sweet voiced
assurance that Annie was just as dear rs
though she were daughter.
Then came a surprise in the shape of
handsome, snowy, bold-faced woman,
who announced herself as having been
the afianced of Col. Waterson, killed at
Pleasant Hill. She had long meant to
visit the family and make herself
known, but had not been able TO do so.
Col. Waterson had left everything to
her, and she produced a will at that late
day purporting to have been made by
him.
She was welcomed with old school
courtesy, but there was n sober look on
every face that she encountered. ]
called Annie out at once and held an
indignation meeting. That woman was
fraud and knew it. Henry was not
the man to fall in love with any such
specimen of her sex. l dedicated my
time wholly, then and there, to watch
ing her movements and proving my
opinion. The result will suffice with
out the details of my detective work.
Grandpa Waterson's watch was missed.
All of Annie's most valuable jewelry
disappeared and the adventures COM
planned loud and often about robberies,
charging that she never could trust
''niggers." Then grandma wouM gently
chide her, and say: "Thee should not
judge. All these people are old friends
of mine and faithful"
The fraud would turn up her nose and
put on look of contempt that always
set me boiling.
One day at the spring she leaned over
to use the clear water as a mirror, and
from somewhere about her person
dropped the big gold watch that Grand
pa Waterson priced most as an heir
loom. l had it in a twinkling and the
angry shouts of the woman only added
to my speed. l told grandpa, told
everybody. wanted her arrested. but
Thee must leave this matter entirely
to me-" checked my ardor. There
must be no talk" he continued. '''I
will see that this woman leaves us.
Don't plead for her, mother win only
dismiss her. that is ALL