St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-03-26


@ made g. very handsome couple, which
It angered him.
= There were rumors of war ahoat, {
@ Lone Star State in view, and the fac,
f brought comfort to the young mans soul
9 for the place for soldiers was at the
y front The rumors grew in strength al
Q the time, and one day magnanimous
) thought came into the young man $ minC
Q why should he not 60 to the war too
,, and give his rival an equal chance? lie
n consulted with the Major, that official
saw the War Secretary and the Presi-
g dent, and one day camo back with COM
a mission as Lieutenant. BY that time all
Q talk was that of war.
One fair April day Tom took Nancy
p, down to the valley of the Shenandoah,
t gave her into the keeping of her mother,
and babe good-b to his affectionate rela-
tive. AS he mounted his horse to ride
down to the station-he had taken advan-
tage of the occasion to kiss all around
he waved his hand and shouted, "Tll
come back Major!' Then he cursed
, himself for prig as he rode onward, for
the dear girl would surely misunderstood
him; and he remembered the faint blush
he called up for a long time. There was
one thing which truly pleased him, and
that was the thought that he would be on
even terms with the Major in Mexico as
far as love went. So he returned to
Washington feeling unpleasantIy like q
fool, and trying to make himself out a
martyr to principles.
When Tom reached the capitol he got
orders to report to General Taylor on the
Rio Grande, and off he went, leaving the
Major in Washington, only four hours
from his ideal. This was not what he
had counted upon, and Tom realized then
that he had been sure enough fool.
He did not intend to make any such sac
rifce at first ; all did not seem fair in
love and war. He reached
the camp by the LIST of May, and there
found that he had to learn SO much that
he gave up the past in order to perfect
himself in the present work; that is, he
gave up as much as he could. He had
been on duty for a week, when the Major
turned up, smiling and hearty.
"Hello, Lieutenant" was his greeting.
GLOW are your" He grasped the young
mans hand and held it. Il may call you
Tom, may not? | am engaged to your
| fair cousin"
Toms idea Of what happened just then
was never very clear. He knew that the
Major and he were drinking to the health
of Mistress Nancy in the Majors tent ten
minutes later, and that he hoped to be
surrounded by blood-thirsty Mexicans in
the night, and utterly wiped out. The
next day there was skirmish, and in the
excitement a gun was fired so close to
Toms face that he was burned by the
flames about the eyes, and fell back
blind. After that the troops pressed for
ward, and Tom was left grooming be-
hind.
The army moved on, and was victori-
Gus. In week Tom realized that the
world still possessed light, though it was
but faint glimmer, and then he was
rumbling across the plain in rude |
wagon. Homeward bound! There was |
little joy in the thought, it seemed SO
ignominious. What a homecoming it
was-so pitiful to the strong young man!
His sight improved little, and he could |
distinguish forms in the twilight about,
but his eyes were kept bandaged most of
the time, and in that condition he left the |
train at Pleasant Valley. Who had come
to meet him?
"A gentle pressure on his arm, thrill of |
joy, and soft voice whispered, "Tom.
eyes, Little One" he answered. pas
sively. " No good"
1.-The doctor wrote yesterday from
Washington that you would be all right
in few months" she rejoined; for he
had stopped in the city to be examined
and treated.
He wore SLOUGH hat pulled down over
his face, he was unshavon, his uniform
was soied. He had been told all this,
but had said that he didn't care, which
was true-he didn't. The girl saw moth
ing of this. She saw the tall man help
less in his misery, and she was glad he
could not see her weep.
"Come, Tom, dear; your mother is
waiting in the carriage" and she led him
to her.
He said very little going homeward,
seated beside his mother, but in the
front seat Nancy sat weeping gently, and
she held his hand all the way, grieved at
the sight, and the first thing that he did
,
bandage, and endeavor to recognize the
dear dim form before him.
What sweet calm days were those that .,
followed! He sat on the piazza while
she read to him and talked to him, {
asking him all sorts of questions about
what he had done in the few weeks
absence. But scarcely did she refer ,,
to her affianced lover, and was so gentle
to him, 50 good, that Tom felt almost
Is though she had realized his secret.
Little by little he grew better able to
Dear the light until he could see his own {
way, und then, with tho ingratitude of 5
nan, he felt sorry that he must give up
he touch of that gentle guiding hand.
But he could do nothing yet, and must be /
,etted and amused as u child, and never
vas there sweeter or moro unseltish '
Nurse in oil the world SO the summer L
lays passed on-days that afterwards c
leld the memory of warmth and birds [
md flowers, together with low voice oil u
trough them. :,
1t was bright September day that the D
wo sat on hillside beneath shady n
rec. The valley of the Shenandoah II
tretched before them, with the dim IL
altar off The Potomac was u
liver thread, occasionally lost in a patch u
f trees, and then running on through q 9
meadow. Tom knew the view by heart.
could not see it oil, but it was plainly
'efore him as he 10y on his back smok-
ng. AS he had told Nancy one day, he
cit it oil the time. She sat beside him b
nth book, reading the poetry sung by is
ONE minstrel in the olden time. Now Q
nd then she would stop to laugh at some 6
uaint expression or way of Smelling and 4