The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-05-27
,rates intrenched behind the timber.


What terrible struggle it vast But
the thought of how he had pierced one
reckless young southerner through
with bayonet made him SILVER. 1t
was one of the fortunes of war. but he
could never recall the dark picture with
out sudden remorse!
1T must have been right over there
beyond those bushes" unused the SOL
der, so preoccupied with his recollec-
lions that he pushed aside the under
growth and found himself face to face
with Miss Flournoy and his child be-
fore hearing their voices.
"Why, papa" exclaimed the child
Il beg your pardon" said he to Miss
FlournoS. IL did not expect tc
chance upon you here"
But, papa, she says that she comes
here often, though l can't see why.
There are lots of prettier places nearer
the house and there are graves here"
Hush, darling said he, in tone of
caressing kindness as he laid his hand
gently over the prattling lips. This
beautiful south is full of the graves of
those who fought to preserve their land
unchanged The difference was in the
agreement as to what constituted their
land. But none view these little me-
mortal hilloclxs with keener pain than
those who participated upon either side
of the battle. shall never be able to
look upon them without being touched
by an infinite sadness"
Hastily excusing himself he left the
rSfNman and child together, and from
that day the two were constant compan-
ions
One week heightened into another
and still the man fingered, for each day
made a wider breach in the fertilization
of reserve behind which the woman of
his heart seemed to have intrenched
herself. 1t was only by the most sol
dierly discipline that his Judgment had
held the passion of his heart in check
until that one heaven-decreed opror-
tunity to speak his love should present
itself-as he believed it surely would
1t came-at the eleventh hour.
At sunrise, on Memorial day. Jen-
nings arose, while his child was still
quietly sleeping and stole out of the
cabin for a solitary ramble He was
thinking that perhaps this might be the
last day of Miss Flournoy's stay upon
tho mountain, for had not the noun
taineer said that She always stayed It'll
after May?" Some instinct seemed to
impel him to the chestnut grove, where
he had found Miss Flournoy and his
child that first day of their sojourn
upon Kenesaw, and where at the bat
tie he had found the locket
Memorial day! What host of MEM
cries the very word aroused! 1t was like
bugle blast, which mustered, into
moving columns, glorious company
of comrades, many of whose faces he
had not recalled in years. Again he
heard the drums roll and the flies
squeal, and once more he saw the
ragged colors of his regiment flying
from their staff! The old passion of
patriotism-the sure hope and safeguard
of liberty-made his blood leap with its
fierce and terrible earnestness as it had
done on that day when they charged
the enemy in this very grove about
which he was now walking in such
peaceful quiet.
AT last he seated himself upon
fallen log, took the enameled
" ':casing at the miniature, when the
underbrush suddenly parted and Miss
Flournoy stood before him. Each was
as startled as the other, and each
stammered words of apology. Thee
was tenseness in the set of her proud
white lips which he had never before
seen and his own heart was wild with
agony. After a few trifiing remarks
upon the glory of the sunrise and the
beauty of the woods he said, abruptly:
This spot has the most painful asso-
Citations of any in the world for me. II
seems to me that I would almost give
my life if had never seen it upon that
terrible twenty-second of July. Oh, it
was awful, awful"
Then, after moments silence, he
arose and stood before her, looking
straight into her flashing eyes.
Eyes, God knows it was terrible, But
tell YOU that would rather die here
than to suffer defeat to-day-a thousand
times rather. if it were not for the
child, You must let me tell you that
love you with the love of man who
has drunk deep of life and sorrow. The
heart of man cannot love more than !
love you, VIII you let me prove it:
When she died thought could never
love again. but you have conquered me-.
he exclaimed. as his passionate eyes
gazed steadily into her own.
She struggled to loose her eyes from
the spell with which he held them
soul TO soul-but she could not
At last soft light banished the stern
agony from their depths.
No" she said. 1T is you who have
conquered, | surrender.
For a moment he held her to his
heart until the merry voice of his ap
preaching child broke the stiffness. As
the little one came nearer the woman
added:
Yes you-and She
There was never a more sacred Me
mortal day than this which came to the
soldier upon the old battle field.
1t had but one cloud. On the day oi
their marriage, in the old southern
mansion in which Miss Flournoy's
childhood had been passed, he gazed al
I 81 s,.f.Iinr "