Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-03-15

| case requiTed-not wanderings-but o
steady residence in climate bracing, as
well as mild, where the comforts Of home
could supplement the healing of nature,
he set himself at once to discover 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 1t 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 MoClellan,
he had reveled in th8 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 invigorating, the heat at noon
day so dry, and the GOODNESS at evening
so refreshing. There were 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
it 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
Humorous 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 INSCRIPTIONS of mill
tary life in time dimmed 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 luxury and excite
ment Of city life, the fancy would return;
the memory of those soft starlit Vir-
ginia evenings would Unfold him with a
subtle spell. In thought he would again
sit smoking in the tent door, the gray
oL4eSAO"o bOC1AA46 O0b 4&O4n puC1I COVCIb
in the woods, accommodating all the
country ere they 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 cartridges
sound their blithe note away in the fields.
1t was not wonderful that when the ne
cessity Of securing country home arose
the fancy should resume its sway, and
that a meditated fitting southwark
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 the domestic
hive, and when he was met by the angry
buzz of discomfort instead Of the gentle
hum of applause his surprise was great
and his Indignation unbounded.
what the devil are they grumbling
about% he demanded of his wife. 'tShir-
ley's a fine plantation. The water is
good, the air superb; there are excellent
gardens and first rate oyster beds. The
house is old fashioned, but it's comfort
able, and a little money will make it
more 50. What's the matter with them2"
THE girls are young, Percival," ex-
planned the mother, putting in a plea for
her rebels. They are used to society
and admiration. They don't take inter
est in gardens and oyster beds yet; they
like variety and excitement. The coun-
try is very dull"
mot at all dull" contradicted the
general. You talk as If were reQuir-
ing you all to Selkirk on ten acre is
land, instead of going to one of the pleas
ATTEST and most populous counties in the
oldest state in the Union. Mr.. Byrd, the
former owner of Shirley, told me that
the neighborhood was very thickly set
tied and sociable. l counted five gentle
mems houses in sight myself. South
erners, as rule, are great visitors, and
If the girls are lonely it will be their own
fault. They'll have as much boating and
dancing and tomfoolery as 10 good for
them"
care there any young men" demand.
ed Mrs. Smith, who recognized the ne
cessity Of an infusion Of the stronger ele-
ment to impart to social joys body and
flavor.
eyes, guess So" replied her husband
indifferently, masculfnity from overas-
ISOLATION having palled on him; ''there's
always men about everywhere, except
back in the home villages in Maine
they're scarce enough there, the Lord
knowsl saw a good many about in the
little village near Shirley-Wintergreen,
my attention particularly; he was sitting
on a tobacco hogshead down on the
wharf, experimenting some negroes load
. wagon, and I couldn't get it ont Of m.
head that I'd seen his face before. he
was tall and fair, and had lost an arm.
must have met him during the war, I
think: although I'll ba hanged II can