Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1893-09-08

there was something very odd about
your marriage. Would you mind tell
ing us about the-incident or accident,
whichever it wasp
"If it will pass away the time for
YOU" Mr.. Kramer replied, II don't
mind telling you how ] won my wife,"
1t would scarcely have surprised us
more If the town pump had suddenly
commenced narrative.
III was born in the little village we
passed through back yonder, and so
was Fanny Davis. went to school
together, sat in the same seat at church,
rode in the same hay wagon, skated on
the same ice ponds, went to the same
husking bees; but we didn't love each
other much for all that
~ was one of the first of the country
boys who enlisted. There wasn't more
awkward boy in the regiment.
'lll skip the history of the war, and
only say that after more than three long
years spent in marching and counter
marching from battlefield to battlefield,
| came back to the village down there
different man from the one who went
away.
"Such a time as they made over the
little fragment of our regiment, when
we came home all ragged and weary
and worn. The folks got up big re-
ception down in the old church.
'They gave us more good things than
we could eat in a month, and made
speeches that were good deal more
iiowery than our path had been.
II had often dreamed of this home
coming, down under the southern stars,
and thought of the old familiar faces
that would brighten when they saw me,
and the friends whose hands would
like to take first, but in all my dreams
| had never thought of Fanny.
by and by there was little pause.
looked up and there, not more than
three yards off, with cheeks like roses
and eyes like stars, she stood looking
at me with such look as | never
thought she could have for anyone
much less for me.
at was so unexpected my heart stood
still for moment. She came forward,
and seized hold of both my hands and
said in choked voice:
Sam, you are brave man. am not
worthy to unite your shoe; but want
to take your hand and tell you how /
honor you, and how sorry am for all
the unkind things have done and said
in days gone by.
you see the war had educated her,
too.
'All the long years of the war rolled
like flashing panorama before my
brain. Commonplace actions that had
before counted only as my duty grew
strangely heroic. | was proud of the
bars on my shoulders felt every inch
hero
And yet it seemed as if would
rather have her tear-flled eyes look at
me in that way than to have all the
honors the world could afford.
'Of course went to see Fanny. Nc
distance would have been too great, nc
storm too severe to hinder me. And
many a time when have walked a
mile or more just to touch her little
soft hand or look into her eyes | would
think of the times upon times had
gone almost as far the other way sc
that should not see her.
81 followed Fanny like shadow.
asked her to marry me over and over
again. From taciturn man grew tc
be great talker.
''She must have inspired me, think
for when | was with her something
within me would speak by the hour will
an eloquence and force that | would
have been incapable of in ordinary mo
ments.
AT first she always said No to my
question; not harshly, or with ridicule
but just a little soft No, don't low,
you,' that seemed as if it was so frai
and so slight that could overcome i
If | only persevered.
$50 things went on for over year
Everybody in the village got to know
!, our affair, if it could be called by tina
name, and some said | was fool T.
think for a moment that Fanny Davi
would have me; and some said she wa
fool not to take me, if she coul,
, get me.
a Finally, we had what | thought wa
= the very last quarrel we should eve
have. Fanny, worn out by my persist
ency, had angrily told me never t
!. speak to her of love again; never eve
. to come where she was.
I "Then for the first time | think
gave up all hope. l avoided Fanny, a
a she wished me to for long time, but
q couldn't stop thinking of her for al
: that.
p Zone day was walking up the stree
thinking Tor the hundredth time of on
last interview, and trying to be ma
again without her. | said over an
over again that would conquer tn
mad feeling that seemed to rus
through my veins, that would put he
out of my thoughts forever
81 was thinking over all these thing
that day, as said, and had just give
Fanny up and then concluded coul
not give her up, when saw her comm
toward me.
II did not even know If she woul
speak to me, but she did-just co,
little nod. At first l thought woul
pass her, but l deliberately wake
back with her.
''She said nothing after the fir
greeting, nor did | speak after tina
either The silence was just beginnir
to get little awkward, when we M
| Iudrra Rnntlou rrcinrr d1,,.,, +o,..r, o..