Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-11-13

~ S"HAsou towns Tor m0ager nav
and tardy promotion. My father was
extremely pleased with what he called
the "smartness of the young rascal. +"
and agreed that at so safe distance a
correspondence might commence,
A new happiness came into nv life
ana when the travel-stained letters from
my literary warrior arrived from the seat
OF war, full OF animation, of anecdotes
and sketches, and lastly of trusting affec.
tion, my JOY knew no bounds. This
added new zest to my education. for ]
was not yet finished" according to tho
scholastic term-in fact, by comparison
with my talented lover often felt an 10.
noramus OF the most hopeless kind. In
details OF the war, however, l was quite
au fait. / daily road every word which
came from his brilliant pen. and in this
way hoped to improve my AGO uaintance,
not only with life, but with nv sutton
OF whom, perhaps, but for the opposition
OF my parent, l might never have though,
again. Thus does the heat of maternal
NE often expand into blossom the i'm.
mature shoots of love which might other.
wise know no development.
| One morning, as usual, l opened the
paper and at once commenced reading
the columns headed From Our Special
CORRESPONDENT" The account was more
exciting than usual-there was dcscrip
ton of Turkish artillery, of a march
under trying circumstances without food
or water, aud many other adventures.
graphically told. forget them now,
lor what next read etfaced the immedi-
ate past from my memory forever!
Und'r the head of especial kilograms"
was one line:
Lieut.. Blonnt, our special cores
pondent. died yesterday OF enteric
fever"
TO very young person the word
death is but sound-a thing associated
with old age or infirmity if considered at
all. had never known any one who
had died, and confess to have been
utterly unmindful OF such possibility,
when my lover started for the wars.
The ominous line therefore conveyed no
meaning to me, more especially as, in AN
adjacent column, the special correspon-
dents vigorous manhood displayed itself
in every word. For all that, the room
seemed misty as if envelopei in fog,
through which could not penetrate.
was seated thus when some one
my father. l think-came in and shatched
the paper from my hand. l had read it
through. he was welcome to it.
l made no effort to regain it. He
smoothed out the sheet several times,
but read not word, for great tears were
rolling down his scanned old face.
Then he opened his arms and took me
into them, and whispered many endear-
ing terms, some OF which had not heard
since babykooG
What was the matter? Did he, too,
think Leslie Blount was dead?
l pointed to the brilliantly written
columns aud smiled
That letter was sent by post days and
days ago." he said in broken voice,
whose emotion could scarcely under
stand. Then light began to dawn, or
was it darkness2 Yes, chaotic black
ness that preceded the earthquake which
buried all the innocence and hope of my
jocund youth in oblivion.
VI "AOlc uioHIA Jay OCCdSlGually
freuzied, occasionally despairing, weep
ing and praying God would have pity on
me, and save my taking up the thread of
life again. But my prayers remained
unanswered. Then l arose, as We all
must, to face the dreary future. l had
had no experience of lovers joys in the
past, would have none in the years to
come. Art should be my only lover,
work my only solace now.
A drenry little Fl ure clad in black,
trudged daily to the South Kensington
Schools, and in one month produced bet
ter work than others did in six. Then a
letter came. 1t was from the seat of war.
written by Red Cross doctor. who offered
to deliver up to me some relics of him
who was no more. From the School of
Art I wrote. "Comc," and waited. When
the campaign was over, he came.
The corridor was full of girls chatting
and gi9gling and preparing to leave for
the luncheon hour. The swing door fac
ing me opened and an awful sight pre-
scented itself. 1t WIS the figure of n man.
Such tgurel Hercules come down to
earth, a!l bronzed and glorious from the
eastern sun.
Tnuugh there were twenty girls about
h. extended u hand to me, with IL look of
recognition, two honest blue eyes as clear
as the sky looked down upon me with a
reassuring smile. took the hand and
followed him out OF the building into
the Museum beyond.
Then lie drew from his breast pocket Il
small parcel aud handed it. knew what
its cont. nts must be. a .ock of my hair,
some forget me nots and certain photo
graphs of my extreme youth, and an
other M re recent one taken previous to
Leslie's departure, in all the pride Of my
sixteen summers and n long gown! l
moved them one by enc with listless
fingers, scarcely recognizing them.
lone would imagine the sight of
these would make NE weep" said with
dreary smile, "but cannot-every
tear was exhausted long ago!'
$50 see," he replied bluntly. "You
must be cautious lest your sight be af-
fec,cd Drawing all day with weak eyes
cannot be conducive to comfort"
1t was pathetic to know that the miser.
able condition of the orbs Of which had
hitherto been 80 proud was obvious even
| to stranger