Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-07-01

ssry part OF the day and he sincerely
pitied Conn, because she was girl,
and must stay at home.
Bang whang, whang sthe drum, tootle-
le-tootle the fife
Oh a day in the city square there is no such
pleasure in lifeV'
he quoted and then he called back to
her from the gate;
Its too bad, Conn, that there's no
fun for you, but keep your courage
up, and I'll bring you something"
And so they marched away in the
gay, glad morning sunshine, following
their band of music-a boys band
that was, too.
Conn stood and watched them with
wistful, longing look in her great
blue eyes, and the soft, bright color
coming and going on her girlish cheeks.
AT last she gathered bunch of late
red roses, and put them in her bosom,
and went into the house She sewed
little, and then she tossed her work
aside, for who cares to work on holt
days? Then she took up her new book
but the tale it told seemed dull and
cold beside the warm throbbing life of
which the outside world was full She
wished over and over that she were a
boy-that she might have marched
away with the rest. Then she wondered
if she could not go into town and see
them from somewhere, in all their
glory. Very little idea had she of
Boston crowd on Fourth of July. She
had been in town often enough with
| her aunt or her uncle, and walked
through the quiet streets; and she
thought she should have little trouble
in doing the same now. She looked in
her purse, she had not much money,
! but enough so that she could ride if
she got tired, and she would be sure to
save some to come home. She called
| her Aunt Sarah's one servant, and made
! her promise to keep the secret as long
as she could, and then tell Aunt Sarah
that she had gone to Boston to find
Jack, and see him march with the rest
The girl was good-natured crea-
ture, not bright enough 50 know that
it was her duty to interfere, and easily
persuaded by Conn's entreaties, and
| the bit of blue ribbon with which they
were enforced.
And SO Conn started of, as the boys
had done before her, and went on her
way. But she had no gay music to
which TO march, and for company she
| had only her own thoughts-her own
hopes.
Still she marched brhvely on.
There were plenty of other people
going the same way-indeed it seemed
to Conn as if everybody must be going
into Boston. Excitement upheld her,
and she trudged along, mile after mile,
across the pleasant mill dam, and at
last she reached Beacon street Her
head had begun to throb horribly by
the time she got into town. 1t seemed
to her that all the world was whirling
round and round, and she with it. But
she could not turn back then-indeed
she did not know how to find any con
veyance, and she knew her feet would
not carry her much farther. Surely she
must see Jack soon. He had said they
should march through Beacon street.
She would ask some one. She had an
idea that every one must know about
anything so important as the Brighton
Blues. At last she got courage to
speak to kind looking servant maid,
in the midst of group on the steps of
one of the Beacon street houses. The
girl pitied her white face, so pale now
with all the pretty pink roses faded
from the fired young cheeks. and an
swered kindly.
She did not know about the Brighton
Blues, but she guessed all the com
panies had been by there, or would
come. Wouldn't the young lady sit
down with them on the steps, and rest,
and wait little?
And ''the young lady" sat down
What could she do else, with the whole
world whirling, whirling, and her feet
SO strangely determined to whirl ont
from under her? And then it grew
dark, and when it came light again
there was wet cloth on her hair, and
she lay on lounge in cool basement,
and the kind girl who had cared for
her told her that she hal tainted. And
then she had some food and grew re-
freshed little, but was strangely con-
fused yet, and with only one thought,
to which she held with all the strength
of her will-that she had come to see
Jack, and must look for him till he
came. CO.,.
So on the steps she stationed her
self, and the crowd surged by Mill
tary companies, grown-up ones, came
and went with glitter of brave uni
forms, and joyful clamor of music
and Conn watched with all her soul in
her eyes but still no Jack.
1t was mid-afternoon at last when
suddenly she saw the familiar blue,
and marching down the street came
the boyish ranks, following their own
band-tired enough, all of them, no
doubt, but their courage kept up by
the music and the hope of fire works !
by and by. Conn strained her eyes.
She did not mean to speak, but after
little, when the face she longed for |
came in sight, something within her
cried out with sharp, despairing cry:
''Oh, Jack jack"
And Jack heard. Those who were /
watching saw one boy break from the |
long blue line, and spring up the steps
where Conn sat, and seize in strong
hands the shoulders of girl all in |
white, her face as white as her gown, |
and some red roses, withered now,
upon her breast.
s'Conn-Conn Richmond! /" the boy
cried, what does this mean?"
"Don't scold - oh, don't scold,
Jack !" said the pitiful, quivering lips
II only came in to see you marching
with the rest, and-Im tired.
"Yes, said the girl who had be-
friended her, ''and she tainted clean
away and she's more dead than alive
now; and if you've a heart in your
bosom, you'll let your play soldering
go, and take care of her.
And just then Jack realized, boy as
he was, that he had heart in his
bosom, and that his Cousin Conn was
the dearest and nearest thing to that