The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-01-23
Y familp storp.
{ Episode of the War.
BY MATT GRIM.

''hh = SANhnis
,isiana did not suffer seriously
invasions Of the enemy during
1ar; but not Of the Southern
9 suffered more, perhaps, in the
men. They went away In com
q, they came back in two's and
70 to tell Of fierce battles beyond
Mississippi, and to bring last mes
,frourfallen comrades.
dowa, many Of them young and
ore left desolate. Some Of them
led again very quickly, hut
ers refused to be comforted. The
low Of JEFF Airlie proved more con-
ant than some Of her friends. She
..ved near the village Of Marion, in
Union Parish, with an old aunt of her
gians, but Dorkis belonged to the soil,
descending from an old French Creole
JEFF fell in battle O year and a half
before the surrender-a friend saw
him go down-and Dorkis retired from
the world, refusing to be comforted.
She had loved her husband passionate
ly, and gave herself up to her grief
With all the abandon Of the Southern
amperament.
The markets were all closed but
40 managed to buy enough black
owns, by paying u fabulous price for
EN-, to keep herself in mourning
til after h surrender when cloth
anne more plentiful than money.
had been something of 81 coquette
ce her marriage; but her hus-
8 death seemed to put an end to
crest In all g But in tho
before the surrender, Justin
anew nQma I'M from Maui O,,lnon.
g had been one of her lovers, but
,Jeffs most devoted friend in those
Hless, u%ntroubled days of her young
Nhood. 1t had been a fair race for
y favor between them, and when
I'll won his friend remained still
oyai to him. True, Justin went away
% tho city and would not be present
at the wedding 4; but he sent Dorkis q
ruby bracelet, and jeff u letter of con-
graduation and in return, received
tho heartiest invitations from them to
pay them a visit when he could. He
had availed himself of that in
vitation, and the silence of years fell
between them.
Dorkis was glad with melancholy
gladness to see his face again. She
had forgotten that he, ever loved her,
Il w"""med him ,as .Jeff's friend.
forgotten his love, and
Q when she appeared
idOw's weeds, her eyes
~. tears. She had never
lore tender, more bewitching
than at that moment. He
zee. b her hand and stammered such
VOrus of consolation as occurred to
lin. He had been deeply and sincere
" shocked to hear of his friends death
80 1t was with no pretense Of sympathy
that he listened when she contided
all the narrowing details of her grief
to him.
He pitied her tenderly, most un-
seltishly. She was not the sort of q
woman to bear her trials ~.heroically
and alone !; she needed some one
stronger than herself to lean on. In
her joyous girlhood the weaknesses of
her nature had not shown forth as theJ
her beloved but they seemed adorable
weaknesses to Justin. He fell more
and keeply in love with her. but
for q long time he would not acknowl-
edge even to himself that her freedom
gave him any hope. Loyalty to his
friend held all such thoughts in sub
lection while he listened patiently to
her eXtolling Of Jetf's virtues. Every
day she had something new to tell him
of her. herO's projections, and what q
loss the army had suffered in his
death {; In fact, the whole Confedel acy
must have felt it. He sometimes
secretly wondered if she really believed
all that she said-if love SO blinded
her and felt sharp pangs of envy-yes.
envy of One who had fought and died
bravcly on the battlefield, If he was not
the great hero this woman asserted
he was.
At such times he felt bitter self-con-
her; but love robbed him of the will to
do so. Once he did hint that he
thought it would be best for him to re-
turn to New Orleans; but she impul-
sively said:
"Oh, l am sorry. Don't go just
yet"
His heart beat high, his face flush
ed.
"Do you wish me to stay, Dorkis 2"
eyes, | do; but don't let my selfish
wishes interfere with your plans"
81 have no fixed plans but if I
had
you we're Jeff's best friend. To
talk with you about him seems to
bring me closer to him."
He bit his lip and stared silently at
the ground. Why could she moi see her
cruelty, he wondered bitterly. 1t was
just like q woman to be SO absorbed in
her own feelings that she could not
comprehend others might be suffering
too.
The idea that he still loved her ccr-
tainly did not enter Dorkis Airlie's
head at that time. She went on
torturing him with her condolences
and her plants, and he continued to
sympathize and to fight with himself.
It was Miss Samantha Airlie, Jeff's
aunt, who penetrated his secret. She
Was an old maid with the hard features
and the shrewdness of her Scotch
ancestors; but a warm, kind heart
beat in her withered breast, and she
pitied Delaney. She thought on the
situation q good deal over her knit
ting, and one day she took her crutch
for age and rheumatism had made
her q cripple-and walked down to the
gate to meet DELANEY, when he rode
out from the village.
SIS Dorkis at home, Miss Saman-
tina !" he inquired, as a small black
groom led his horse away.
eyes, she Is at home but / want to
say a few words to you, Justin, before
you see her."
"Certainly {" and then his dark,
thin face flushed, and he raised his hat,
smiling and bowling to Dorkis, who
leaned from an upper window Of the
her hair falling in loose curls
about her face, the winter sunshine
1t to a mass Of FURNISHED
gold. A white merino sacque had re-
the sOmbre gown she ALWAYS