The National tribune., 1894-03-08

seeples of the two churches still pointed souls 70
Heaven; the round, implanted dome of the school
house was there. ungainly and disproportioned rs
ever; the bank building OF the knoll was there
and the mill beside the bridge that spanned the
creek which divided the east end from the west
The roofs of the wooden houses, shrouded IN
shady yards. had familiar look. No. he thought
he hurried on, it was not fire, but, more awful
still, "a murder.
Ayoung man whom he knew came dashing in
from country road inIersecting the school
masters pathway. His horse was fiecked with
foam. and he rode like one who rides for the
physician when one lies at deaths door In his
home.
The wars broke out" ne cried to Nicholas
never stopping his horse, and have been out To
Nicholas Joined the crowd Lincoln had called
for - 600 men, they told him. Young men were
enlistng: old men stood with blauched faces lean
ing on their canes: women stood around SILVER
ing, weeping, some of them, as husbands and
brothers and sons went one after another into the
little postolice and sitting down wrote their names
on the muster-roll.
The foam-feck ed horse was htched 10 the fence
the rider had just pat down his name and came
out smiling. Strong men came out wiping the tears
from their eyes with their coa-sleeves they saw
the faces Of their wives and the little children
cnging To their skirts in childish terror.
The school. boys were 1ocking in. most of them
10 be sent out again; they were too young to de-
fcnd their flag some one said
Where is the flag mother?" said a little boy.
Then the men remembered that they ought to
have flag and after good deal Of delay someone
found stained old banner, that had done duty in
the men all cheered and the children looked on
and wondered.
In those days the flag not in the homes and
hearts Of the people, and seen flying over school
houses aud churches. A half million men had not
then died for hat flag, and the blood of the wound
ed had not deepened its crimson stains.
The school boys gathered around Nicholas, but
he said never a word He went into the postotiice
and wrote down his name, and coming out walked
TO the schoOl-hou-e. Some OF the directors met
him as lie was coming out They knew he had
enlisted and took him by the hand. " We will pay
you your salary in full" they said; there will be
no more school this term"
But Nicholas heard rs one who hears naught. He
would go back to the country, tell his friends he
had enlisted, make little trip to his old home on
business. and be back in time 10 join his company
And this he did, except that lie had not the heart
TO say good-by to Anna. He would do this when
he came again. They were not declared lovers as
yet, and the ordeal was too much for him.
SO Nicholas went away aud did not see Anna
again, and all the time the words kept ringing in
You go this way and I'll go that way, and see
who'll get there first"
IT was the day before the first battle of Bull Run,
and that night Anna had "A dream. She dreamed
That she a"d Nicholas were walking together on a
high mountain road overlooking valley.
In the valley were waving fields of grain, and
hmpid streams threaded their silvery way to the
sea. All was quiet aud peaceful aud still, and all
around the birds sang and the little mountain
squirrels whisked through the FERNS and blue
berry bushes.
She turned 10 Nicholas and he smiled and took
her by the hand, and they sat down on an old pine
log overgrown with MOSES and lchens, and were
as happy as the day was long.
Then the scene in the valley changed. and Anna
saw great army In blue. with .irappiugs of GRIM
ard gold, filing all the plain; and their bayo-
nets gisiened in the sum- and their horses pranced
aud neighed, and the plumes of the riders nodded
to the praneing of their imperious steeds.
And rs Anna looked she another army
coming from the South, and they all in gray.
And their faces shone with conscious pride. and
the cleaning Of their eyes seemed the reflected
glitter OF their Furnished steel.
Aud "a t two armies came nearer and nearer
TO each other, gray mist arose and filed the air,
and it deepened and daTkened until great mount
aims Of clouds, flashing with volumes of fire and
breaking with fierce noise as Of thunder filled all
the air. And the face OF the heavens black,
and great horror crept around her. But when
she turned 10 Nicholas for comfort he was gone.
III.
The scene changed again, and Anna stood on the
battlefield of Bull Run. Around her were the
dead aud the dying. stretching away like great
sea But she thought OF none, cared for none,
except Nicholas, and Nicholas was nowhere 10 be
found.
When she came 10 a slim young soldier with
brown hair and his face in the dust she would
stoop over and half turn his head. And then with
a sigh and steps grown heavy and slow she would
pursue her weary way spi2shlng through the dap
pied red sward. over the dying and over the dead.
Suddenly she came to where two roads cross and
Nicholas was there. and all around her the
sprouiing clover fields, and she heard the school
Deis ringing. one to the east and to the west.
And they looked into each others eyes and smiled,
aud Nicholas said good-by, and went away.
Then Anna turned and met the eyes of Nicholas,
but just as sbe was about to speak he came back
and stood before her. And she saw that bis face
was white as death. and that the sockets of his
eyes were hollow and that great red CASH
was the flag, and IL WAS wet with blood.
But when Anna reached out her arms implor-
fngiy the scene again changed and Nicholas
there as at the first meeting, only 1t was he instead
OF She who said:
You go this way and rll go that way. and see
who'll get there first"
And Anna awoke But IL was with a great sob.
for she knew that never again would Nicholas
Hereford meet her at the CROSSROADS among the
fields OF sprouting clover
STICK TO YOUR WORK.
There is jingle going The rounds, the author
ship unknown to us. called Jack Dawson's PHI
grimage." which is decidedly the best take-oT on
the man who is always trying to better himself by
changing his residence and occupation we have
ever yet seen
Read it and paste It In your hat. There is a
whole library of maxims condensed into lis homely
rhymes.
JACK DAwsoN's PILGRIMAGE.
Jack Dawson lived away down ia Maine
Hoed corn. raised chickens and reaped grain,
But said that Maine was not designed
For Inen OF mastery aud mind;
And said "a man Of any soul
Shouldn't vegetate iu such a hole;
Vermont's the State. says lie. - want,
And I'll raise butter in Vermont"
At butter then Jack took turn
But found II too hard work churn.
The arr here In Vermont" says lie,
Is much too rariiied for me;
No man OF enterprise and dash,
Who bankers after fame aud cash
Will browse around the barren peak
Aud grind bis nose down 10 a beak;
These hills may soak in snow and sleet:
III go 10 Kansas aud raise wheat"
Jack found the weevils in his wheat
Would neither parcy nor retreat;
Then said Kansas "a place
Cnsuited TO the human race!
But twas most delightful State
From which TO skip aud emigrate:
To California he escapes
And settles down to raising grapes.
When his yearly crop was lost
by a hard premature frost
Jack said. This country is a failure
ship next Monday 10 Australia"
lie found Australia was too new
lis risks too great. it's gains too few;
lie said, No longer I'll stay curled
In tins back entry OF the world;
And this time propose to go
10 where nay gifts will have a show;
There b a city OF some size
Wherein a soul of enterprise
Can heap up piles of gold aud gain
And find a chance TO use his brain
Aud reach afhuence aud renowu:r
And SO Jack sailed TO London town
Jack landed confident and proud,
But soon was missing ia the crowd:
He mingled in the general swim
And Gladstone never called on hun
Aud Sill the Queen sat quite alone,
Nor asked him up 10 share her throne.
He mingled in the million rout
And fate refused TO sift him out
Jack vanished; but the rolling world
Upon its axis still was whirled