The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1894-03-02

ink ILL the space below showed the
, cs.t,so ui closing for service abruptly
terminated. The usual remark was
discharged by expiration term OF
service" in black ink.
Sergeant, and whose will be the
next bloody DIP" asked Leighton,
without n ring of feeling.
'There'n be plenty of 'em, If this
main in this camp" replied.
We were working at this official
funeral in the sultry summer night by
the unsteady light of lantern candles,
and were not feeling impressed OF
reverent. Leighton was in his under.
shirt, open at his handsome brown
throat. As he leaned over the books
at work, locket from his bosom fell
the slack of its gold chain and struck
the desk.
l noticed it, and he took it off,
handing it so me with indifference. He
had opened the locket, revealing the
portrait, which was that of a fresh
young girl, one of those sweet Eng.
lish faces, whose charm is complexion
and expression of confidence complete.
The eyes arrested you-pathetic, soft
brown eyes, SO tender they seemed to re.
Proach, and, as you changed your point
of view of the miniature, followed you
with their full, warm light. have
seen s"cii aTeotivnatto light only in the
brown eyes of faithful dogs Watching
those they love.
Seeing my more than casual notice
of the portrait, Leighton added: ate
an old story; not worth the telling; ]
don't know why 1 keep it,"
Ho spoke with the Same absent in.
terest wo were feeling over this work
ior the dead. 1t struck me rs peculiar
that in romance accomplished there
should be no trace either of bitterness
OF remorse, only weary indifference.
I was so quickly fascinated by tho face
that Lcighton's manner annoyed me,
and / did not ask for the story. Pos
sibly overhead makes men irritable,
for somehow / resented this careless
fellow wearing about him face like
that, with less interest than he wore
his spurs. did not then notice the
resemblance of tho face to Leighton's.
stopped abruptly and thought of
desertion, changing the conversation
to this, the subject of my days mus
ing.
leighton, something's got to be
done to relieve the pressure. know
the lieutenant would like to do so. He
feels the pulse of this camp and knows
the symptoms. Bnt what car &c ,;u:-
his orders to remain here are impera-
tive, and he can't pass us across the
line"
Hunting leave, laughed Leighton.
Hunting leave, then, let it be-"
replied, with no questions asked us
to our game or preserve, though can
tell what yours will be, you young
imp! Tomorrow make out hunting
pass for six" Leighton was humming
II catchy service ballad that had ap-
peared in London music-halls the year
before. and did not reply.
Next morning, l presented with tile
report four-days' hunting pass for six
men. The lieutenant dipped his pen
in tho ink and held it in contemplation
for mnment- above the nlace for SIG
lih.dre, IoohIIg Tn6Ught1mly across
the level plain. Then, with quick de-
cision: 81 wish, sergeant, you and
Leighton would take hunting pass,
and let no complications arise" He
signed the pass, adding our names to
the text.
The following evening found us all
i'll Correlitos. After dinner, while
smoking fragrant Vuolla Abajo of the
''Zona Libra" / strolled through tho
narrow streets of this old Spanish
town, watching the wealth of west
ern sunset, where the aftcr-glow was
fast fading. High above the noun
tain tops lay great billows of russet
flame, with crests like the mano of n
wind-fnnned prairie fire. Lower in
the madre spread the pure deep purple
Of soathern twilight, while from the
foothills came the soft evening breeze
born after the heat of day. Even
sounds fell on the enr SO gently you
thought that before reaching you they
must have loitercd to batho in the
acequia and caught some of its mur-
mur.
On tho plaza I passed two groups of
comrades, one seeking solace in bran
dy. the other, fortune in roulette
pleasant rastimes that might lead to
computations" while money lasted,
and would bear light watching.
walked on to the Jardin do Orc,
small public park, where serenaders
arc inspired and listeners stroll or seat
themselves on benches or the grass.
Only those who have suffered the
heat and glare of n campaign in the
desert can form any idea OF the rhysi-
cal luxury of green trees and of wntcr
l was seated listening to the soft In
dian Spanish rs it fell about mo in
slow chatter. From nfar it mingled
with tho murmur of the fountain.
What contrast this sceno to tho
hot camp had just left, whore woro
heard only tho whirr of tho rattle
snake or the insistont cooling Of tho
lonely turtle-dove ve--mournful sounds
which seem to add to tho vibrant heat.
Above tho mountains lay zone of
troubled white, from which the moon
had now risen into the full, upper
blue, causing the leaves overhead to
cast shadows in arabesque on the grass
at my feet, where, rs the night breeze
stirred the foliage, it wove marvellous
figures in trefoil and tracery for fancy
tn ,,1ou with oo xyifl, thn.o ,>olo T..