The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-02-15

suffering" said Lucy Dean, little regretfully, as she surveyed the arrangements for the great party in the rambling yet luxurious old homestead.
 'l don't know" replied her friend Anna Tracy, as she stepped into char to straighten an engraving of Wash ington and His Family" household treasure that was gayly decorated for the occasion. "We can do nothing more to help them, and it would cer- tainly add nothing to their comfort to sit here and nope"
 ''Then it is kind of patriotic dis play, too," put in Lucy, brightenlng' celebrating Washington's birthday by a party will help make the guests love our country more"
 Anna laughed little at the logic of her friend, but was too anxious over the arrangements for the evening to dis .cuss the matter further.
 The Dean farm was near the fateiul "border," and yet the two years of civil war had brought no inconvenience to its inmates Lucy, the only daughter, rode at her will over tho surrounding coun- try, and the colonel, her father, whose warning days were past hastened to the conflict only in fancy.
 But in these midwinter days of 1863 there w<re more than the usual dan gers to the quiet household. They had taken no active part in the carrying on of the struggle, though their sym pathies were with the union army, where Paul. the beloved son and broth CT, was winning his spurs The armies were camped nearer now than ever be- fore, and no one relished an encounter or even halt of armed forces on the well-kept lawns and fields of the farm. Lucy had invited the young people of the neighborhood to spend the even ing of February 22 with her, and had arranged to make the occasion conso' nant throughout with the anniver' sary it commemorated. Flags decorated the rooms, and portraits of the Father of His Country" were seen in the most conspicuous places.
 Late in the afternoon Lucy donnec her riding-habit and mounted her pony for brisk canter over the snow-lader roads. She spared not her horse anc hurried through the drifts at speed that meant some danger
 Suddenly she stopped. A gray coa was half hidden by tree trunk, anf in moment the figure of young mar in gray uniform stood before her. H' was thin and pale, but every motior and every word spoke of the training and instincts of gentleman.
 Do not be frightened" he began, :" won't hurt you"
 'I don't think you will" the girl sar castically replied; you look half starved"
 "I am"
 "What are you doing in this country I know by your clothes that you belonI somewhere else"
 five escaped-they were taking m north to prison-I was captured. Flo two days I have not dared to ask fo food. saw you coming and deternine' to try and see if you would not at leas give me piece of bread"
 He limped as he came nearer and tn girl saw blood stains on the gray trou sers that told of wounded knee.
 Kindness and par tisanship struggle for the mastery in her heart.
 eve are union" she began, the with glance at the deep sunken dar eyes her own moistened and she gay her decision promptly: "I will; mayb some southern girl will do somethin for Tom-but you must be very car' full"
 Eagerly the stranger promised an the two stood for several minutes in tf early twilight counseling over the moo of assistance, the comradery Of yout alone making bond of sympathy b( tween them.
 When the hostess of the evening r turned it was with heightened colo The ride had apparently done her goo and if an unusual nervousness cha acterized her manners no one notlced
 Team after team unloaded it's ia burden at the gate, and the lads al maidens for ten miles around made u low ceilings ring with their taught and badinage.
 "The blue coats arc over in Gree .Ridge," spoke one of the young men.
 What pity we could not ha some of the soldiers here in uniform night" replied Anna with coquetti smile.
 "You might have got 'em," put in t postmasters son, "a squad of the were riding down the Chapman ere road this afternoon.
 Lucy was listening and her brig cheeks suddenly lost their color.
 "What-what were they doing%' 6