Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-09-22

N"N IhAfR ~
meant nothing to her. Life was So
dreadful, so strange, that it had left no
room for comprehension of the dread
tul tidings of death.
"Bo-room, Bo-room,'' cried the
child, laughing aloud. and trying to
initiate the deep, sullen reverberatiou
of the guns.
what for, NANNY, what for?' he
asked, eagerly,
~ u don't know" she answered,
slowly.
Very soon his interest slackened,
and he put his head again YEARLY on
her shoulder. NANNY, Use SO poly"
She tried eagerly enough now to
arouse him, but he slept heavily as if
fever had already druyged his veins
with its red poppy juice, 1t raj its
course quickly. The last night she
watched by him the rain dripped slow
ly through the leaks in the roof. Now
and Their came a gust of wind. Nathan
sat by the hearth and his wet coat and
hat, hung on a chair, dripped upon the
floor.
His eyes were fixed on the boy.
That mans dead He spoke rough
ly, but he had not spoken toher before
for weeks. shot in battle
Mandy started; her face quivered, as
If she were about to explain-protest.
But her husband was not looking at
her. Mandy understood the motive;
he was sorry for her--and for thatl If
he had insulted her it would have been
easier to bear. Her face hardened
again, and she answered suddenly;
What do it matter? Nothing mat
tiers. Hush, hush"
For the child had begun to speak.
His mind wandered and he fancied
himself again on the ridge. His
mother, bending ovcr him could hear
him feebly initiate the guns boom,
boom" The land was so full of war
that even to this poor baby the wind
of'death blew across old hattletields.
Nathan's kin came to the funeral.
Mandy's people lived further off
cross the mounting'-and it was hard
to send 4 message through the federal
outposts. The men talked of crops and
OF the late fights, of Hartman and
Bragg. They treated Nathan with
respect: William was the ''best off, of
the brothers. but Nathan was the old.
est. "Nathan's wife" with her still
ness and reserve, impressed them with
awe. William watched her closely and
took Nathan aside for a talk as the
horses were being hitched to the big
wagon.
II don't like Mandy's looks, he said.
"Taint natural fur a woman to be SO
still. She oughter hev change"
Nathan waited.
Send her back with us he urged.
"Morgan's men hev fairly tored up the
bridge, but there's a good ferry, and
Nancy'n be proper glad ter see her.
Let her stay a spell; it'll do her good,
an she'll come back spry ez ever"
Nathan turned away. ''She kin go
eff she pleases,' he said, but when the
plan was preached to Mandy herself, {
she would not hear of it. {
The other women cried when they
left; Mandy's eyes were still dry aud I
hard.
Pears like she couldn't forgive a
providence, no how said Aunt Ane1I
after they were out of sight,
why, sister, said William cheer
fullyJ-7hd had done all he could and
was inclined to shake off any further
responsibility-''she's young enough
ter hev a dozen mo- children"
Aunt Jane shook her head. Neither
she nor any Of the others had seen
signs of what they would have called l
a falling out" but the whole atmos- 8
phere had been unnatural,
1t would have seemed still more SO,
could She have seen Mandy after she
was left alone. With feverish energy ]
she cleaned the cabin, and mended
Nathan's Sunday coat and vest. and
various pairs of half-worn socks. Then |
she cooked supper, though it was an
hour or so before shutdown. Nathan, !
coming in for an old bucket of tar !
that stood in a corner of the shed, was J
amazed. She took up her %sunbonnet, !
and as If by a flash, he OWNED her .
meaning. l
"lo' amt got nc call ter go" {
Once more She hcsitated, ]
THE child don't need me now" she I
murmured. She was starving for a d
word of himself. '
II Dunno he answered, slowly, "ef
bn EnAurn1 it'l Ia, It,l - 1,z |
fur the little feller'-hc paused. .
For the first time Mandy put her !
hands before her face and wept.
Things were not very different in ,
the next three or four years. Nathan ,
did not talk; he had fallen into a D.,
habit of silence, but he watched her; )
he was restless if, by any chance, she .
were away-a new thing; he even
tried to save her from rough work or ,
exposure to rough weather. !
She needed care, though she did not
say so. A pain often came in her left
side, her breath was short, she had a ,
cough, She was, however, not unhap-
Ply, for she began to suspect that Ma.
than was fond of her. Had he come =
to think her innocent or-had he for
given her guilt? He gave no sign 1
either way. ,
One day she tried to lift n heavy log I
and tainted, She was slowly regain ,
ing consciousness when Nathan found ,
her, but her eyclids dld not culver or
her lips move as he carried her in and /
put her IN the bed. He stopped down l
and gave her a long kiss. I
Presently somebody was bathing J
her forehead and rubbing her cold c
hands. 1t stopped, for there was an ,
unfamiliar call outside. t
Il can't rightly say she's noticed i
anything, doctor" said her husband +
"Pears like she's too fur gone" The 7
sentence broke abruptly as the speaker /
turned away. !
The doctor found her weak and :
pale, but with dilated eyes of 1
ecstacy. Her faded lips wore a smil-
ing rapture, for she still felt her hus- a
bands kiss, 1t was Mandy's hour of {
triumph-only-she was dying.-Ella
+. Mosby, in Springfield Mass Re- l
publican. I
Reminded of Banquo.
A very fresh young mar lately -,
made the acquaintance of a young =.
lady from Boston, to whom he nro. .