Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1895-04-20


small change in their possession.
lit spoils the solemnity of the APP
proach." she admitted when Royal smil-
ingly suggested that they might be en-
couraging a nuisance But they looked
so jolly | couldn't help giving them
something. haven't seen n lot Of little
negroes jumping about for years, 1t
does my eyes good.
Inside the gates there was no lack of
eolemnity, and Royal pulled his horse
up to u walk and slowly followed the
road winding under magnificent trees,
through stretches Of velvety verdure,
past plots of exquisite blooming plants,
rockeries. and tall vases filled with flow
ers, vines and ferns, untouched asyet by
frost. Now they caught glimpses of
shady dingles and clear streams ripping
purely, and again of level meadows, sug-
gestive Of old homesteads, lowing kline,
misunderstanding, everything, ex-
cept graveyard,
Gradually the road assembled, and a
thrill passed through Phyllis sensitive
nerves as her eyes rested for the first
time on the home of the south's great
chieftain. She wished to go there at
once, but Royal turned aside tothe Gem
etery which surrounds the home of Lee.
There it lay, stretching almost as far as
eve could reach, line on line, in close,
compact ranks; in companies, in regi-
ments, in battaliOns-so many! so many!
There seemed miles on miles of them,
the tiny, plain, pitiful white stones, neat
precise and infinitely pathetic; sole me-
mentoes of thousands OF gallant hearts
that struggled and bled and broke for a
politicians quarrel.
Later, as they sat on the pOrticO, with
the spell of the place upon them, and
watched the flow of the river, the pass
ing Of craft Of various kinds, and the
lazy tapping of the great flag against
its staff, Phyllis began talking Of her
old home beyond the mountains and Of
the woman who had reared her.
"She was very good to me always"
the girl said. But after my sight be-
gan to fail she was tenderness itself
eyes to the blind aud strength and cOur-
age to the weary and hopeless No one
but myself can realize her goodness.
She was an imperiOus woman, and liked
her own way, and people often mis-
understood her. Poor Aunt Anne"
Royal made no comment, being far
too happy to cherish resentment against
the living or the dead. AS for that in
consequent will, he was more than rec
onciled to it; he actually blessed the
testatOry vagarieS which had opened the
way to his happiness. Still, he could
not but wonder over it as he hearkened
to his wifes encOmiums.
Next to me, her heart was set on
John" Phyllis proceeded. ut wasn't
only that he was her nephew, and good
| and clever-that was n source of pride,
OF cOurse-but | think her love went out
to him specially because Of his bearing
her lovers name. She used to fancy she
Jaw a resemblance between my cousin
aad John Hart. 1t was beautiful, the
way Aunt Anne chung to the old 10
nance
every beautiful" Royal assented; hi
eyes were on . steam tug fussing in the
stream below, and he was only half at
tending
"DoeSn' it seem strange that | should
| have married John Harris nephew in
stead of Aunt Anne's? And bearing his
name, too. just like fairy story. Aunt
Anne would have liked it, | am sure
She wanted to knit her past to my fu
ture, poor dear, and she has done so by
ways she never dreamed Of. | wish she
We're here to see!''
Royal could not find it in his heart tC
echo the wish. The return of spirit
from the beyond, even on an amicable
| errand, seemed to him subverSive Of or
der. He kept his reflection to himself
| however.
Here is more fairy story" Phyllis
| laughed, and took from her pocket the
envelope there hidden. You are gOina
to have to cast ashes on your head and
abuse yourself generally. You have
been Judging Aunt Anne yes, you
| have, all of yOu!-the people at home
and Nina and everybody-saying that
she did not love me, nor care what should
become of me if her plan for marrying
me to John should fall through, and al
sorts of horrld things. All because OF
| that ridiculous will she made so long
ago. OF course she wanted us to have
the property! She had quarreled with
our parents about it, and this would be
a way to square the matter without sac
rifice 81 her own pride. And then she
liked the property itself, and wanted tc
keep it together"
Royal laughed.
My dear wife, don't excite yourself OF
go into fury of defense. I'm not com
planning. That will, to me, is most sat,
isfactory. It's given me the desire OF