New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1895-02-06
|C|liCkaIllauga.
Continued from page
CHAPTER x.

/ -.
without warning. Laura understood
perfectly the embarrassing position il
which he would be placed at surprising
q Confederate spy under the same roo
with herself and protected by her. Sht
had no mind to place him in any sucl
position. When Miss Baggs went u
stairs, Laura posted a sentry in the per
son OF Uncle Daniel to keep SHARP
lookout and give notice Of the colonel'l
approach in order that Miss Baggs might
be got out Of the way before his arrival.
Daniel sat down on a bench on the We
randa and lit his pipe. He was an ole
man and prone to dose. It was not long
before Lookout mountain across the
river began to sway among the clouds,
the nearer trees began to rock, the old
negroes head fell upon his breast and
he slept.
1t was nearly 10 o'clock when Laura.
having given up the coming of her hus.
band that night and for once in her life
rejoicing thereat, was about to dismiss
Daniel from his responsible position
when she heard step on the veranda.
thinking it was Daniel walking back
and forth to keep himself awake, she
paid no attention to it. There was q
turning of the knob to the front door.
and in another moment Colonel May
nard stood on the threshold of the sit
ting room looking in upon Mrs. Fain,
Laura, Souri, and Miss Baggs. He was
about to enter when, observing strange
person, he hesitated. Laura advanced.
and taking him by the hand led him to
another room. He had only once before
seen Miss Baggs and then in disguise
and did not recognize her.
"Why, sweetheart he said to his
wife, you're trembling
'You came in SO hurriedly.''
81 am hurried. We cross the river
tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow morning! Oh, Mark, why
couldn't they wait few days?''
IF wives and sweethearts had the
giving of orders, Uncle Sam would
have his armies always in winter quar-
ters.''
"Why couldn't this happiness have
ASAooCd JuoU q 4AUul0 lOuS0I:
"And then still little longer. Come,
I have but short time to stay. Let me
say goOdby to the baby.''
Laura led the way up stairs and drew
the curtains from the cradle, exposing
the sleeping infant.
There was something in the inno-
cence, the absence OF force in the little
slum berer, SO different from the scenes
in which he was wont to mingle, to set
in motion train Of feelings in Mark
Maynard to which he had thus far been
a stranger. On the one side was the
wife he loved and the sleeping child;
on the other, what now appeared toll
some marches, nights spent on wet
ground, sickness, mangling by shell and
bullets and saber cuts. A year before he
had loved these hardships, these dan
gers. Now new element had entered
into his life, and at least while he gaz-
ed on the little stranger (the only life
that had come to him among the many
gone since the war began) he felt
strange repugnance to entering upon
the coming campaign.
my boy, my boy" he said shuskily.
the thought suddenly coming to him
that he might never see wife or child
again, chow can I now risk leaving you
to struggle on to manhood unprotect-
ed?'' Then, recognizing his weakness,
he said, with quick born smile, "But
you have your mother, and must win
the star Of brigadier for you to play
with"
But wars quick and Imperative de-
mands gave him little time for the in
diligence Of such feelings He tried to
turn away. Again and again he drew
the curtains of the cradle, only to draw
them back for one more look.
LAURA" he said suddenly, call is;
changed. Before you and he came did
my duty as soldier because it was not
hard to do and because it pleased ME.
Now it will be hard, and 1 shall do it
that you and he may not be disgraced
in me. How can ever leave a blot on
my name and have that child grow up
to know it?''
Laura, seeing how hard it was TO,
him to draw himself from the cradle,
took his hand and led him away.
Going down stairs, they found the
house silent. All the family were in
bed. Maynard knew that it was time
he had departed. It was very late, and
he must ride eight miles to camp and
be on the march with his brigade before
daylight. But he could hardly tear him
self away from the house. The sleeping
child up stairs seemed to have brought
from the unknown whence he came a
maze OF gentler emotions, which were
drifting like smoke wreaths about his
father, obscuring the way from their
peaceful influence. ... .-.a .... +
There was one more embrace, then
another last one, then another final one,
then a stirrup kiss, and Colonel Mark
Maynard rode back through the night
to camp. ~.f.-
Not Ions after his arrival buglet
sounded the reveille. It was 2 O'Clock
in the morning, and the men were
aroused to begin their advance to the
front. Sending for Jakey Slack, the colo
mel gave him a note to take back t.
Laura at the plantation. He had repeat
ed his adieus so often in person that ONT
would hardly think it necessary to sen(