The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-05-02

slumberer. so different from the scenes
in which he was wont to minRle. to set
in motion a train Of feelings in Mark
Maynard to which he had thus far been
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 she'll 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 (ths only life
that had come to him among the many
gone since the war began) he felt q
strange repugnance to entering upon
the coming campaign.
my boy, my boy" he said huskily.
the thought suddenly coming to him
that he might never see wife or child
again, chow can / 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 I shall do it
that you and he may not be disgraced
in me. How can ever leave blot on
my name and have that child grow up
to know it?''
Laura, seeing how hard it was for
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. 1t 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
maze Of gentler emotions, which were
drifting like smoke wreaths about his
father, obscuring the way from their
peaceful influence.
There was one more embrace, then
another last one, then another final one,
then stirrup kiss, and Colonel Mark
Maynard rode back through the night
to camp.
Not long after his arrival bugles
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 to
Laura at the plantation. He had repeat
ed his adieus SO often in person that one
would hardly think it necessary to send
any more on cold paper, but Maynard's
heart strings were pulling him as strong
lysaway from war as his duty was fore
ing HIM toward it. Besides he knew
that Laura would treasure every word
from him. *
Jakey mounted Tom and rode =. ~:
gray of the morning to deliver the 1nee
When he reached the plantation, he
was obliged to do good deal Of pound
ing and ringing before he could get into
the house. Finally Mrs. Maynard's
maid, Alice, let him in, and considering
the fact that Mrs. Maynard was in bed
and Alice stood in very close confiden-
tial relations with her, Jakey consented
to deliver the note to the maid and wait
ed to see if there was any reply. Alice
and said that her mistress
would be down in moment. Presently
she entered, dressed in morning wrap
per.
"Jakey," she said, taking the boy by
the hand and smoothing the hair out Of
his eyes, ''can I rely on you to do some
thing for me?''
"Could the colonel?'
"You are going to the front, and no
one can tell what may happen. You'll
probably have to meet your enemies
some time, and the colonel says that
battle may come at any day. Iwant you
to promise me that if anything should
happen to the colonel you will come here
as fast as you can and let me know Of
it. Do you understand"
''Y' mean eff tn colonel gifts hit on
tn for'ead with cannon ball?"
"Oh, Jakey, don't talk SO! mean If
he gets sick or wounded or in any other
trouble, will you come and tell me at
once?''
Reckon.
Laura knew that this was Jakey's
way Of making promise, and she was
satisfied. She told him to wait few
minutes and went out Of the room.
When she returned, she brought two
parcels with her.
''This one is for you, Jakey," she said,
handing him one Of them. ''It's q lunch
con. Put it in your haversack and give
the other to the colonel And hand him
this note. :"
She gave him tiny white envelope,
within which in a few words was con-
centrated what may be best expressed as
<l,~oo Iox,os 30 ~ ono ~ Hosioco<od offoc.