The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-11-05

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to hear O mocking bird sing at night
said Adele.
He took 10 notice of the remark, but
asked slowly:
"Win you be true?"
She looked at him o moment and an
swered:
"Love cannot dio.'
And again the hooking bird sang
from the moss hung tree.
And that was three years ago. he,
true to the agreement, had struggled
manfully for awhile to make his way
and earn his reward. But he was weak
In perseverance,. Ee tried almost every
thing and gradually sank lower and
lower. At last, half crazed with drink,
he enlisted in the army and was sent to
the plains of New Mexico.
As he sat with his chin in his hands
he looked across the waste Of sand and
pondercd over his past. Too proud to go
back and acknowledge himself whipped
in the battle Of life, he did not know
what to do. An intense yearning to sec
Adele Once more took possession of him.
I'm write to her tomorrow" he
thought, land I'll get a ~furlough and
60 home for awhile. Ny God, but I
must see her! I'll 60 crazy in this
DEVILS country if 1 don't!"
The garrison had never seemed SO hot
and stuffy to him before. The hot yell
low sane had never seemed so monoton-
Gus and blank, and life in the garrison
had never beer SO abhorrent as it was
then. He dreamily looked out the win
dow and whistled softly:
Say Eau revoir,'" but not "goodby."
Not a doubt entered his mind but that
Adele was true.
II can talk her over if she is still OBJ
stinate," thought he, land I can buy
my discharge. Then we will get married
and live at the old place. She will at
least give me credit for having done my
best. Yes, l thinl, l will go home"
His reveries We're rudely disturbed by
the sound of Private Finnerty's voice
right under his window saying:
"Shure, an tn new major how ON
ter take command iv Us. He's been at
a posht down south, hovin a foine, aisy
tonne av it. He fetched his wolfe wild
i'm too. Dom me-, but she's as pretty as
a spotted purp. An she's got tn prettiest
pair iv blue eyes thot Oh liver saw. Oh,
she's swate, sure
Sergeant Stone moved away from the
| window still whistling softly. He was
thinking of Adele-of home. He could
see her sitting in the moonlight playing
and singing. He could almost hear the
wind Us it rushed softly through the
magnolia leaves or murmured sadly
through the long gray festoons Of Span
ish moss. He thought Of all the haunts
Of his boyish days and Of his mother
sleeping peacefully beneath the cedars
in the lonely little burying ground OH
the hill. He remembered the path that
he and Adele followed when they were
children and went to school together.
He wondered if she had changed and if
she loved him as much as ever. The idea
that she would cease loving him never
entered his mind. She had said that she
would always care for him, and that
left not a doubt for him.
He spoke pleasantly to one Of the sol
OlchS WIZ passSu W, In VAoo buA luooA
was SO surprised that he could only
stare.
"Something's a-going to happen" he
said to the gang loafng about the can
teen a few minutes later. "Stone's got
civil all Of a sudden" And they mar
veled greatly thereat.
Stone wrote out his application for a
furlough and got it Endorsed by his cap
tain, and then by the post commander,
and late that afternoon he was informed
that his leave was granted.
He was happy. He went about whis-
thing and singing. He was going home
and to Adele. After supper he had an
other attack Of dependency. His soul
was filed with doubts and fears and a
horrible dread was gnawing at his heart.
Suppose she'- But his heart would
never allow him to finish the question.
"She will be true it said.
The moon rose in its full grandeur,
and the mellow radiance silvercd every
thing, toning down the rough prospect,
until it seemed as through the path tC
an enchanted land was opened to him.
"Three years ago tonight since | saw
Adele" re murmured to himself.
"Well, it won't be long till I see her
again"
1t was growing late, and "taps'
would soon sound. He went out for ON
last walk around the parade ground
) and as he neared the majors house the
distant tinkle of a guitar attracted hi.
/ attention.
THE majors wife must be musical,
he unused. Then he remembered that h
. had been told that the major had beer
married only a few months. He drew
nearer to the house and listened. Tn
r player began to sing in a fresh girlisl
voice:
Q Say Eau ~revoir," but not "goodby"-
Love hveth still: Love cannot die.
r He drew nearer, and the voice wen
y 'Twere better far We had not met;
: loved you then-I love you yet.
- Stone stood as one suddenly bereft {