The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1896-04-16


catch the '.western fever" and he car
ricd his sweet Virginia rosebud to BIOS
som out among the stern Sierras. The
Judge sought and married her in that
distant cline, after what was generally
understood to have been long court
ship. The twins were a year old, and
Rupert was three before they came from
California, SO that their western birth
PLAYED no part in the remembrance of
their environment. The little girls were
both born in Virginia.
II.
RUPERT" said the judge, ON that par
ticular Sabbath afternoon, there is go
ing to be war;"
Eyes, father, and am going to fight
in it. You are past SO, and helped to
conquer the Mexicans In 48, SO you've
had your share The boys are too
young, aud the girls are-girls."
: "I;ut you might be killed." walled
his mother.
Rupert turned his grave, proud eyes
upon her.
"Our blood has always belonged to
our country" he said.
His face, usually cold and clear-cut
lighted with enthusiasm. I'VE fought
in the French and Indian war, in the
revolution, in 1912, and against the Mex
leans. want to add something, how
ever little, to the glory of the name!"
Three weeks later came the call for
volunteers, and Rupert Pinckney was
among the. first to respond; it did not
occur to any member of his heroic fam
ily group to dissuade him. Lees troops
were largely composed of just such
men. In the second year the judge
went also, but he was severely wounded
and obliged to return home. In the
third year, as things grew darker and
men scarcer, it became necessary for one
of the twins to join the confederate
forces. Courtney, therefore, became
one of the company in which Rupert
was lieutenant. Both brothers fought
with the courage Of their race, consoling
themselves by the thought that if they
were killed Reginald was still left to
keep up the family.
Memory, as applied to the last
months of the civil war, is too CHASTITY
for words. Even history, northern and
southern, Pauses awestruck at its re-
cital. Courtney was fatally wounded
in q night surprise. and Rupert was
twice disabled. He was shot through
the arm the first time and down with
swamp fever the next, but he never Left
the camp or asked for furlough.
Many time around the camp fire he
kept up the hearts of the men by re-
hearsing his father'ssayings and stories.
Never day passed over his head but
he thanked God for the blessing of be-
ing a good mans son.
He followed Lee up to the day of final
surrender, and then his loyal heart beat
nigh to bursting. For time itseemed
that his eternal hopefulness was about
to desert him, but he saw SO many need
Ing comfort and encouragement that
he took courage again for their sakes.
He made one little speech in that
dark hour, which, when repeated to his
chief, ID. said TO have sent q ray OF COM
fort to that stricken and heroic heart.
"Boys," cried Rupert, ''he has surren-
dered, but he only handed over that
shining and bejeweled sword that he
used ON dress parade. His own sword
the blood-stained friend of many Il
conflict-still hangs by his side. He
shows us what the soul Of southern
gentleman should be. We have all
swords still left to WELD, but they must
be used on peaceful battle-fields. We
have got to fight the fate this war has
left, and I do not think that we shall
fail"
There was the ring of prophecy in his
voice. the herald of that prosperous
south which has risen on the embers of
the old.
The unwritten struggle which fol-
lowed the civil war was perhaps the
hardest part of it. Readjustment is
more trying than organization.
It seemed to the judge that the end of
all things had come, and but for Rupert
he must have succumbed. An instinct
OF tenacity took possession of the young
man; he exhibited that business in
dustry and energy which distinguishes
men of aristrocratic traditions in peri
DDS of dire extremity. He worked
early, he worked late; he manipulated
their shrunken property with surpris-
ing skill. He inspired all the family
but Reginald. The shock of totally
new regime proved too much for the
younger brother, and he gradually sank
into habits of idleness and dissipation.
Rupert did what he could for him and
preserved an unfagging patience.
Even when his brother filled drunk
ards grave he had no bitter word to say,
but put him up handsomer monument
than he could afford, which recorded
sadly that he was Pinckney.
The girls married early, and married
well; Rupert wore his old clothes for
three years that he might provide them
with trousseaux suitable to their former
station. Little by little the judge took
up the broken threads of his law prac-
tice, while his son tapped the first chan
nels Of reopening commerce. As the
country revived the Pinckncys revived
with it!