Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-09-30
"Frederick, who was dead, but who

at lenStn broken Dy inc SODS VI bue
women and unchecked tears flowed from
the eyes Of strong men unused to weep
ing.
Valentine Weld i rallied by an effort
Of will and looked into the face Of the
man who had clasped him in his arms,
and he saw the scar, from brow to chin,
saw it as he did that night in the long
ago, when by the lightning's flash he
stood over his PROSTATE brother. he
could not realize that Frederick lived,
even though his voice, the eyes and the
perfect profile assured him.
"Has the grave given up its dead?'
he managed to ask.
"No, Valentine, but the time has
come when the clouds should roll away
from our lives. That this has not been
done before is not my fault, Us you
shall see. "
"Ohl If you are Frederick Weldon,
I should be delighted" said Lawyer
Bliss, putting the bundle Of papers un-
der his arm and dry washing his lean
hands
''Do not interrupt me- I am now speak
ing for the information Of my kinsmen
and friends here assembled" Captain
Brandon, or Frederick Weldon, conduct
ed his brother to seat facing the people
and continued:
"My position can only be understood
by telling you in as brief way as pos
sible my story since the sad night when
last I saw my brother.
The captain hesitated, while a cough
ing and shufaing Of feet told Of the
profound interest Of the people. He went
on:
"When I returned to consciousness
after the blow found myself In hos
pital where Union troops were being
cared for, and my nurse told me the
place was Cincinnati From this man /
learned that a scouting party Of the
Twenty-third Ohio had come upon a
man robbing the body Of another whom
he was supposed to have murdered. By
the glare Of the lightning they recog-
nized this man as noted bushwhacker
and fired at him. He plunged into the
river, and his was the body found after
ward, but of which I knew nothing un-
til recently.
1.-The officer in command, believing
rightly that was Union man, after
ascertaining that I still lived, had me
placed in an ambulance and sent to a
hospital Some Of his men kindly gave
me change of clothing, and, as they
were soldiers clothes, the physicians,
though having no record Of my case,
sent me on with the wounded troops.
II had been unconscious, it seems,
nearly six weeks. My brain was affected,
but, thanks to skill and care, I recover
ed. For several months my organs Of
speech were affected, and when asked
my name it seems they understood me to
say Brandon, when I meant Weldon.
Every one about the hospital called me
Brandon, and for my brothers. sake de-
termined to adopt the name.
"At first l thought to return home,
but the war spirit ran high, and I rea-
soned that my presence would bring
trouble to my brother. and that if be-
came as one dead he could inherit the
property for his children. So I gave up
home and fortune I entered the Union
army when I became strong enough and
came out captain at the close Of the
war.
"Then I wanted to 60 home, for /
yearned to tell my brother, who belong
ed to the beaten side, that had for
given him and that all my old .ove went
out to him. But I thought am look
ed on as one who is dead. Why should
90 back? The people think that I fed
at the time Of my disappearance. for
never dreamed that my brother was sus-
pected. My every thought was to shield
him"
"God bless you, Frederick. God bless
you my brother!' sobbed Valentine.
"So," continued the captain, II de-
cided to 60 to a land where l would
meet none whom knew, and there live
as hunter and prospector. Fourteen.
years ago / came to the west, and in
these mountains I met the Prophet. l
told him my story and made him swear
perpetual silence before the altar. If
it had not been for this, he could have
saved us all this trouble. New scenes
and associations gradually banished old
memories, and as Captain Brandon l
was quite willing to spend the re-
mainder Of my days in the wilderness. 4"
"In Gods land, captainI In Gods
land!" interrupted the Prophet.
"It has truly bcen Gods land to me.
Last spring went to Omaha for sup
plies, and there fell in with party of
immigrants bound for the far west and
anxious to secure a guide. They were
told to come to me, and they did so. At
first hesitated to lead them, but when
I learned that DR.. Blanchard and his
family might be of the party hesitated
no longer. Of course knew DR.. Blanch-
ard, but the seal I had placed on the
Prophets lips was on my own, and l
was resolved to keep my identity to my
self. Yet my heart went out to the peo-
pie of my kin, and yearned to take
them to my heart and say, I am Fred
erick Weldon.
II met Henry Kyle as we neared the
mountains, and having heard evil re
ports of him was glad when he and
his companion, Robb, went. had long
known of Mr.. Kyle, but never imag-
ined that he was my brother.
''This is my story. This can prove.
But my heart is too full to think OF
other proof now. Come, stand beside
mo, Valentine. Hold my hand as you
did in boyhood when we climbed the
mountains. The grasp is stronger and
truer now that we are entering the val