Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-06-10
4 TENNESSEE LOVE STORY

They called her the Daughter of the
Confederacy in that Southern city. She
has a daughter of her own now, who
should, Of course, be called the Grand
daughter Of the Confederacy, but prob
ably isn't. That, however, is anticipat-
ing.
The daughter of cause so long dead
could not have been so young and beauti-
full She must have been the child Of a
Memory, that grows more beautiful with
each succeeding generation.
She was very beautiful the day that
Howard Pearce saw her. She sat on the
window ledge of his second-story office
he vas young lawyer from the North
and looked down on Co. X,
Tennessee National guards, lined up al
parade rest He knew their captain
Saunders, who also was lawyer and
whose Office adjoined Pearcess. 1t was
annual encampment time, and * com
Dany was about to go to the grounds al
the foot Of the Ridge.
''Order-Harms.' commanded Capt
Saunders.
''Carry-Harms!'
Shoulder-Harms! Right for'ad
tours right-M'chr'
Co. X moved off up the street As the
last four swung into the column there
came a clatter of hoOfs on the pavement,
and a girl rode past the company and
took her place at its head, Salutlng the
CAPTAIN gravely and with ceremony.
What a beautiful girl!' Pearce eX-
claimed.
She wore a gray riding habit. with
double row of small brass buttons lead
ing up to two black stars on the collar.
On her sunny locks small gray slouch
hat rested. tilted just the least bit over
one eye. She rode well.
Pearce leaned so far from the window
10 catch a parting glimpse of the girl IN
gray that he almost fell. The crowd
had dispersed and the young lawyer re-
turned to his desk It was a warm day
toward the end of July, and he was not
sorry that he had no business on hand
that must be rushed. He reflected that
as almost every one had gone to the
camp ground, there was no reason for
remaining in the office. which the little
breeze that stirred out doors carefully
avoided.
Evidently, the girl in gray had gone to
the camp ground. And with Saunders.
But Saunders was married; happily mar
ried, Pearce hoped. Anyhow, he was
glad that Saunders was married
That evening he sat before Capt: Saun--
ders' tent with the captain, his wife and
Miss NIOore-the girl in gray. To the
east of the camp ground the ridge rose
in a gentle slope. To the southwest,
seemingly towering just over them, was
the mountain.
Pearce's heart beat faster as the
thought came to him that thirty years
before white tents had marked the foot
of the ridge as they did that day. But
then they had stretched for miles north
and south.
Captain" he said, turning to Saun-
ders, sit is easier to get up the ridge
than it was once. There are no men in
there tonight -
NO the captain replied, "but the
sons of some of those men are there,
pointing to the company street, in which
blue-clad figures lounged. Loyal? With
out doubt. Listenv'
The bands, which had united for the
evening concert, had just struck up 1.-THE
Star Spangled Banner" When the air
was recognized a cheer arose from the
tented wood.
Hear that?" said the captain.
Wait said the girl in gray.
For what?' Pearce asked.
They will play Dixie after awhile"
what then?''
''Then they will YELL she said, looking
at him with bright smile and nodding
confident You'll see-or hear
And he did. When the national air
was finished there was a brief wait.
Then the quick, stirring notes of Dixie
started the woods into life with sharp
echoes, which were drowned by one long,
loud yell.
Pearce looked at the girl to receive an
expected Il told you So But she was
not looking at him. Her cheeks were
dark with color, and her eyes. frightened
by excitement, were fixed upon the young
men. tossing their caps high above the
tents and shouting with all their sturdy
power.
Il wonder" he mused. eff she hates
the North as she loves the South?'
When the tumult had ceased he turned
to Saunders.
''Wen, captain" he said, 'what do you
say to that?'
|sOf course. they love Dixie said the
captain, earnestly. $50 dc I. But there
is no deeper meaning in that cheer than
the love of a memory. They are loyal .
Miss Moore said that she must go back
to town.
''As it is late | shall have to leave my
horse with you, captain. | shall send
for him tomorrow. | reckon l can walk
to the train in this rig
She looked down somewhat doubtfully
at her ridingskirt Pearce said that he
would be glad to go with her. and though
it was not apparent in just what way he
could overcome the disadvantage of the
long dress, she seemed to be grateful for
his escort
Well, that was the beginning of it.
and the end is not yet. An incident that
occurred under a large tree in the old
Confederate fort on the mountain may
give a hint of the trend of events.
Pearce and Miss Moore were under the
tree because it was the shelter nearest
when rain suddenly began to fall: and it
rained, probably. because a number of
young folks of the city had come up on
the mountain to spend a September day
that promised, in the morning, to be
pleasant
Mr. Pearce was not in good humor
He and Miss Moore had separated them
selves from the Others. One topic of
conversation had led to another, which.
IN this instance, was declaration by