The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-05-28

grass, identifying the gardens, scent
ing, in happy unison with other bios
SONS, the air. Blue also was the uniform
of the young officer standing at the gate
leading from comfortable mansion to
the garden, and bluer still the trustfuI
eyes OF gentle maiden encircled by
his stalwart arm and leaning her
golden head upon his manly bosom.
The sun was setting, the blue of the
western sky became blue and gold set
with garnet and pearl, and the golden
hair turned richer and deeper in tint
as the other sun beams from above
mingled fraternally with its shining
strands and kindled red fires which
burned like embers in those IL ses of
changeful hue.
1t was their parting, for the regiment
was off for the war, and Capt. Falconer
was one of its officers. He was young
man full of bright ambitions, prompt
to obey the call of duty, holding within
his stalwart form and active brain
those possibilities which, in our coun-
try. make every man possible hero,
every heart an altar upon which may
kindle and burn brightly martial ardor
and the sacred patriotic fame There
were millions of them in 1861, there are
millions more now.
Ruth Pritchard was the Judges
only daughter, unspoiled by her ia
theirs wealth, unhurt by the insidious
follies and gayeties which destroy the
nj Of -, 10,
Her deep, true nature did not take kind
ly to batteries, the buzz of insects, the
glitter of butterfly wings and ways.
Therefore she was still the child of ma
true, unspoiled by the thin veneers and
mere varnish of bright life. Of medium
size, well rounded in form, with fea-
lures regular and attractive and a soul
which had not forgotten how to look
forth from the blue, the celestial blue,
of her eyes, she was a sweetheart of
whom the young officer might we'll be
proud.
And upon this evening as they talked
sadly of the possibilities before the de-
parting soldier, not then so we'll COM
pretended as later, when taught by
stern experience, the blue skies faded
to gray, the west to deep blood red,
paling later into the prevailing twilight
hue; the blue uniform of the man and
the blue dress of the maiden seemed
to fade into the same tint as darkness
deepened, and to harmonic the picture
gray mists arose into which the soldier
vanished when he at last kissed her
velvet lips and babe her farewell. The
troops were to start by the night train
from the nearest railroad station
several miles away, and as her hero
rode into the gray mist and the dark
ness, two blue eyes left behind became
impaired with tears and there arose
from the depths of a tired and saddened
heart an eloquent prayer in his behalf
A little later the grays again faded out
OF the upper sky, which changed to the
deep blue of night, with stars shining
against the soft background like dia-
monds upon cushions of velvet. They
shone upon the young and untried
soldier riding thoughtfully along
shone upon the upturned face of the
girl he left, kneeling white-robed be-
side her snowy couch ere she retired to
think of him, perhaps to kiss him low
ingly in her dreams.
Blue skies again-this time arched
over a southern landscape, beautiful
fields in which blue violets grew, slopes
covered with rank foliage and forest
glades. Reaching for long distances
here and there long lines of blue in