Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-08-24

/ be kept down with such scruples, ana
one afternoon I walked to the house,
and, passing up the broad carriageway
running from the read to the door,
went slowly up the steps leading to
! the pleasant and shady veranda, and
! Just as | was about sounding mas
sive old-fashioned knocker the door
was thrown open, and young and
/ beautiful woman stood before me.
| The laugh that had been a moment
! before ripping from her lips, ceased,
and she started back with slight
gesture of alarm, but my doned cap
/ and peaceful attitude treasured her,
and she stood waiting.
rs Mrs. Wynne i'm" / asked.
My mother is at home; who shall
! I say desires 20 see her"
"'Charles Talbot, class-mate OF her
son. and at present with the regiment
quartered in the village
What. are you the Charley Talbot
who was Harry's chum at college"
81 am
Then come in. for we all seem to
know you. and though on opposite
sides. are friends and she held out her
hand.
Il took it. and its warm clasp thrill
| ed me strangely. as did the clear glance
of the bright eyes that were upturned
to mine.
81 am Mabel Wynne. Harry's Sis
ter she went on. We have heard so
much from Harry concerning you, and
often longed to meet you. Harry said
that he knew you would be in the
Northern army, but for us, in your
case. there is no war. Please be seat
ed. and I will call mother.
eve had passed into large, cool
drawing-roOm while she had been
/ speaking. and she had thrown open
window that gave me fine view OF
level sweep of country, in which the
Rappahannock rolled between green
orchards. and fields rich with the gold
of ripened wheat Here she left me,
and soon returned with midGle-aged
LADY. whose beauty was OF that quiet,
motherly kind. so rich in the power
that makes one comfortable and at
ease. | found that, despite my an
tagOnistic uniform, was held friend;
and glad was | to know this, for the
first glance Of Mabel Wynne's eyes
had broken down the barriers that
I had raised against lOye-barrlers OF
which l have made many boasts 10
would. my future life would garner
its Joy from her kindness, or have no
10Y at all | was invited to remain to
supper, and did so; and, when duty
forced me to take my leave, was asked
To make my calls as frequent as my
time and inclination would permit.
"You can easily surmise that both
time and inclination made the inter-
walls between my visits very short,
and I soon noticed that the door was
always opened by Mabel, often ere l
had reached the steps leading to the
verandah. Who could mistake the
motive Of such a mark Of favor? And
YOU can know that to my soul this
brought glory that was brighter
than sunshine. and whose music was
sweeter than the spring chorus Oh
birds. 49,,
u have not told you of Mabel
WINES beauty. IL was or that CLEAR
fresh. Saxon type, such as denotes
bright and sunny disposition. And she
was rs merry and kind as one could
wish. possessing a finely cultivated
mind a sparkling wit, and that sweet
ringing voice that made It a delight
To sit and listen to her talk. AS you
.1ow we were only Quartered two
months in that village; but before our
regiment marched southwark l had
asked Mabel Wynne to be my vile,
and had heard her low voice tell OF
love that l knew would bless me
+b-oueb all the years. Her mother
cave n willing consent, and the time
fved for our union was the close OF
the war. .,.,.. ,-s..z ard
the raid I'm which l won my majors COM
mission. During the year that followed
and the campaign Of which Gettysburg
ms the conclusion. I heard frequently
from Mabel. for the communication be-
+Uean her home and our lines was Kept
omen. The last tremendous struggle out
ward with Grant quickly followed this
and as Won know. we were on patrol
duty and reconnoiterng all the time; and
when the flank movement began Kept
we'll on the outskirts of the army ana
mada the last raid down the peninsula
which brought the crisis OF my me-
DO Won remember the day we were eX-
Meeting to meet Fitz-Hugh's mem l was
on picket duty that evening. and had
battalion of our regiment deployed along
, road that ran through some broken
country. Just after the night began TO
deepen. and the shadows lay heavy De-
tween the trees that fianked the road, the
rarid gallop of a horse sounded up from
a narrow valley; and, telling the men near
20 be ready. I rode down the sloping
ground 10 meet the person approaching.
/ Soon I came 70 a place that gave me COM
mand Of a long stretch Of road. and halt
cd lust i'm the shadow. In another moment
horseman dashed into view. and came
rapidlv toward me. As soon as my voice
could be heard, I commanded halt. but
the order was unheeded.
Halt. or l fire" I cried, and still the
horse came dashing on; and the next in
slant my pistol was leveled, and the sharp
report rang out on the still night. With
low cry the horseman tumbled from
the saddle; and the fiu;ter of a white
robe made me spring 20 the ground and
run 10 where the PROSTATE form was ~
ing.
The person I had mistaken for foe
was a woman: and. as l bent over the
white face. I felt my heart grow cold, for
il was the face Of Mabel Wynne.
T took her in my arms, and her eyes
looked up in mine. 80 full Of love that
sobbed Ike q child.
"'Oh. my darling. my darling. I cried,
what brought you here?'
u heard you were with the troops,
Charlie. and I wished to see YOU
And I have killed you. and blighted
my life I answered.
",No M. bliehted n Charlie ven did