The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1897-08-26

he daren't let her know be was there
At noon that Sunday IL began to rain,
adding to the gloom of Lambert's sur
roundings, and he sat listening to the
steady downpour drumming on the
tautened canvas of his tent. thinking
Of the odd contrasts brought about by
army life. This was his first Sunday
with his company, and in every possible
way it was about as unlike every Sun
day of his previous life as il well could
be. He was trying 70 write to the
mother far away on the peaceful banks
of the Merrimac, where the rolling hills
were by this time wearing their early
tile of snow, ind old and young, farm
hands and mill hands, a reverent popu-
lace, had obeyed the summons of the
solemn bells that found no echo among
these dripping woods, these desolate
fields.
At intervals during the moist and
chilly morning little squads of negroes
had hung about the westward end of
camp. Something of the events of the
previous night had been put in circula-
tion with the dawn, and, growing as II
-olled, had attained huge proportions
by the time it reached the outlying
plantations five and ten miles away.
This, coupled with the tremendous story
of the Jail delivery at Tugaloo, had been
sufficient to draw the bolder of their
number towards that center of interest
the Yankee csmp-though farther they
dared not go. At times there would be
some rude soldier chaff between the
men at the guard tent and these curl
GUS visitors; and no matter how poor
the wit, it never failed of its reward of
abundant guffaw. The southern negro
needs no visit to the Barney stone;
his flattery is spontaneous.
When Lambert had finished his con-
ference with Burrs. and as in duty
bound, went over to the Walton place
TO inquire how its chatelaine had passed
the night, he marched forth through a
little congregation of shining black
faces and obsequious and tattered
forms, and had to run the gauntlet of
a chorus of personal remarks. all in
style and fit of his uniform. as well as
his general appearance. In less than
five minutes he returned, but with
such chagrin at heart that il must have
been reflected in his youthful face.
Serene in the consciousness that he was
doing a perfectly conventional and
proper thing, he had bounded lightly
up the broad wooden steps and knocked
at the door. 1t was opened almost in.
stantly by the colored girl whom be
had seen the night before and heard
spostrophized as "You Elinor." The
eager expression in her eyes gave way
at once to something of disappointment
and certainly of doubt.
II thought thought it was Mars'r
Potts, suh," she stammered. 81
don't reckon the ladies can see you"
"Will you say to Miss Walton that
Mr.. Lambert--Lieut. Lambert, II you
choose-has called to inquire how
Mrs. Walton is to-day, and that. If pos
sible, he would be glad to speak with
Miss Walton moment?"
Elinor stood peering through about
one foot of gap, the door she had so
promptly thrown wide open having
been as promptly closed to that limit.
Lambert could not but hear other doors
! opening within-could almost swear he
heard the swish of feminine skirts, the
whisper of feminine voices, low and
eager. The fact that the girl stood
there, barring the entrance and APP
parently afraid to go, added to his the
ory that she was being prompted from
behind.
'Ah dunno, sub. Ah'l see," she said
at last, slow and irresolute. what.
mum?" she continued, involuntarily,
an instant later, turning her turbaned
head towards some invisible presence
in the hall beyond: and that settled the
matter in Lambert's mind.
"Ye-assum," and slowly now the yell
low-brown face returned to light
mis- Esther amt very well, sub. an
she says--er ratherLMis' Walton sends
her compliments TO the gentleman and
begs he'll 'scuse her. Dey don't need
! muffin" she continued. in her own in.
depreciation of messages teIegraphed
from the dark interior: "Ye-assum
3iin Nditou Tcstcd very wei, tOnSlutT-
in, ans all right to-day, but she don't
want muffin, suh."
IL had hoped to be able to see Mrs.
Walton, il she were well enough, o., else
Miss Walton" said Lambert. firmly, in
tending that his words should be their
own interpreter at the court within.
There are matters Of importance on
which l desire to speak"
Again, Elinor, mute and irresolute.
turned to her unseen mentor. There
was evidently moment of conference
Then the girl was suddenly sweptaside,
the door was thrown wide open and
there, while other and younger forms
seemed to scurry away from both sight
and hearing, there with gray shawl
thrown over her shoulders, calm and
dignified, her silvery hair iluttefing
about her temples, and the lines of
care seeming even deeper in the sad
clear-cut face, stood Mrs. Walton, lean
ing on the stout cane which had dealt
such trenchant blows the night before.
With a voice that trembled just tr fie
despite her effort at control, she slowly
spoke:
You mean to be courteous, sir, in
your inquiry, and for this beg TO
thank yOu-to renew my thanks for