Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-07-01

her dia.rled -lfa buried in her pret-
Is round arms. gazing long out upon
the Hashiur waters. sad, silent and
deeply tryrn-.G li.L There was some
thing iu That letter that concerned her;
and how disug-eeabIc she had been TO
Lambert, and she just knew it. and
Floyd was mean and wouldn't tell her!
At least this was the burden Of her
song when at two o'clock in the morn
inc she threw herself sobbing into
Z. ther's loving arms, and Esther,
soothing and smiling softly to her
SELF. thought she could soon find means
to comfort her.
That week brought other letters, and
a telegram TO Floyd, and he had busi-
ness in New Orleans and must go over
for a day. Lambert was coming on
from Texas, and he'd fetch him back
with him. Everybody could see he was
feverlshly impatient TO get away, and
a sad smile 1ickorcd about the moth
er's pale lips as she laid her hand in
blessing on his head. He went by the
morning boat and FASTENED to the
levee where the steamers of the Crom-
well line came in from New York. He
was there hours before the Crescent
came plowing her way up the swollen
and turbid river; and before she was
sighted at English Turn, who should
appear but Lieut.. Waring and the gen.
erals aide-de-camp who had come TO
see him during his brief confinement
under guard! Floyd, though in civil
ian dress, had promptly sprung to his
feet to salute them, but they recognized
him instantly and heartily shook his
hand and congratulated him on his re-
covery and on the honors he had won.
And then it transpired that he, too,
had come to see if he could be of serv-
ice to Mrs. Sweet, and Waring suddenly
bethought him of a story he had heard
about the Quitman days. y fellow of
infinite tact was Waring when he chose
to be, and, after q few words OF cordial
greeting TO the fair passengers, he
winked at his comrade, the aide
de camp, as he said he must hasten
back to battery duty. And so, even
when the sergeant would have defer
entially fallen to the rear, it was that
distinguished On-commissioned Off
GER who gave his arm TO the younger
of the two ladies in response to War
ing's calm "Mr. Walton viii take charge
of Miss Sweet" and while the mother
was led cwpv 70 the waiting carriage
by the staff officer, well knowing that
the mother-male engagement was at
an end, the daughters little hand
slipped trembling upon his arm. What
happened in the elysium of that two
minutes threading Of dusty, crowded,
freight-heaped wharf was not con-
fesscd by either until two long years
after The ladies' went on to Galves-
ton that night, and Walton's face was
radiant when, two days later, he came
back home; and then he could have
hated himself for his sclhshness when
nc saw Esther.
"Why, where's Mr.. Lambertf' was
her startled query, rs she met him at
the gate. Only the moment before as
they saw the boat spiashing away from
the pier had Katesie, with madly beat
ing heart, run from her side to battle
lev flushed cheeks and hide In her room
until she heard his voice on the veranda
and the first greetings were over, end
then she would summon UP all her
saucy spirit and go tripping down to
meet him with due nonchalance and
leyity. She had planned 1t all, poor
child, rehearsed the little comedy time
and again, and was steeling herself TO
act her coquettish role, when her sis
ter's words and Floyd's reply fell upon
her astounded ears:
HE hal to go straight on home His
mother is ILL"
And not until then did Katesie Wal
ton know that she, too, had surren-
dered."
All things come to him-or herN-who
knows how to wait; even an absent
lover, even the era of peace and good
will between estranged and warning
sections, even the end of long story.
Another year rolled by on clogging
wheels and wrought many changes
throughout the sunny south. \ daunt-
less spirit had drifted from this to
better world. Revcrent hands laid the
wasted form of the lady mother under
the grand old live oaks close TO the
"shining Shore" and the Walton house
hold, grieving, yet glad that the long
years OF suffering were ended, gave up,
against his vehement protest, the ref
uge which the beneticence of stranger
had afforded their beloved in her de.
clining days. The sisters went with
Scroggs TO his new home in Texas,
where a pioneer railway company had
rendered him employment. Here Floyd
could sometimes visit them, stalwart
sergeant who gratefully declined the
offer OF influential men to procure his
discharge, saying that he meant TO
serve every hour of his enlistment.
Here, within hail Of the cavalry trum-
pets and sight of the national flag,
there often came to spend tho day
fair-faced girl, Il northern blonde, the
very antitype to Katesie's southern
beauty, and the blue and the gray
looked love and trust when each gazcd
into the others eyes, for some remark
able bond of sympathy had linked
Geneyievc Sweet and Kate Walton In
close companionship.
Here, too, We're received and an
t2N tAt t'l 4fNttl AALNA tih'ilE Et itA ~ '''l
and one ever-to-be-forgotten day
from far distant post. there suddenly
appeared d very proper young fellow
in the conventional travelling Earb Of
the period; and presently jennie Sweet
bethought herself that important
household matters had TO be looked
after at the garrison, and Esther had
her marketing to do and must do H.
"Of course Mr.. Lambert win dine and
take tea with ia. (We dined at one
and tead at siy-thirty In those days in
Tcxas.) And 20 there was no one left 10
entertain him but Katesie-and the
cat; and even the cat was very much In
the wuy-in Lumbert's way, that is, fpr
the girl had the ungracious creature -
her arms, covering her with undesire1
caresses, the instant after Esther's de-
parture. The porch was vine-clad,
shaded and inviting, but Katesie per
versely insisted ON the steps and the
lot morning sunshine; pussy loved the
| warmth and sunshine. Lambert sought
TO stroke and caress Sablna. since