The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-08-04

NHE was a Bit naughty to me on
that particular day. but | didn't
ocare. for was desperately In love
with another girl.
The 'she" OF whom ] am writing Is
my wife. aud as my pencil traces the
paper, she sits by my side. smiling and
cooling softly To our youngest grand
child. lovely baby boy.
| can't recall the day that have not
known my wife. We were children to-
gether In our lovely home Ia the Blue
Hills. by some freakish relationship,
for which one OF our ancestors was re-
sponsible. Jane Merriam was nominal
~ my aunt, though several years my
junior. Her father and mother died
before she was IL. and from that day
on she made her home with our family,
with whom she was connected by dis
tant blood ties. was away at school
at the time OF her bereavement and
upon returning for vacation found her
at the old Marcelline homestead. aunt
Jane" the younger children called her.
and soon fell into their way. although
she was Jennie TO me, and We were
playmates.
Aunt Jane" was n beautiful child.
with dark hair aud rich gray eyes. aud
she had grown into a handsome girl,
when at the expiration OF my college
term at Richmond | returned to my
/ home in the Blue Hills TO hang up my
shingle as lawyer. 1t was just year
before the breaking out of the war. |
YVES getting along famously. when all
my calculations were upset, and | en-.
listed in company of volunteers from
our little place TO help Lee defeat the
enemy
1t was on the day OF my departure
naughty answer, with which my story
begins.
Aunt Jane" had said. when told
her was going away that night. I'll
be back In less than six months. by
that time well have driven the Van
KEGS across our lines. and I'll celebrat,
the victory by marrying the girl
lover
You don't know what you are say
ing" answered Aunt Jane, with {
naughty stare. 81 fear the Yankee
will do us all great HARM TOSSING
her beautiful head that might not Sc
her furiously blushng face, she raj
into the house.
There was Yankee blood In Aun
Jane, although of distant strain. He
great grandmother had come from En-
gland to marry James handsome an
cestor. from whom she inherited he
dark beauty. "Ahaw whlstled s1ftl
to myself, Aunt James sympathle
are trife dividedr' said nothing I
the family about my discovery bu
hurried away TO take leave of Cousl
! Lucy Gordon. | had been In love wit
. Lucy before ! went away to colleg.
, and | fancied myself more desperatel
smitten than ever now that wa
to bid her farewell. We were dlstan
ly related, Lucy and |, and she wa
of the same age as Aunt Jane barrel
~. W. NOhlNh NSiC hCNVt LlOl
strangely cortrastCd. Lucy was a lu
tertiy. doll with golden curls, eye
like the summer sky, lips like cherrie
and klttenish ways. She shed bite
tears and kissed her farewell. viii
out much coaxlng on my part Sd
promised that she would wait for m
till the end of doom TO become my VIII
So | went away happy after all. II
sweet Lucy's promise was the tall
| man that strengthened me and bad
me hope In the terrible days That 70
lowed.
Several gushing, girllsh letters can
from her In answer to my passionat
} avowals of undylng love aud fealt
! How they sweetened the hardshlps an
dull, aching moments of those int
I minable days and nights!
! had been in several battles and
+ number OF the boys from our plat
were either killed or MANNED. Charl
Ferguson, my collegemate and the Sc
: of the district attorney of Marcel,ln
= with whom had been reading law, e