The true northerner., 1897-04-21

ister to their spiritual necessities.
Their religious faith was identical with
that of his flock; il was in political faith
that they differed. One might decline
to sit at meat with them, but could
hardly decline to sit with them at wor-
ship. They could be forbidden to eat
with the elect, but the elect would not
forbid them to pray. Even in the sane
tuary, however, only hostile or averted
looks were vouchsafed TO Col. Sweet
and Capt. Vmton when first they sought
it's doors; but in the course OF few
months the women found that their sol
diers-their husbands, brothers, or low
ers, whom the war had spared-wer,
actually fraternizing with the Yankee
invaders, and that between those who
had done hard and honest fighting on
either side there was springing up firm
and honest friendship. The irreconcil-
ables were limited, apparently, to the
noncombatants. When the squadron
was ordered elsewhere after a six
months sojourn at Quitman, the popu-
lace was astonished to find how much
the troopers were missed and really
needed; for even Yankee custom ha1
been acceptable in the stores and Yam
kee contributions welcome in the
church. Business had brought Col.
Sweet to Summers Office, and in the
course of frequent visits cordial rela-
tions were established, and Floyd Wal
ton could hardly treat with disdain
soldier and gentleman whom his
patrons welcomed, even had he long
retained the disposition to do so.
The command had not been gone n
week before men were unaccouEtabiy
wishing il back, and when it reap
peared, with certain additions, it was
actually welcomed by people who would
have secuted the possibility of such
thing the year before. This time Col.
Sweet announced to the rector that his
wife and daughter would speedily fo'-
low, and were even then in New Orleans,
awaiting his instructions TO come. The
hotel was no place for ladies in those
rough days; the rector went to Mrs.
Tower. and Mrs. Tower no longer re-
sisted the inevitable. Floyd Walton,
going to tea one lot June evening, was
astonished to find himself in the pres
girl of perhaps is, and to be presented
10 Mrs. and Miss Sweet. Within
| week the young fellow was spending his
evenings at the Towers, and within the
| month was hopelessly in love. Then
came trouble. He hadn't a cent in the
world. She was n soldiers daughter
and presumably poor. Whether she
was poor or not, he, at least, had moth
| ing to offer, and, having nothing, held
his tongue, though he could not hold
| his peace. That was gone.
That was q wretched summer anu
autumn. The fire ragged along the gulf,
| and cholera swooped upon the garrison.
Sweet got his wife and child away to
the mountains. They left suddenly,
while Floyd was on n brief visit to his
mother and sisters. II was December
when they came back. Meantime Judge
| Summers had abandoned practice and
gone to live at his old home at Sand
brook. Mr.. Todd could offer young
Walton no help; there was no money
in law business just then. Matters
at Tugaloo were going from bad 10
worse, and Walton found himself abso-
lutely without money TO pay his board
| That made no difference TO Mrs. Tower.
Sne told him his mothers boy was rs
welcome as her own, and made him well
come where fascination all too strong
already held him. Something in Jen-
nie Sweets gentle manner had changed
She was nervous, i'll at ease, and sought
to avoid him. Something in her
mothers manner, too, was very differ
! ent. And one day the truth came out.
The frequency with which letters be-
gan chasing one another from the north
explained the whole thing. Jenny had
| met her fate that fatal summer among
| the Virginia mountains, and was en-
| gagged to be married. Mrs. Sweet re-
ferred to the happy man as ga wealthy
! gentleman from Philadelphia, few
years older than Genevieve, but most
charming person." Genevieve herself
said little or nothing, but looked none
too radiant. Col. Sweet said less, but
looked much at her.
Then Floyd Walton found another
boarding place, and one where the in
huences were worse. He threw up his
position in the law office and took an
humble clerkship at a store. 1t paid
him enough to board and lodge him,
and here, from serving his customers
with drink, he got to serving himself,
and to associating with regular set,
some young townsmen, some soldiers.
There were stories of gambling and
quarrel even before Col. Sweet found
that Jenny, the apple of his eye, was
dropping in that southern climate, and
sent her. with her mother, north 'for
good" The next thing heard of Floyd
Walton was that he had gone TO New
Orleans with discharged soldier; and,
even while grieving over her boys in
frequent letters and evident hopeless
ness and depression, Mrs. Walton re-
ceived missive one day that left her
PROSTATE. She went alone to Quitman
as soon as able to move, and came back
within 4s hours looking years older.
and both the girls soon knew that she
bad parted with the diamond earrings
that were their fathers last gift TO her
in the happy, prosperous days that pre-
ceded the war. Floyd had written that,
Il L n H..