Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1898-05-26

- L.
there motionless In her stony resolution
not to yield TO the outside pressure that
was once more being brought to bear
upon her view of Strong Martins war
record.
She heard the slow, even thud Of her
fathers crutches ON the brick walk that
stretched between the house and the
gate. Gould he forgive him2 She recall
ed the red anger that had swelled the
saber cut across the governors left tenn.
pie. And hel OF what childish, unsta-
BILE stuff those two old men must be
made. Only she was firm, consistent,
right
She stopped and carefully gathered
the black shavings from the matted
boor Such tiny little house! Every
particle Of litter showed SO conspicuous.
~. She hung the velvet skullcap that
the governor had impetuously removed.
from her fathers head with his own
hands ON the back Of the chair. She
was glad they had come for him, glad
he was going to have pleasant, work
free day among the Strongs and the
Chamblisses.
With what gusto her father and the
governor would tell their war stories.
Already their war experiences were be-
ginning to be staple yarns for company
entertainment And Randal-he, too,
would have something to contribute.
And Liza WAS 80 proud Of him, so in
ordinately, foolishly fond Of her hus-
band who had fought on the losing
side. She alone would not be there She
must have got q grain OF sawdust In
her eye when she was putting the scroll
saw away for the day, for when the
governor stalked back into the little
room she was rubbing her eyes vigor.
ously with her pocket handkerchief.
MARY Colyer, come here
The governor must have mistaken
that one small, trembling young woman
for q whole regiment Of evildoers, his
voice and his face were 30 solemnly sc.
we're.
She came and sat down by him on the
hard carpet recliner which constituted
the most luxurious article Of furniture
In the cottage. He opened fire on her alb.
ruptly:
"Are you prepared to arrogate to
yourself all the virtue, good sense,
sound patriotism, consistency and JUS
tioe that ought by rights to be divided
among all the white adults Of this en-.
tire sectionr'
Mamie looked at him with wide eyed
resentment:
"No, sir, you know I am not. I don't
nv W
such strange questions.
Are you prepared to say that You
have suffered one 1.-THE Of what every
woman with whom you were most init
mately associated during those four ter
rible years of the war suffered? Look at
my granddaughter In law. I bow my
head in reverence to her heroism. She
gave her only begotten son that her
country might be saved. She cast her
all upon that one die, and-lost But
she can forgive. Look at Eben Martins
widow, bereaved, her home shattered,
her heart almost rent In twain. She for
gives Look at that patient old hero
who has just hobbled from your pres
ence on his wooden pegs. He can afford
to forget and forgive. What have you
lost? Come let us have it out honestly
for once. What have you lost besides
your temper? And I'm here to give You
first class opportunity to lose that
afresh.
She turned on him fiercely.
"Is 1t nothing, then, to be traitor,
to lift ones hand against ones own
father and brother, to be false to every
tradition of ones YOUTH"
She was trembling with impotent
rage. If this had been younger man,
she could have ordered him from her
presence. AS it was she must bear in
mind that this arrogant old man, with
his barbed questions that ranked i'll her
memory like so many sharp arrows,
WAS the man who had stood by her ia.
ther In the hour of his peril, was the
man Of all others TO whom she owed
her deepest debt Of gratitude.
The governor smiled upon her indul-
gently. How inexpressibly young and
insignificant that smile made her feel.
my dear, ours was family quarrel;
remember that Z. is easily possible for
brothers to take opposite sides in do
mestic dispute and yet finally come to-
gether again in full and unalloyed har-
mony. I do not say that I have done
this yet-not quite-but Tor an outsider
that would have been forever impossi-
ble."
"Imarvel at you. marvel to hear
Pardon the rudeness of an Interrupt
ton, my dear, but we are not getting
down to the solid business Of the hour
as rapidly as I could wish. You marvel
to hear me talk SO leniently Of the trag-
ic episode in which was pronounced
sufferer.
Bear in mind that / was not origi-
nally secessionist. Seven years ago I
went into the army because lot Of hot
blooded fools had carried me along with
my state out of the Union. There was
no rebellion In my soul then. Three
years ago I came back to my ruined
plantation, SCARED, heartsick, defeated,
shattered in health and in fortune, with
the black horror Of reconstruction star
ing me in the face. 1t was then that I
became rebel at heart You remember
the affair that first brought me into per-
sonal contact with our then provost
marshal?'
"Yes"
A shudder passed through the slight
form by his SIDE The old man felt It's
vibrations through the small, cold hand
he had taken oaressingly between his
own.
"Goodi perceive that you are not
that occasion, offered his life to wipe