Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-07-14
His Pleasant IlteTIude.
A Wartime Tale.

He rode up to the entrance Of the
house, and, STOPPING forward, raped
smartly at the door with the hilt of
his sword. Then he settled himself
in the saddle, whistled and looked
around at the detail, blue-coated men
Of the Federal cavalry, sitting stolidly
behind him.
He waited few moments, and then
dismounted, whistling still, his blue
eyes smiling and dancing as though
thirty miles over rough country, and
coming on the heels Of a harassing
march, were but mere bagatelle.
Again he knocked, loudly, insistently.
The corporal moved heavily in his hot
saddle, and moistened his lips with his
tongue.
In answer to the knocking the still
brooding house suddenly became alive
with stealthy footsteps and secretive
sounds, cautious movements and dis
Greet murmurings. The lieutenant set
tied his hat more jauntily and looked
at his dusty boots and ragged uniform
with mournful air. Presently light
footsteps came down the unseen stairs,
heavy door.
who is there?" The voice was so
clear and sweet that the lieutenant for
got his boots and smiled again, and
even the corporal paused in the act of
Ticking a fly from the neck of his
horse
A detail Of the United States caval-
ry. We want rest and shelter" The
lieutenant might have had hopes Of
something infinitely more pleasant
shan these common necessaries, for
his voice was mellowed with a grateful
Difference.
II am quite alone with my aunt"
said the voice. "Shall we be safe in
opening to you?"
Madame" answered the lieutenant
swelling in his blue tunic, eve are SOL
diers but we are men,
The door was ti1ibafred and thrown
open. The lieutenant swept his cap
from his head and bowed. He bowed
with exaggerated homage, for the voice
was possessed by a young girl every
whit as sweet as it's cadence.
Il will not say you are welcome"
she said, "for you do not wear the uni
form which opens our hearts" She
spoke sadly, for the war had been ter
rible in it's results for her and her
friends. Everywhere the blue uniform
was swarming over the Southern
homesteads, into the Southern homes
He shrugged his shoulders.
Zone must wear one uniform or an
other" he answered. 81 was born in
the North. The matter is mere &C
cident. 1t may have been unfortunate
for me-
II think not she replied, looking
gravely at him, thinking of the sacri-
fees made and making.
II am by no means sure" he smiled,
thinking of other matters.
In another minute he went off, his
cap thrust back, whistling a happy
waltz refrain, to see to the housing of
horses and men-horses coming first
in his estimation, as befitted a caval-
ryman. Davis, the corporal, and the
six other men of the detail swore hard
ly as they loosened girths in the dis
used stables, but the lieutenant went
on whistling.
In the evening he sat with the girl
and her aunt in the broad, cool dining
room, smoking. He could have dis
pensed with the aunt, but, after all.
she was silent, and knitted. Marjorie
he had discovered that her name was
Marjorie, with a pleased sense of it's
preparedness not silent and
she did not knit. She sat by the low
open window and talked.
He was very candid about his move
ments, boyish and flippant. The war
had left him entirely without personal
animosity against anyone.
"Why did you become soldier?''
Marjorie questioned, wonderingly, for
her hatred OF the Northerners was as
the hatred of her kindred-very deep
and very bitter
"Oh, I don't know. Any fellow would
in my position 1 was a lawyer. I
hated law. The war promised excite
ment and adventure There you are
4'And you like it?" She looked at
him narrowly. That this hateful war
shoald be agreeable was phase she
had not yet studied.
yes. Why not? 1t gives movement
love. movement 1t gives adventure.
adore adventure. 1t gives excitement.
I worship excitement. No one can en-
Joy the perfection of living without
the zest of an apparent chance OF the
other thing"
Life and death, right and wrong,
are mere matters Of amusement to
your"
Should they be anything else? am