Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-09-28
THE RETURN
OF ULYSSES.

OOEI IL DlNNO Mhhou laPlNIJ
III away. Excitement Redeemed his
cheeks. His eyes glittered. Gradu-
ally the mood worked of, his steps
slackened, and he sighed hard from
time to time.
He and his Anne had married too
young. He acknowledged the wrong
to his wife, and when earning good
wages across the sea sent money home
| 10 her. But his letter came back
through the dead letter Office. He
walked along the winding lane, not
needing bis way. He never thought OF
Anne as an old woman, nearly as cid
as hims of. He could see her in his
minds eye a. she appeared in their
counting days. A prettier lass there
had not been in the whole country side.
Fleet as a deer, timid as fawD, with
soft blue eyes, and such pretty fluffy
hair. Sweethearts bad plagued her
enough, but she fouttd them all for
Joe's sake
Then how pretty she bad looked when
her baby came. He had taken off his
boots and crept in on tiptoe to see them.
She was lying back on her pillow, her
arm around little bundle OF clothes.
Her face was white, but lighted with
such beautiful smile, he could think
of nothing but a picture he had once
seen of the Mother Navy and the Holy
Child. The peeyish moods, the fretful
baby were all later developments, and
he had not been patient. God forgive
him the girl was only 20 when he left
herr What foGa he had beenl
The night advanced. One by one
the stars came out and the glow-worms
shone in the grass below the hawthorn
hedge. All nature seemed nearer to
the heart of God. The old man felt
himself drawn INTO the mystery of that
magic stiffness. A. soft, an overwhelm-
ing sense Of something he had missed
through all his life took possession of
him. He lifted his white, lined face to
the starlit sky Of the summer night.
"Our Father" he whispered, "Our
Father which art in heaven, so help me
I will find her and do my duty by her
till die" He went on talking to him
self under his breath for a few minutes,
then he gripped his stick, squared his
shoulders like an old soldier, and
marched steadily ahead into the dark
ness.
A few days later Lucy Haws set out
to pay another visit to her uncle. She
walked slowly as she approached tiny
cottage standing back from the lane
behind briar hedge. The diamond
paned easements were bare, the door
nailed up, the garden gate broken on
its hinges. An air of neglect and desc
latiOn pervaded the little dwelling
place. Peering over the hedge with
keen curiosity was a man, whom Lucy
at first glance took for tramp.
She could have vowed he was crying
when she first looked at bis side face,
but when he turned at her approach
there was such eagerness and hope in
his whole mein that she thought she
was mistaken.
Can you tell me who lived here,
miss?" ho asked, touching his hat po-
litely.
eyes, certainly" said the girl; cold
Widow Jones Poor thing, she's in the
Union now, and there's none to look
after her bit of garden. It's in a bad |
state. She'd fret awful to see it,"
at is maybe the Widow Jones that |
was once known rs Anne Binns?" he
asked, after a quick look over thehedge |
at the bit of garden.
Eyes, but that was years age, before |
was born; but folks have been talking |
great deal about her lately"
Again the man stared over the>hedge.