The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-14

been decidedly humorous, and the sero-
comic glance which the young man
gave his clothes brought an answering
smile to his sweetheart's face.
NONSENSE" exclaimed the girl; eff
you were woman you would see that
am quite as far from the mode"
l-ayburn gazed upon her apple -blos-
som race with it's dimple and her soft
gray eyes, and noted nothing else save
that her gown was of a neutral tint
and fitted her slender figure.
L don't know anything about the
mode replied the man, with admira-
ton In his glance; Il only know that
you are ten times prettier than ever
you were. But as for me, Mary, my
clothing is most appropriate; 1 am a
pauper, or very near it. 1 have come
nome to find the plantation destitute
of mules and supplies, and my mother
almost lacking the necessities of life.
And 1 have but five dollars between
heaven and earth"
Then the young man gave a detailed
account of old Ben's scheme for re-
endorsement and of his own despair
at being unable to obtain the necessary
capital to carry it out To all of which
= ".
Meantime her woman's shrewdness had
discovered the keenest pang. which
Layburn had forborne to mention, in
the fact that his poverty forbade him.
after four years of war and waiting,
to ask her to set the day of their we'd
ding.
With the facile tact of loving wo-
man she endeavored to cheer Layburn
by changing the theme of conversation,
and telling him some of the hardships
endured by herself and mother, and
giving them in the relation so humor-
Gus setting that the man almost
unconsciously came to regard his own
troubles from a more hopeful point
of view. Finally, when she had brought
brighter look to his face, she eX-
claimed:
Did you know, Alfred, that while
you We're fighting Yankees at the front,
my mother and were nursing one at
home?"
Indeed, MOI" replied Layburn, much
interested.
Il wrote you of it in my last letter
which you failed to receive. One of the
Federal prisoners here was very i'll
with typhoid fever, and the surgeon
said he would die if he were not moved
to a more airy room and given better
care. My mother heard of it and had
him brought here"
Did he recover?"
eyes. He began to improve almost
Immediately and in q few weeks was
quite recovered. You see he had passed
the crisis of the disease and was dying
merely from the lack of favorable con-
ditions-proper food, care and all that
kind of thing. He was captain and
really a fine fellow. l did not believe
a Yankee could be so nice. Mother be-
came quite attached to him, and he
was the most grateful being I ever saw.
He said we had saved his life. You
should have been here the day he went
away. 1t was pathetic--the parting. l
truly believe he was sorry to leave"
1--WE not doubt of it," said Layburn
little uneasily.
Pretending not to note the slight
change in the mans voice the young
girl continued:
But listen; I haven't told you all.
The strangest thing is to come, and
it reminds me of Il novel. Captain
Adams-thats his name-has returned.
Federal garrison, and since he came back
he is constantly attempting to do
mother some kindness. He insists upon
supplying her with groceries from the
barracks at cost. He would like to make
her present of them, but he knows
she would not accept them"
Does he come to CALI" asked Ley
burn, little glumly.
Sometimes.
With strong effort Laybuurn strove
to strange the demon that rose for
a moment in his heart. 1t was not be-
cause Adams was a Northern soldier,
that he was tempted to hate him. He
felt sure that the fellow had fallen in
love with Mary. How could he spend
ten days in the house with her and help
it? But why should he fret? If Mary
We're not little bit to blanche hoped
she was not-the affair was merely one
of the accidental occurrences of life.
And so, after little more chat, he took
his leave and resumed his way to town.
On arriving at the principal street
of the village, Leyburn fell in with
Jack Meriweather. Meriweather was
kindred spirit Like Layburn,
he had just returned from the
army, and his finances were,
if possible, in a more desperate con-
dition. The two men met for the first
time after a separation of four years,
for while Layburr had been serving
under Lee in Virginia Meriwea Their had
been fighting along the Mississippi
"By George Layburn," said Meri-
weather, after few minutes CONVEX
sation, gazing at his friends rusty
black suit, then looking at his own
shabby clothes of the same color,
your appearance and mine remind me
of two old black crows"
"Scarecrows, you mean" amended
John Palmer, an old planter, joining
the two men with a laugh. IT want to
hire you two chaps to stand in my corn
field and Brighten the BIRDS
Better not make any rash propo-
sitions, Mr. Palmer said Layburn,
for Jack and / are quite as needy as
we look and are ready for contract
of any description
Eyes; it isn't safe to bluff us. What
did Burns say of honest poverty?'
Whatever it was we endorse it. 1 am
do chores, or anything. Aren't you,
Alf?"
DECENTRALIZATION I've put on my
second best suit laughed Layburn.
Nov, boys, do you know that's just
what ! reckoned-that you'd be short