Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-06-28

passed the easement he looked up. : r
a moment his face was TRANSPORTED
with a great joy. He forgot that this
was the Fourth Of July; he forgot thai
he belonged to the Union City corret
band; he forgot everything but tAal
he had found her.
Tapping gently on the pane, he called
softly: Nurse Marie!"
She started violently; the sweet re-
pose fed in a twinkling and she looked
wildly around the room. Had the
dream been SO vivid that his very
voice became a part, or?
A movement outside the easement
drew her attention; she turned quickly
to look full into the splendid eyes"
once more. Was it an intensified vi
sion, or was it really he?
Nurse Marie!" he repeated, taking
off his cap and standing, a very
Apollo, before her in his natty uni
| form. The roses rushed to her cheek,
and, with little happy cry, she held
! out her hands to him.
Il am coming to you, Marie" he
said.
o She nodded a glad welcome; her
tongue could find no words in this glad
o hour, it was all so sudden.
, As he came into the parlor she flew
=, into his outstretched arms like home
bound dove. 81 have waited SO long"
r she said, dropping her head upon his
= breast with happy sigh.
$50 have t. he replied, kissing her
bright face tenderly again and again.
o Il did not know that l was near you,
o dearest, until last evening. Your
a father said that his daughter Marie
| was nurse in the Spanish-American
4 brush; and that she, too, was in and
r about Santiago. Somehow it seemed to
, me that Heaven came down through
> the dusks, and I prayed earnestly that
it might be you, my own Nurse Marie.
n And I have found you"
Then you know that l cared for
4 your" looking up in loving inquiry
! while he held her close to his satisfied
heart.
" yes, dearest; when you knelt by
q ne in that awful hour l felt above all
r the pain that our lives flowed together
= I have told mother about 1t many
times, and she always says tearfully:
n Find her, Heston, find her, can't
II your
+ Marie's face was like the sunshine
10 as she released herself and proudly
looked him over. Your wounds die
n not leave you a cripple she said 81
"a Was afraid they would"
y 20, yes" he answered. See! I linn
a little" And he took a turn abou
"a the room; but I have regained my
n health and am we'll and-so happy"
He was close beside her now, anC
q she said in hushed manner: "Thi:
ID day is the anniversary, dear, thu
- Fourth
" Il had forgotten everything bu
y you" he answered: then reverently
10 IL is SO different, but not more
r icyal." Then he turned and saluted thu
!. ear old flag as it fioated out on thu
~ summer air.
Father, mother" began Marie, a.
n lhey went out to breakfast, 'thi
,r young soldier whom you both fell il
al AOfO Will ldoS CfCutuS DSlOuSS W Luo
20 Sac put her arm through his con
n htIngly and hid her glowing face OF
his shoulder.
~ ''Wh-at?" exclaimed Mr.. Sweetland
ID dropping the programme of the day
n I'D coming around the corner of thu
table.
WHAT" echoed Mamma SweetlanG
~ after him, rising from behind the coffee
. urn. Marie, do explain."
~ After Marie had explained, they
- gradually recovered from their sur
- prise. And Mr.. Sweetland, who hat
- been thinking deeply, burst out with;
- -. H. Merrill: named after your
- father. Bless my old eyes! Why, my
- boy, l fought alongside your father
= under Snerman!"
But the surprise was reserved fol-
~ the countryside people, when the frs
IS cornet of the Union city band came
II into the grounds with Marie Sweetland
d. on his arm. Then everybody com
"a posed romance dating back to last
IS year at Santiago" but most of them
y were awfully "at sea-
When the Union City band started
e. Ter home that evening the first cornet
| did not go; he handed a note to the
IS second cornet for his mother instead.
And the note read in this wise:
Mother, dear, l am not coming home
u for week. | have found Nurse Marie:
!, anu she is royalty true to me! Three
cheers for the old flag, mother, and
the loyal girls of the blessed land of
d the tree!"
n