The Leon reporter., 1900-05-31

doubt that he was a deserter.
went out from the office with a sad
heart. l dreaded to meet her again.
When she did come I saw pleasant an
ticipation shining in her face before
word had been spoken.
1t was mistake, wasn't it?" she
asked, quickly.
I'm afraid not" replied. "The
record seems to be about as you told
me, and there is every reason to be-
lieve that it is correct 1t was cruel
to hurt her in that way, but it would
have been more cruel to deceive her.
When | had finished she sat for long
time very still, looking out from the
window into some vague distance.
Then she Strengthened herself up again
in her chair and spoke without the
least hesitation and without the slight
est tremor in her voice:
We'll, I'm obliged to you I'm very
grateful to you, indeed. But as for
Jim Hope, he's dead! And he died as
brave as any of them. l haven't any
thing to say against those that say he
deserted. They are just simply mis-
taken"
Then again fire came into her voice.
Jim Hope desert his country! Jim
Hope desert his wife! He might in
deed have deserted one of us for the
other. He was just wrapped up in
each of us. But to desert us both!
Never! Never! They don't know Jim
Hope, they that say that-they never
knew him!"
I'm going to live long enough to
show them they're mistaken! shall
find somebody who saw him die. l
shall find his grave God will help
me- shall prove to all the world that
Jim Hope was a hero"
tional Cemetery at Arlington. 1t was
Memorial day. was passing down the
walk from the main entrance toward
the Lee mansion when l came unex-
pectedly upon her. She was standing
alone, reading from one of the tablets
that line the walk, verse of O'Hara's
noble poem, "The Bivouac Of the Dead"
1--we read 'em ALL" she said, enthusi-
astically, after surprised greeting, "ev-
cry one of 'em. from the gate to here
think this one is very beautiful
Slowly and with impressive emphasis
she repeated the familiar lines:
| REST on, embalmed and sainted dead.
Dear as the blood ye gave,
| No impious footstep here shall tread
The herbage of your grave
But about your husband" I said;
have you found any record Of his
death or burial?'
She looked up at me wearily, and
could see that in the few weeks that
] interviewed since our last meeting she
had vfslDly faneo and failed.
No." she replied, sadly, mo; I've
goh to be almost afraid that it's hope
less task. I've been to all those gov
ernment cemeteries in the South. He
isn't in any of them, and they tell me
positively he isn't here"
She raised her eyes and looked visit
fully over the long rows of little mar
BILE headstones stretching away under
the green trees in endless perspective.
II was afrsid," l said, "that you
would find it a fruitless task. The gov
ernment records are usually correct"
Again there came into her face the
same look of faith. Of determination,
of persistence that l had seen in it on
the occasion Of her visit to me at rhe
capitol
II know" she said. softly 81 know it
doesn't look reasonable, but I'm salts
fled taat Jiris dead, and I'm just as
we'll satisfied that he died in the serv-
ice of his country Nobody can ever
make me believe any differently, and
some day. feel it in my soul-some
day l shall lay flowers on his grave.
Maybe today! Stranger things have
happened. See!" She held up a great
bunch of old-fashioned flowers. 81
thought I'd bring 'em along anyway;
one never knows, and 1 thought maybe
God would take pity on me today
today-and show me Jim's grave here"
After moment we started to walk
on toward the mansion. We came at
last to the massive stone that marks
the resting place of the bones of the
unknown dead. and .at her request
read for her the inscription, eloquent
in its simplicity and thrilling with pa
thos.
Beneath this stone repose the bones
Of two thousand one hundred and elev-
en- unknown soldiers, gathered, after
the war. from the fields of Bull Run
and the route to the Rappahannock
Their remains could not be identified,
but their names and deaths are re-
corded in the archives of their country,
and it's grateful citizens honor them
as of their noble army of martyrs. May
they rest in peace. September, A. D.
1866"
When had finished she looked up at
me with tears in her eyes and on her
cheeks.
Maybe Jim's there" she said, "un-
der that stone. Maybe they found his
body and couldn't tell his name. l
know he was at Bull Run and along
the Rappahannock He used to write
to me from there, and if anybody ever
belonged to the noble army of martyrs,
he did"
After moments pause, she contin-
ued, I'D rather he had grave of mis-
own. 1t would be more of a comfort
to me to lay flowers on it just for him:
but even this is better-oh! it's worlds
better than to have it true what's