Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-07-28

4
times they were at the vicarage!
"NIignon was an only child; her ia
thcr, our coach, Ralph's and mine.
What merry little tea parties we had
just we four. the scent of mignOnctte
everywhere. The garden. the windows
and the rooms of the old house We're
full of it-mignoncttc. all mignonettc!"
My glance wandered to the flowers
blooming at my feet as tried to pic
ture the little scene put before me.
"And Ralph loved Mignon as well
as l." he pursued, though neither of
us knew the others secret. Well.
those happy days came to an end.
Young Stanley left us to study for the
army. while | remained to stagnate in
my fathers office in town.
"Iow | cnvied Ralph's luck. Not
that grudgcd him any good thing, but
my lot in life did seem hard in com
parisOn to his. AS the time passed my
reStlCSSncSS and discomfort increased.
Despite my attachment to Mi%non, my
humdrrm, mOnOtonouS existence was
so hateful to me. So. when the war
! broke out and Ralph was ordered
]
in the ranks of the same regiment.
/ Here was an opportunity not e be lost
/ of leading more glorious life % fight
! for my country. my people and for
the love of old England
GLOW | dreamed of the home coming
after the work was done, Death had
no place in my mind. How | antic-
patpd the meeting with Mi@n0n with
the love light that poor fool-ima%-
incd she felt for me shining in her soft
blue eyes. though | would pour ont
my heart and tell her had come back
to claim her, never to part any more.
All, if ! had but known"
He smiled again in his melancholy
way and continued:
"YeS. if | had only known that she
cared for Ralph | should have been
spared many hcartachr in after
years"
The old soldier gazcd abStractcdly at
his mignonctte and doubtless lived
over again that memorable campaign,
while | wondered if the cross on his
breast had anything to do with his
history. He answered my glance.
81 am coming to that now. lady. One
bitter November night. or rather morn
ing. we aWOkc to find the enemy bear
ing down on us in overwhelming num-
bers before our camp was aStir. The
men. however, soon reused and fought
shoulder to shoulder amid the roar and
din of cannon, which maddcnrd alike
men and beast. After awhile became
conscious only cf one thing-a figure
few yards ahead of me fighting for
dear life. can see the look on his
face now. 1t was tranSfi%urcd, shin
ing with dauntlcSS courage that
Uuailed not before the onslaught Of
the Russians. | believe. at that mo-
mcnt, Ralph lived in every fiber of his
being He %loried in tight-no one
more He was surrounded and cut OIL
from the rest of us by six or seven OF
the enemy double his size. suddenly
he staggered and fell. Then | founG
myself struggling and crushing through
countless forms and brandishing Stec
until | reached the stricken figure
There he lay. so white and still. with
. his brave young face upturncd to the
lcadcn sky. My arms went inStinctive-
ly round him. and as turned and
faced the lot of thcm-pcrhapS it was
fancy-but change seemed to come
into their eager, glittering eyes as they
involuntarily fell back Il pace or two.
1t was only for Il moment They again
pressed forward. and no doubt the
pair of lis would have been quickly cut
into minccmcat but for an unexpected
diversion created juSt then by the ar
rival of the Enniskillcn Dragons. With
their aid the russians were completely
routed, and in the confusion of their
retreat and flight | managed to carry
Ralph safely back to camp
"And you escaped unwOunded"
"NO, unluckily. lady, | received some
very bad cuts on my head and back.
which brought about my discharge
from the army as being unfit for active
service. When | had somewhat recOv-
cred, Ralph told me that Mignon had
promised to become his wife. and six
months later they were married"
Did Mignon ever know that you car
ed for herr" asked rather huskily.
"Yes; many years after, when they
came to see me here. | think, as they
carried away some of my mignonette,
they both guessed il for the first time"
\ bell near by changed out the tea
hour as he finished speaking. so. with
a close clasp of the hand, my old man
and | partcd.-ChicagO Herald.
The Soldier and Ohcdience