Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-05-30

against IT, She looked down the
woody aisles, soon TO be crowned with
darkness, and suddenly started.
The outlines of a figure seemed
moving among the pines. Bert leaned
eagerly forward and watched the ap-
partition as it appeared to stoop now
and then at the foot of the hoary trees
and inspect the ground. More than
once there had come to her stories
about the victims of the battle at the
ford haunting the scene of their last
conflict; but the girl, who was not
superstitious, had not been frightened
by them.
With courage inherited from her
soldier parent she moved toward the
figure in the forest, but all at once 1t
vanished, nor again rewarded her
eager and breathless watchfulness.
To her mother the girl said nothing
about the apparition among the trees.
and that night she saw it again in her
dreams, as, standing by the big rock,
she had watched it in the last CLEANS
of day.
Bright and beautiful broke the dawn
of Memorial day.
Early Bert led her mother to the
portrait on the wall and steadied her
feeble arms as she crowned with a
! wreath the manly picture of her
beloved. The sun came in at the win
dow and, falling on the soldiers
countenance, seemed to crown it with
q halo of matchless splendor and
grace.
''You will not forget the hour,
child?" said Mrs Parker. You will
be punctual. The big rock at the ford,
he said, did he not?'
cat the big stone at ten was the
reply, as the young maiden turned
from the window with q smile. 81
wonder how he came to ferret us out
and why the enemy should care to
return papa's sword?"
ut is peace now, you must remem.
Der. The grass is growing in the
cannon rust and the daisies hide the
scars of battle"
1t was almost ten when Bert, simply
but amply dressed for the occasion,
kissed the occupant of the chair and
betooh herself to the ford. From faI
away came sounds of music, and she
knew that in the nearest town they
were gathering for the sacred and
patriotic services of the day.
In short time the fair girl stood
beside the famous stone. Around her
all was still, and the river ran beneath
the pines singing, as it seemed to her.
a dirge for the brave of the land.
''He does not come, and | know not
in which direction to look for him."
thought Bert, as she swept the land
scape. HE might have come to Shirley
and got some one to drive him over;
or he may alight at Luray Station and,
as he has been a soldier, tramp it TO
the ford"
AS no one came, Bert fell to gather
ing the flowers that peeped in pro-
fusion above the sod, and then, seating
herself on a messy stone, she twined
! as fair wreath as ever decked a
SOldler grave.
1t must be past the hour. Could it
| be that the letter had been written to
| deceive her, that some one, needless
! Of the wounds such a missive would
make, had indicted it to make hearts
bleed afresh? She would not believe
/ it, and instantly put the unworthy
thought ASIDE.
Orville Lane was not that sort Of
| person. True, she had never seen
him; he had been her fathers foe;
they had met in battle, and the con-
federate had conquered. Why his
letter, If he wanted to wiring anew the
hearts of a soldiers family?
When Bert looked up after finishing
the wreath, she caught sight of a
figure where she had seen the one the
night previous. Moving among the
pines a short distance away was a
man who seemed to be looking for a
certain spot.
Bert unconsciously drew back and
watched him.
She could see whenever he straight
ened up that he had the bearing of a
soldier and that he was still young,
as If he had entered the army when
but mere boy.
She saw him lean eagerly toward a
tree and fix his eyes on a certain spor
in the bark.
For several minutes he stood thus.
running his hands over the surface, as
If confirming by this means the
evidence Of sight. When he straight
ened again he turned his face squarely
toward the ford.
Bert saw that he carried in his hand
something wrapped in dark fabric
and 1t seemed to her that he carried il
reverently, as hero would carry q
furled and sacred banner.
The soldiers child met the stranger
face to face as he rounded the biz
rock, and the next moment, with
dotted hat. he was bowling to her