The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-12-26

brond flake settled upon his upturncd
face. 1t was followed by another, and
then many more. and In five minutes
they were falling down upon the camp
like a great white veil. The ground was
soon covered, and the flakes continued
to come down until the snow lay seVerai
inches deep. But it ceased by and by,
ond n clear silver moon shone In the
cold. pale heavens. 1t was very beau
tifuI TO Mason, who had i'll his soul lit
tie of the poetry Of his native hills. This
was the grace of Cod after month OF
battle. He sat in the lee Of tent and
looked at tho white cXpanse Of the earth
and the di.n line Of the horizon.
The content of the soldiers did not de-
crease 1t was Il we'll sheltered and we'll
proviSioncd army, and this was what
they wished. The solcmnity which they
had felt at first began to wear away, and
t:rir spirits rose. The camp was filed
with jest and laughter. Bright flames.
nickrring over the SNOW, shot up from
hundred fires, and beside each some good
story was told. The camp was luminous
with light and good feeling.
\ clear voice was upliftcd presently,
and some one began to sing. 1t was
song Of Christmas:
."rhc shepherds went their hasty way
And found tho lowy stable shed
Where the Virgin mother lay;
And now they checked their eager tread,
For to the babe that at her bosom clung
mothers song the Virgin sung"
1t was Il trained voice that sang, and
presently others joined. The pure strain
rose over the hushcd camp, and the
scntincls. walking back and forth In tho
snow, trod softly. Moro hymns followed,
all that the soldiers knew, and then
they sang the same over again. Mason
listened for long time, but by and by
he arose and walked toward the outer
edge OF the camp.
Good fellow, Mason" said Settle, fol-
| lowing the Krntucllian with his eyes,
"but, like all the KrntuckianS OF the
| hills, he's a powder flash when you
| touch him on sore spot. Id rather
have any man than Dan Mason hEntin"
me with his gun"
II amt got anything; hut rn''" +
| like him." said Jol.n,i"n. Il &C.. :.
how he took ne of thr Gr!I "i -.
| when | had that bullet i..r,."::n l..
and couldn't walk. Iii N :'rs.' IL
| the bullets u"y ln".r tina" Ia """.
! hailstoncS."
| "IIc's tha, way to his frirn,:'.' re.
| sumcd Settle. who had grown ta!kniire,
"hut it's just as tell yon He don
| love his enemies AMI l don Know
| whether IL man ought to, either. Ever
| hear about the quarrel between him and
| Tom Markham over a girl just before
the war came on? Markham lived close
by, and it was hot between 'cm. They
say Markham wasn't fair-playcd some
| low down trick--I don't know exactly
what it was. for the war began lust rs &thfiffHe &thfiffHe
| Markham joined the other side"
| The others bent their heads nearer,
| eager to listen to a good story, while
Settle proceeded with further details.
| Mason continued his walk meanwhile
to the farthcst edge Of the camp. Ills
| mind had gone back to the Same story
that Settle was telling. Flo was think
ing Of Markham and of tho girl over
whom they had Quarrclcd. The hot
blood lcnpcd to his head, and, clinching
his first. he shook it In tho darkness: Hnd
Johnston seen him then he would have
felt the truth of Settles words that
| Mason was not man who loved his
| enemies"
In truth, 1t was never part OF Ma
| sons code to love his enemies. 1t had
| been taught to him in his native noun
| tans to exact an eye for an eye and
| tooth for a tooth. Even now, as he
thought Of Markham and the great wrong
: he had suffered from him. no longed
timo when the war would end
Iht SGck<hiS revenge. he poTe
tcward che soldiers on the
.epc this particular one
fought the others from
and. tho war over, he
riends with them. But
forgiveness for Mark
clinched his hand and
.arkness. His sense Of
nim was as keen as ever
cessant campaigning had
t, and when the excite
n Of each great battle
md that tho memory OF
ok to him as strong as
the northern rim Of
ltinel who walked the
triend Of his and nod
passed. The moon
clearer than ever In
and Mason, looking
saw it brilliant with
and sweet still came
mn:
their hasty way
iy stable shed
ther lay"
ed suddenly as a
rang loudly In
topped quito still.
ID abruptly from
I'd toward an
How but wide
ich the camp
.'of brushes
lg cover
y arked the
what
il annoying
y vere not
q that Mt
} much