Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-05-30
A STORY FOR DECORATION DAY.

landscape that spread from the little
home near the river. sat in silence till
the shadows seemed to 1engthen and
the arrows of the dying day fell no
longer on the sWard.
AS she folded the strange nissive,
which had come to her from the south,
she looked up at portrait hanging on
the wall, portrait which on the
morrow would again wear a wreath
which her fair hands would fashion,
and for a moment something glis-
tened, pear-like, in her blue eyes.
The last sounds of the final battle
had died away few years previous,
and the scars of war, while they still
remained unhealed, were fast vanish
ing beneath the reunited love of a
great people.
Not far from the young ghls home
the armies had pressed the grass and
the roar of conflict had shaken the
stately hills. She had gone often to
the little ford where she knew her
father had fought; she had stood there
seeing, vision-like, the long lines of
blue as they strove to hold the ford
against the gray, only to be beaten
back and vanquished. From that day
no tidings had come from her soldier
parent. Missing" had been written
opposite his name and though missing
| on the rolls, he was ever present to
her in a hopeful daughters memory,
And now this strange letter had
come like bird from southland a
letter written in an unfamiliar hand,
and of itself mystery.
Again and again she had read:
Dear Miss Parker: have in my
possession a sword which l picked up
on the battlefield after the brave de-
Tense Of Gordon's Ford. The hilt of
the weapon bears the name OF Capt.
John Parker, company A, til o. V. ].
|. l remember burying an officer after
the fight, and everything indicates
that the sword belongs to him. For
some time have been trying to trace
his family, but without avail, till
lately, and | am now confident that
have discovered a portion of it, at
| least, in you. Strange to say, find
| that you have moved to the vicinity
of the fight at the ford, and, as We
| buried some. Of our brave enemies
| near the battlefield, I am confident
that | can find the exact spot. The
war has not been over long, but we
are fast becoming, under God, a re-
| united people; and, if you will permit,
l will return the sword which | be-
lieve was bravely worn by your father,
and | ask you to meet me at ten
| o'clock on the 30th at the ford and by
the big rock, if it still remains there
With the greatest respect,
Orville Lane, Late G. S. A.
Bert had shown the letter to her
invalid mother, who had read it with
tears and in grateful silence.
eff we could but find his grave so
that we could strew it with flowers, -
said the widow, II would be ready to
depart in peace"
HE says he can locate it, mother.
At any rate, we can crown papa's
sword and that would be a relief"
Eyes, yes. You will go down to the
ford tomorrow, child?"
81 will be there"
The girl went to the window and
looked at the dying sun. 1t was gild-
ing the pines of Virginia with it's last
light mournful good-by to the day.
I'm going out, mother" she said,
glancing at the thin figure in the
roller chair across the room. CPL
be back soon."
In another moment the young girl
had quilted the house and was on her
way toward the river The ford was a
favorite spot to her; it was redolent
with memories too sacred to express
for she had believed that there her
father had fought his last battle, and
now the letter from the south had con
firmed it.
The ripples of the river laughed, as
it seemed, on their way to the distant
sea, and a night bird was singing its
last song among the pines that LINED
the bank Bert stopped beside the
large rock mentioned in the south
erner's letter and leaned gently
against it. She looked down the
woody aisles, soon to be crowned with
darkness, and suddenly started.
The outlines Of figure seemed
moving among the pines. Bert leaned
eagerly forward and watched the ap
partition as it appeared to stoop nov
and then at the foot of the hoary tres
and inspect the ground. More thar
once there had come to her storie
about the victims of the battle at tn
ford haunting the scene of their las
conflict; but the girl, who was no
superstitious, had not been frightened
by them.
With a courage Inherited from he
soldier parent she moved toward tn
figure in the forest, but all at once L
vanished nor again rewarded he
eager and breathless watchfulness.
To her mother the girl said nothin
about the apparition among the trees
and that night she saw it again in he
dreams, as, standing by the big rocl
she had watched it in the last CLEAN
of day
Bright and beautiful broke the daw
Of Memorial day
Early Bert led her mother to tn
portrait on the wall and steadied he
feeble arms as she crowned with
wreath the manly picture of he
beloved. The sun came in at the vii
dow and, falling on the soldier
countenance, seemed to crown it wit
. halo of matchless splendor an
u grace.
''You will not forget the hou
child?" said Mrs. Parker. You wi
be punctual. The big rock at the for