The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-08

appeared In the commandant's office, seeking information regarding the de- parted soldier. She was not relative. Neither was she a friend-at least she him in his youth. She had seen him march away to the war. She had not seen him since.
 The official questioned her guardedly, and learned largely by inference, from lover, but that his idea of loyalty had not been her idea of loyalty. They had lived in the borderland between the North and the South. Her father and her brother and another man had gone out to battle for the South, while this man had remained faithful to the old flag. She had given him to understand plainly that he must choose between the flag and her And he had chosen with mad dening promptness.
 The other man had returned from the war. and she had married him. He was sadly crippled and her pity went out to him, incorporating as love That was years ago. Her life had not been an unhappy one, she said. although the drawn face, the lack-luster eyes, the stooplng shoulders ana the dragging strength and of devotion forced beyond the promptings of her spirit. Her hus- band was dead. He had been buried but three days ago. Her only son also was dead. and her sons wife and she were not in sympathy. The child she held by inc hand was her grandchild, her one comfort She had come to see the eol- dier who had been faithful to the flag of victory She had known where he was throughout all the years. She had saved a litte money-enouBh, If eked out by A small pension, to carry. two people of sixty to the end or their nVes would he official be so kind as to call the sol- otTI Tho official cleared his threat vigor- ously and scowled. He always scowled when he had painful duty 10 perform: form wears ago intact in her bosom, was so nitiful a spectacle under the circun- stances that his courage was hardly equal to telling the truth. But ne was not a man t3 shirk duty. ,,,
 'Mv dear madam" he said, I regret to Inform you that your friend is dead. cba seemed not to understand at f1rst; but gradually the import or the state | ment Was-borBe in upon her, ana sne ,moaned hopelessl1g trembling as the !eaf l oF autumn trembles in the north wind The official said nothing more. He was | waiting for her to speak.
 "Did2did he leave ,anythlng-anything l ,,,orl,ed for 'Sarah?' she asked at last
 Not anything" replied the official | And then, as gently as he might he | recounted the circumstances atIehulhS liie eue eo went alone" whispered the wo- roanN"sIone-O God! But you say he left n oioveq" Was it a brown glove, such l as women used 10 wear
 | The official nodded
 "i have the mate to the glove" she 1 o,,,,oi,nced calmly. the look of weariness aad despair coming again to her face. ...Tu ..Tt is sIoodstained and falling apart, but l ha,.e preserved it because something | h.raaNrIaning her hand upon her breast l atto1d me that the other would be found | ,..o +irnc and l would know the truth. | SO7 Hnd know the truth now"
 | NtsI 5t -aiaed her eyes. and for an instant bar lins moved silently.
 ne. .iR Rbueband brought it with him when
 M! +irned wounded. from Shiloh. A 1 Ht H soidier whose name ne would
 Ciior CLion tcIi me had stood between him
 n .S death there lighting hard against
 %is own people that-the rebels wife
 IInirbt"not Ir,n be deprived of her husband. iTbe oIoyes were mine. He reached out
 nS,, nT +Ie ranks and pulled them out of
 rom hand inc day he went away to join
 my S.'s i,TI' army. and I struck him in the
 II"ii' sitn ,.,ben he did it. One of them he
 Iace t sa,nch the flow of blood from
 use useu 'shond,s wound, and then stL fled
 my hus" n .ba nockrd of my husbands coat,
 where % | found if. The other he Kept-
 forty-years. .., of +ht. ,,,.,.,....
 She quite hr.ho doW3 a nt ldn, tnls gu. ].heture
 ana the .,r Vt.i ' .+i8 Hrcs." he sJi1. ard
 ''i'ie motNr: ic ,r'' virh. TcI may
 take his thing .bo o.,r,,..-..,.-..
 b'It of the meeting between the two wo-
 men only themselves N''o"'