Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1902-02-15

100000 - . . . . . . . 80 OOOOooea
Two grizzled Confederate veterans
rat in the corridor of Memphis hotel.
turning again the pages of that Book
# the Past, where soldiers love to lin
ger
Love and WARMLY not?" said
the captain; 1.-The two are indissolubly
welded There's something about a
soldiers life that makes love a neces-
sity Many a time and oft I've heard
NY general say that the men without
iweethearts or wives were easier to
whip and easier to kill than the fell
lows who were tethered to life by
good strong affection. Why, man alive,
I'VE heard the echo of Take Your Gun
and Co. john" so loud above the noise
sf shell and shrapnel that could have
worn it was the real thing. and
when 1 went into battle it was of her
thought, and of what she would sayt'
Who was she2 Where was she?''
,sked the comrade with a quizzical
smile
Who was she2 Why, she was vari-
aus. various persons. according to the
location of my command Once she
was dreamy Vicksburg aristocrat-
blue blood to her finger tips; then she
shifted and became The Merriest Girl
That's Out up in Maury county. Tenn.
After that, she somehow got to be
Virginia girl-but that's long tale
and goes deep"
THE deeper the better; fire away"
And the veteran settled himself con-
tentedly to listen.
well, you see," continued the cap
.ain. Eve had moved on to Petersburg
and were hoping-but what's the use
If saying anything about our hopes?"
skip 'em!" said the other with a
sigh that showed the kindred soul; "a
Confederate's hopes-in war, not love,
fOu Understandable things a fellow
must learn to forget. But when Cupid
vas afield. that's another matter. You
we're near Petersburg?"
Yes. but hang it ALL so were the
Yankees, and getting nearer every day.
Ne all felt that battle was immi-
tent; and were waiting to see just
THAT turn to take. We filed in the
lime of wait.ng-why should we nOt?-
by getting acquainted with some of
Firginia's fair daughters. Know any
thing about those Virginia women?"
md the captain paused as if the an
swer to this question gave the clue to
what was to follow.
MY wife's a Virginian," the other
answered succinctly
She is? Oh, we'll then. explana-
ions and application are unneces-
sary- You can easily understand that
srossing the Appomattox at night and
being shot at occasionally by Yankee
tickets was the jolliest sort of fun
when the smile of a pretty Virginia
girl was the reward
Only one2" asked the 'comrade. in
.redulously.
For me-oniy one, There were
others, sister and a lot of cousins.
You know how the woman folks con-
sregated in the big Southern homes in
those perilous days. But soon Miss
Gladys was, for me, the inevitable
She The others simply didn't exist
Col. Bascom. her father. was a wealthy
tobacco planter; and l don't need to
tell you just what sort of welcome we
ragged rebels got in those old homes
at that time. We were all comrades
80 the men and heroes to the women.
That accounts for the luck some of us
had"
"For instance" tentatively suggest
ed his friend.
Nov don't try to hurry a fellow
It's good to go over those days. and.
like rare old wine. one loves to sip it
ieisurely- But Miss Gladysi You
should have seen herr"
s.Skip it, interjected the other
i've travelled the road. and they all
look alike at that period. Angel? Yes,
that's all right Had you proposed ?''
mo, I hadn't. I was just in that
blissful borderland where anything so
tangible as a proposal seems sacrilege.
think must have meant to. If had
stopped to ask myself what I really
did mean. Well, matters were at this
blissful state; Col Bascom telling the
Ia HR