Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1902-05-30
And-and to-day 4


twitched again, and the major took off
his broad-brimmed hat with the most
stately courtesy.
Tell me, Miss Dorothy; did you
come here to" he could not finish.
and she answered the unspolsen ques-
tion.
Not purposely," she said. 81 had
been gathering wild flowers, and L
came here quite by accident. didn't
know there was any one buried here"
The major cleared his throat and
came around to stand beside her.
"We buried them just where they
fell; it seemed most proper and fit
ting. They were on the picket line, and
the order to fall back never reached
them"
"Did you-did you know any of
them?" she faltered.
The erect figure of the old soldier
unbent at the question, and the major
choked again.
"They were all old neighbors Of
mine," he repoined; "and this boy-this
Capt. Robert Percy Gordon-was my
sisters son and my name-child."
She started back at the word, and
the miserable boundary wrangle came
to its own again.
Then this is your land! these are
your-please forgive me, Maj. Loudon;
1 didn't knowi"
The stately old man put on his hat
with q bow that Lord Chesterfield
might have envied. "It's getting right
late, Miss Dorothy. Will you permit
me to see you safe to your fathers
house?"
He tucked her arm under his own,
and they went, not by the road, but up
through the orchard and past the
great house. AT the side door which
opened out of the library the major
excused himself, and when he came out
a moment afterward he was buttoniny
his coat.
Five minutes later they were cross.
ing the road in front of the farmhouse.
and the majors hand was on the gate
latch when Dorothy's father drove up
in the sulley. Notwithstanding all
that had befallen she expected an out
burst of bitter words on one side or
both, and caught her breath nervously.
But there was no need.
Good evening, Neighbor Hart
wood" said the major, genially. "I
just found your little gyerl here. pro-
Jecting around in my old field, and I
took the liberty, sab, of seeing her safe
at home"
John HARDWOOD was a man of few
words, but he climbed down from the
sulky and made the proper acknowl-
edgment of thanks.
And while I'm here" the major
went on, there's little matter Of
justice that I'd like to set right. A
good many years ago, when I sold Off
this place to old jeff Anderson, there
was a deferred payment which was
never made. Instead of taking mort
gage merely withheld the deed; and
when old jeff died the matter was lost
sight of-lost sight of completely. sab,
till the other day when happened to
run across the deed among some old
papers. 1t has just occurred to me,
sab, that you need this deed to mako
John HARDWOOD took the deed, and
while he was trying to find words in
which to clothe tumult of self-re-
proachful thoughts the major began
again.
"And about that contemplate little
boundary matter, two or three feet,
more or less, shouldn't be allowed to
come betwixt good neighbors. Let
your fence stand right where it Is,
sah."
Whereat John HARDWOOD found
speech at last. "No," he said, firmly.
II was all wrong in that, major-all
wrong from the beginning, and hope
you will find it in your heart to forgive
me. l examined the survey again to-
day, and it's just the other way
around; I'm on your land foot and
eight inches and"
The interruption was the upcoming
of old Uncle Peter, spade on shoulder.
''Evenin', Miss Dor'thy; evenin',
Marse Ha'twood; evenin', Marse Rob-
but. Idone dig all dem postes-holes-"
The major broke in with an explo-
sion:
"Why, you white-headed old scoun-
drel!-go back thah and fill up those
holes before skin you alive, sahl
Appears to me you're getting mighty
childish in your old age-it does, for .
fact!"
Dorothy slipped away in the midst
of the explosion, and few minutes
later she had stripped her cherished
"La Neige" of its wealth of snow-white
blooms, and was fitting through the
old orchard with her arms laden with
the fragrant burden. The twilight was
mellowing into night when she reached
the graves in the old rifle pit, but there
was light enough to serve her purpose.
When she had added her thank-offer-
ing of roses to the wreathes of azaleas
she had put there before, she stood be-
side the grave of the young captain.
"Good-night," she said, softly. ION