Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1902-06-28


Grand Army. In one of the buggies, a
very shabby one, sat Rachel, driving
a colt whose fiery spirit chafed against
the foot'pace to which her firm, strong
hands on the reins compelled him, and
by her side. holding the furled post
flag, was her father, bent and with
cred little man.
81 see that copperhead Pendleton
and his boy were at the exercises he
observed to his daughter suddenly. Il
think it would look better if they
stayed away, but 1 guess the young
fellow wants to make himself solid
with the boys until after election.
What's the matter with you, Rachel?"
Nothing at all, father, DEAR" she
said family, unless l got up too early
this morning"
From the cold ashes of fratricidal
strife, of hatred, anger and all I'M
charita bleness to a glorious new birth
of love divine, new country, united
and undivided forever more,'" he
quoted from Barker. Il don't feel any
call for glorious love for the men who
tried to kill their country. / say that
if they let us alone we are doing we'll
to let them alone, without loving them.
Yes, they're united and they had bet
man to-day and not a wreck if 1t
hadn't been for them
do you take their part?" he asked
in a sudden gust of passion.
mo, no." she cried. ''I'u hate them,
too, for your sake and the sake of your
wrongs"
Not hate them, Rachel" said the
old man, more gently, "but-''
The fence of whitewashed pickets
that surrounded the little cemetery
was reached and people were already
. tying their horses to it and unlocking
towards the gates, bearing their bask-
cts and armfuls of flowers with them.
AS Rachel got out young Pendleton
approached her. but her look was so
cold and repelling that he drew back
with sinking heart. The veterans of
the Grand Army, pathetically infirm
and crippled, many of them, were
forming into line and Rachel turned to
her father and was surprised to see
that he seemed oblivious of his sur
roundings- His gaze was bent thought
fully afar and his lips were moving.
Rachel drew closer to him and caught
the words hatred, anger and all un-
charitableness,'' and again, "of love
divine" Then one of his comrades
called to him and he limped painfully
to his place and unfurled the flag.
The address at the Soldiers Monu-
ment concluded, the people dispersed
to lay their flowers on the graves 1t
had been another of those addresses
that Rachers father had always styled
"mushy''-full of the forgiveness,
concord, one country and one flag
talk, but somehow the veteran, lean
ing on his daughters arm and NOV
ing from one grassy mound to another
with the flowers that she carried, Gid
not feel SO genuinely indignant as
usual because of this, and, presently
turning aside, he took from the basket
a wreath of white field lilies and Ieav-
ing Rachel, walked over to a grave be-
4. = which an old man was kneeling
with bent head, and laid it beside an
other wreath that lay there below the
headstone that bore the name of Jared
Roberts, til Virginia cavalry, c. S.
A. The man looked up. 1t was the
copperhead Pendleton-"
Thanks. comrade," said the ex-Con-
federate, simply. holding out his hand.
And the irreconcilable Union veteran
took the hand and clasped it warmly.
At the same moment Rachel felt a
touch on her shoulder and, turning,
met Dicks triumphant smile.
1t was a long time before the two
old men finished their talk; in fact,
they wero -dll talking when Rachel
came and silently stood beside them
Dick stood a little alocf.
Father said Rachel
He smiled at her little shamefaced-