Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-04-22
so cruel. can never forgive myself fol

so cruel. can never forgive myself for
that, if you can."
He laughed, looking at her with
shining eyes. "My dear, it was quite
natural for you to follow the Southern
fashion and secede from your Northern
husband for time. But my rebel wife
has returned to her allegiance now and
our union is restored. That is happi-
ness enough for mel doubt if l could
bear any more just now"
eyes, pet" said Ginnie, half laughing,
half crying, as she pressed her cheek
/ against his hand, "the war has ended
between us, and l will never rebel
against you again-never! But tell me,
Harry" she added after brief silence,
"were you very angry with me? Was
that the reason why you never wrote"'
"No, l couldn't hold anger against you
if had tried, and you must know |
didn't try. But after what you said to
me when we parted, couldn't be sure
that any word from me would be well
come. Your fathers note come with no
message from you; week after week
/ passed. still no word from wife. Well,
| confess l was half desperate some
times and more reckless of danger per
haps than was always necessary. But
why should we talk of these things now?
Remember, Ginnie, you haven't told me
word yet about my boy"
This effectually turned the conversa-
ton into different channel, and Ginnie
must needs tell him what marvellous
progress Master Buddie had made in
intelligence and activity, how sweet he
was, how many words he could say in
his pretty broken fashion and lastly that
he had learned to kiss papa's picture
every time he saw it.
81 taught him that, Harry-by ex-
ample, you know, because-well-be-
cause my conscience hurt me so for not
giving you that goodbye kiss. 1t was
some atonement, wasn't it?' And Ginnie
smiled brightly, though her eyes were
filled, as they always did now, when
she thought of that parting scene.
eyes. perhaps" said Cotton with
hungry look in the sweet face that was
leaning near to his in their whispered
talk-iust then he wished more than
ever that there were no spectators pres
ent. "But the full payment for that
omission is to come by-and-by. BE sure
shall exact it all, even to the uttermost
farthing."
It is hardly necessary to say that after
this Cotton rallied rapidly; Ginnie's
presence proved an elixir of life. it was
not many days before he was able to
leave the hospital and with Ginnie Tor
his devoted nurse and assistant, to travel
by easy stages to his home in Waterloo.
.Judpe Harwood was glad enough to
welcome him back, not only because or
the radiance that shone again IN MS
daughters face, but because he was too
true man himself not to appreciate the
heroic quality of Colton's manhood.
AS for Ginnie, what she saw and
learned of the boys in blue at Fort
Donelson greatly modified the preJudlces
in which she had been raised; but her
entl usiasm for the Confederacy was by
no means extinguished; indeed she did
not readily change her views, and long
after the war was over, mourned the
'slost cause" in her heart. But she was
changed woman after that SIX months
experience-"Virgini secession as
Cotton playfully termed it. She never
fo. got the sufferings of that period. the
suspense and anxiety, the acute misery
of self-reproach, the remorseful anguish
of that journey to Fort Donelson. 1t
was fiery ordeal for her, but it toned
down the old willfulness and impetuosity;
| it developed to a wonderful degree, the
strong. sweet womanhood that was in
her. Her eyes had been fully opened to
the nobility of her husbands character,
his high courage and devotion to duty,
and henceforth there was mingled with
her passionate love for him, sentiment
of reverence that came little short OF
worship. Colton's health was much
broken down by the hardships and ex-
posures he had endured, and his crippled
condition, together with his semi,invalid-
| ism for several years afterwards, brought
out all the unselfish tenderness OF her
nature. She became truly, what Cotton
loved to call her, his right arm.
This story would hardly be complete
without some mention of the vicissitudes
that afterwards befell Waterloo and the
surrounding region. There need nave
have been little or no trouble in that
part of Missouri if, in the beginning OF
the war, the disunionists, like the
majority of the loyal men, had been
disposed to keep the peace. But there
were irrepressible spirits among them
bent on stirring up strife at once. After
a while, when their soldiery had been
drawn away to join the Confederate
army farther south and guerrillas had
become less bold by reason of the mill
tary order that they should be shot
when captured, the Union men were
permitted to enjoy some degree OF quiet
and security.
AS the long bloody conflict drew
towards a close and the triumph OF the
Union was assured, the men who mad
sat on the fence, waiting to see which
side would "whip', slipped down on
the Union side and became surprisingly
Jealous for the Union cause. To these,
the secessionists there owed reign OF
terror even severer than their Unionist
neighbors had suffered in the beginning
of the war. These eleventh hour patr-
OTIS did not rob; they ''confiscated" rebel
property in the name of the government,
with free hand. Rebel sympathiZers
were warned that they could no longer
} air their reasonable sentiments, except
at the peril of their lives. They did not
resort to bushwhacking, but they went
openly to the houses of poor secession.
lists. some of whom had never given laid
and comfort to the enemy" except with
their tongues, called them out and shot
, them in the presence of their families.
They burned the only hotel Waterloo
could boast of, because the landlady had
been accustomed to "talk rebellion
, somewhat freely. When men who had
been loyal from the first at a probable
risk of life or property, demonstrated
against such violation of the laws OF
honorable warfare, they were fiercely
1 denounced as rebel sympathizers. Not
: few rebel families were driven from
their homes some by threats of violence,
t Others by the terror these highhanded
,. proceedings inspired. Cotton and his
D father-in-law found such state OF
+ things so intolerable, they broke up
e their home and removed to more peace
( Z full regions. Soon after the war closed d,
t the county seat was moved to more
central position; nor was the cup OF
q Waterloo's humiliation full even then
l After the war was over, many emanci
S pated slaves came North in search OF
: homes and employment, and finding