The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-07-15
nAUL HURLBURT arose Impatient

hAUL dURLBURI arose lmpa tlent-
ly from his seat beneath gray
old walnut tree and walked toward a
stile which crossed from the neighbour
ing meadow. He mounted the stile
and looked with swift, ill-concealed
longing in the direction of white
house which sat in stately silence be-
hind green interlacing leaves.
The young man was dressed for
travelling and wore the brown linen
buster of the period over his black
clothes. There was a determined look
about his dark blue eyes and strong,
firm lips; so dark and determined they
looked now that one could scarcely
imagine how gentle the smile could be-
come.
Over and over he had said, in impa-
tient disappointment: "She will not
come"
AS he saw the stage coach roll with
dusty Importance, numbering down the
road, filled with inside passengers.
hope left him and he turned his foot
steps in the direction of the road. The
coach stopped and he climbed to seat
beside the driver, then pulled his hat
low upon his face. He gave back
ward farewell glance at the little
cemetery growing wild with honey
suckle and sweet brier and COOL glis-
tening myrtle overshadowed by the
dark evergreen foliage of the trees.
AS the stage passed he could catch a
glimpse of the plain white marble
1ol> III. oh, Il. 4 -
dead. The monument erected to his
father, Col. Hurlburt, stood in the
midst, where a regiment of graves
stretched away, row by row, into the
soft green silence.
In the white house very young lady
gazed listfessly out of the window and
could not reply to the gay badinage
of her lively cousin.
"You will not talk to me, Cecilia"
he said, will you ride?"
She replied: ct is lovely out of
DOORS"
Then he gave an order for the
horses and they were soon riding to-
ward the village. Ashley approached
humble little negro cabin which
stood by the roadside Cecilia stopped
and talked to an old negress who sat
under spreading apple tree.
"How are you to-day, Aunt Milly 2"
inquired the young lady. The old wo-
man raised her head with the helpless
motion that is seen in the blind.
SIS dat you, honey?" she cried.
"Marse Paul done gone. He tole me
good-by las night an he done hollered
good-by ergin when de stage passed.
Cecilia turned and said she would
ride no further. Next morning she
sent her cousin away and she wan
dered disconsolately about the old
childish trysting places; beneath the
walnut tree and down by Milly's cabin.
Often she said to herself, how could
Paul leave me without one word? Was
it jealousy of her cousin? She had
been thoughtless and inclined to CO.
quetry, but she could not believe that
she deserved punishment like this.
AS children Cecilia and Paul had
often gone to the graveyard together
and she had woven garlands, first of
the yellow dandelions that peeped
above the green, then of the violets
that grew in such luxuriant profu-
sion. Together they had decorated
the soldiers graves, always placing
the choicest blossoms upon Col. Hurl.
burt's resting place. She often went
afterNard and adorned the graves il
memory of the old days.
Years passed, OLD Miliy died, and Ce
ella learned that Paul was gaining
fame in his profession of law. After
gress, and she eagerly read the papers
that she might follow his triumphs
step by step, until he was nominated
for governor of his state.
There were suitors in plenty, fol
Cecilia was beautiful and the mis-
tress of a large plantation, but they
one by one departed, and she was giver
over to hardness of heart.
Once again came the national Deco
ration day, warm and smiling with its
burden of flowers and soft sunshine
; falling upon the rows of federal ant
confederate dead.
And with this day came the memory
of those other days when Cecilia ant
Paul had decked the graves with VIC
lets; and as the years passed and HI
returned from college they had placed
beautiful flowers upon the graves o.
the dead heroes and Paul had talked tt
her of his ambitions, and she had lis
tened with glad, trusting faith. AND
then that last gay summer, when othel
suitors had fattered the child JUS
budding into womanhood, and Pau
had gone without saying farewell. To
day he would come back as candidat,
THE BRIDEGRooM'S SONG.