The National tribune., 1903-06-25

the same thing, and she went off chuck
ling and saying, Well, Yankees Is suit
ten'y queer foxes
/ What makes them call us Yankees,
Mrs Brookes?' broke in Annabel. I'VE
amt, you know
Again Mrs Brookes looked puzzled.
"Why, 1 guess we call everybody from
north of Mason and Dixon's Line 'fank-
ees,'" she replied. ''What would we call
you? You call we all down here Rebels y
There was n half threat in her tone, but
it did not daunt Maria.
well, you are Rebels she returned
defanty. "If you We're not Rebels. my
brother and sweetheart wouldn't be down
here, sick and wounded. You rebelled
against Il properly-instituted Government.
As for us, we are Indianians. We amt
bit nearer being Yankees than you are.
Real Yankee land is closer to you than It
is to us in Indiana, or it is just as close,
anyhow. Don't you call US Yankees again,
| either"
Mrs Brooks stiffened up at once. Miss
Klegg,"- ,"-she began, but was cut short
by a slouching figure in Uncle Sans uni
| form, which just at that juncture sided
up against the door jamb. From out the
| voluminous folds of a brand-new suit of
clothes that were made for n man of 200
pounds and had been issued 10 man OF
| less than 80, a weak voice said: Can L
speak to Miss Klegg, the one that's 60
ing to marry our Shorty?" And pair
| of tired eyes Travelled round the room,
studying each face inquiringly.
Maria came forward at once. Wont
you come in and sit down, you are just
| out of the hospital. amt you? l am to
marry Mr.. Elliot. Did you want to speak
| to me alone|
A spell of coughing racked the poor fel-
| low for over n minute; meantime Maria
| ran to the storeroom and brought some
| whisky which had been thickened with
rock candy '"Take this" she said, pour
ing out some in a tea cup. 1T will help
you little. Yon ought to go right
straight back to the hospital. You amt
| fit to be OUT
81 don't reckon l ever will get out
| again." responded the poor fellow. I'm
going back in a few minutes. l was
afraid that if didn't come to-day, l never
would get here. And he drew away from
his lips n blood-stained handkerchief. An
mabel gave low cry and nearly tainted
Mrs. Klegg and Maria would have helped
him into the house, but he shook his
head and sat on the doorstep instead.
81 hope You will pardon me, Miss
Klegg, but you know how we all love
Shorty, and we all want TO give you and
him something to remember us by, but
we are so far away from anywhere that
there is nothing to be had. don't know
that this is worth much," drawing a
small package from his pocket, but some
of the boys said it was pretty fine one
time. 1t is all I've got. and if you would
take it I'd be awful glad. l don't want
to be the only one not to give you some
thing"
With trembling hands. the private laid
the long, narrow package in Maria's lap,
as she sat on the step beside him. Tears
filled her eyes, as she began to unroll the
sOiled paper wrapping, for she saw death
in the old-young face; suddenly there fell
into her lap yards and yards of soft, fine
lace. A flounce some 10 yards around,
and bertha of the same. Maria was a
pretty fair judge of lace, but she had
never seen anything as exquisitely fine as
that.
Mrs. Brookes pounced upon the filmy
stuff with n cry of rapture. 1T is real old
rose point" she exclaimed as she let it
slide through her hands. "It's very old,
too, for here are several mended places.
but it is almost priceless. I wonder how
the Yan-solder came by it?" she ques-
toned suspiciously.
Honestly, I'd have you know" he re-
turned brusquely. He recognized the
Southern accent, and supposed that Mrs.
BrOOkes belonged to the plantation. Il
got it as we boys got lots of things, only
this was 4 little bit different from most.
Once when we were camping back there
beyond Fayetteville, a squad of us boys
found an old black woman sick in a cabin
on deserted plantation. She was about
starved into the bargain. We diyvied up
with her and hunted up an old darky and
sent him to find someone to take care of
her, and gave her a quart of whisky.
Just before we broke camp she came in
one day with lot of refugees, all right
again, and was sent away North. Before
going she came and put that stuff in my
hands and said for me to send it to my
sister or sweetheart. She said that it
had been worn by some great lady in
Washington, and that is the whole story,
Miss Klegg. 1t may've been stole, in the
first place, but l can't help that. Those
coOns picked up all sorts of things"
"But why don't you keep it for your