The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-10-06

for whose sake l would scale your
sombre old walls in the face of all your
cannon if / thought it would give me
the hope of winning her.
you talk of battles! It's easier to Y
storm up in the wild craze of battle
and wrest victory and possession /
against long odds than to dawdle
through life and see the thing you
ardently crave beyond your reach. To
realize that you may have Dead sea
fruit in abundance, but never the only
JOY which would make life worth bav-
ing. You talk of ancient battles and
forgotten struggles. Mine is battle
of to-day for my life's happiness. and
I've lost it. Eli go out west and look
after my mines, or I'll go cruising, and
III play. the same old bluff society
game. But, rain or shine, what do 1
care?"
Tut tut!" said the old fort con-
temptuously. "You should have been
born 40 years ago. You have all the
capabilities of the soldier who led his
men in breathless rush up these
walls, and you look like him. But his
was courage which would not admit
of defeat. Yours-?'
Again the breeze swept over the
fort, dinging out the flag, which had
been dropping at its staff, waiting for
sunset, the turn of the tide and a wind
from over the seas.
You look like him. continued the
old fort. HE was a dauntIess fellow.
He made a superb charge, leading his
men up to scale these walls. He fell
Just where you sit, and yon tuft of
primroses blossoms above his head.
The difference between you and Col.
McIver is that he was a product of the
tempestuous times in which he lived
and you have spent your years after
the manner of the wealthy idler. You
accept defeat where he would have
struggled to the end, whatever the end
may have been"
Hugh McIver glanced up at the
slanting wall of the big earthwork, at
the tufted grass covering its sides
and the sentinel passing to and from.
Yes, McIver was a great soldier.
He fell leading on his men just where
you are lounging, young man" said
the old fort.
To-day this is Il very peaceful spot.
Life among the small garrison is a
/ quiet routine of easy labors, and only
the officers wives quarrel over small
matters or play cards and have music.
Some of them are pretty. The children
laugh and romp on the sunny side of
the parade ground, and the nurses sit
\ together and talk of what they see and
hear.
But can't forget those other days,
when cannon roared from these para
pets and fame and smoke swept
through the embrasures now closed
up; when the sound of the clash of war
rang out and assaulting columns
dashed up against my walls, and the
din of battle covered the groans of the
wounded and dying.
To-day the bugle call and the sen
try's step are the only sounds which
disturb the quietude of evening and
night"
at does seem as if we are smaller
men than our fathers" unused the
young man stretched on the grass.
This old fort has seen heroic time.
men dying for their convictions.
well, man to-day is not called OF
to storm forts.
''l'll go out to those silver mines anC
look after them. Not bad idea to Dc
little mining myself. Perhaps shell
think little better of me if she think,
at all"
why, hello!" called a gay voice i'm
periously, incoming up at the stars
or at the walls of the fort? Aren'
they formidable? Imagine your cotil
lon leaders of to-day leading a storm
ing party up that slope. Maj. Thomp
son was telling me last night how TIL
Fortieth Pennsylvania stormed up an,
nearly took the work. The colonel AM
nearly all the officers fell. Perhap
we are standing on their graves nov
this minute. They were buried witt
military honors at the foot of the fort
so he said"
She had stopped and stood gazing NJ
at the great slope of the wall. the flag
staff overhead and the indistinct sen
try pacing slowly along, while Hug
MeIver stood looking at the fine spir
tied face and graceful figure by hi
side.
1.-THE Fortieth. That was my ia
theirs regiment, Then it was here h
lost his life" Hugh said slowly.
A pause followed, then she turne
ord ba1I ont both hands
Forgive me. did not know. Ho,
heroiel"
They turned silently from the gras:
grown rampant.
: 81 am going to the post Office. Wal
: with me-" she said. with radian
smile, q and let US forget hostilities."
. 1t was slow and rather silent ran
: BILE to the queer little post ONCE j
: the center of the village.
"A last fascinating recollection I
take away with me-" Hugh said wit
: lingering regret.
"Going? Where and when are 70
going. and to do WHAT" she aSke
breathlessly.
: ITO Colorado--to-morrow-to loo
after some mines" he answered lool