Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-11-02


little islands of shadow. A slight
girlish figure moved along the thick
shrubbery near the outside gates, sing
ing in fresh young voice.
Slow, slow, my ball wind
Come, my true love, come and find!
To the ground my ball | cast;
Catch, my true love, hold it fast!
With the last words she tossed a
ball lightly into the dark mass u
shadow. When she would have drawn
it out again by the thread, it did not
move. She pulled; it stayed fast. A
little frightened, but trembling it had
caught on a twig. She moved nearer
to disentangle the thread.
To her amazement she saw a
shadowy form, but she had self
possession enough not to cry out. 1t
was during the second year of the
civil war. She fancied it was a gray
uniform, and one or two young union
officers were watching her from the
veranda, with her Cousin Mabel.
A quick throb of pity,-if she were
not careful now this foolish boys
trick might cause his instant death!
She scarcely dared breathe her
entreaty,-
please let go! There are union sol
diers in the porch"
She was not too soon. One of the
officers was on the steps. She even
saw the CLINT of his pistols in the
moonlight.
'T'n get your ball, Miss Rose" he
called. "Wait a minute"
! mo, no." she called back. eff you
dare interfere you will break the
charm! No one in flesh and blood
shall touch my ball. Go back at once.
Z please"
/ There was real entreaty in her
sweet tone, and he u.u turn back, all
of them laughing at her earnestness.
Come in, Rose" called an older
voice. 'You will be wet with dew"
4 Keep them busy talking-Pll go to
+, Nanny Sarah's cabin" This in
whisper, and Rose ran lightly across
4 the lawn, leaving the ball with the
stranger.
Where's the ball?" asked Mabel.
I 81 robbed mamma and it is her last.
:, You would not have Lindsay wear
F. parti-colored socks"
Its all right" answered Rose.
hoping the halffalsehood was forgiven
above. Surely the ball was all right
if it saved a life.
/ She had never tried so hard before
TO be charming, and Mabel listened in
wonder, for Rose was usually shy and
silent with their guests.
All her cousin, Lindsay, soldier in
blue, came on the veranda, and spoke
in an undertone to the captain. She
heard these words: "Seen lurking
about the lawn. Will search the
cabins" and then both voices we're
| lowered.
She exclaimed in haste: Il forgot to
carry Nanny Sarah her drops. Dear
!, old nanny! don't like TO have her
poly. Please excuse me one minute
only One!" and before any one couli
interfere she ran swiftly down the
steps and along the path to the cabins.
She was breathless when she softly
pushed mammy's door open. There,
as she had expected, was the soldier
in gray finishing his supper. The light
wood knots burning on the hearth,
/, showed his face, a delightful face, full
of life, spirit, mischief, and a fine
] resolute chin with the laughing lips.
She did not know that he saw her
quite as distinctly while she rapidly
warned him of peril.
4 But nanny was a strategist. A
whisper to her boy, Jim, and he was
out of tho door; then she boldly threw
IL wIue open, pushed the broad hat
down with a quick movement over
Mars Jacks" light hair and handed
him big hamper.
Eyes, Mis- Rose, dat fluted frock
of yo's were ironed jes' arter dinner.
and dat trifin' Jim forgot to kear il
long to de house. Yo' Jim, pick up
dat basket dis minute, and kear it
steady-like, behind Mis- Rose She
gwine shO' yO' whar TO set it."
They went out in the line of march
as ordered. and a minute later, win
a crash through the bushes, a figure
was seen speeding toward the woods
on the right. The officers rusheo
from the house, pistol-shots were
heard, and Roses attendant, settlng
the basket on the back porch, stole
unnoticed away toward the left.
Very soon the pursuing officers al
most fell over Jim, lying fat on the
ground. He told a plausible tale: he
had given chase TO "dat ar man
skulkin' roun' de lawn, den when L
hear pistol-talk, jes' drap down, and
say nothing tall I amt nebber tried
dem pistol-balls-not yit."
Lindsay marveled over Jim's Teadi-
ness in pursuit, but he was privileged
as "mammy's" son, so they looked
] about awhile, and went back,
grumbling at the escape, but not
blaming Jim.
Rose, meanwhile, marveled at her
I self. She was a loyal unionist, yet
1 she 1idfncr