Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-14

S%s9a@S= slipped past Farragut's fleet in the night and while it was yet dark had run alongside the St. Francis street wharf at Mobile. Her arrival had not been reported and no one but the sentry on guard was there to wei come the vessel Mary Amman had stayed in the gunboat until daybreak at Colonel Pleasants' earnest request. The captain had given her his cabin and she had lain down during the pas sage, or at least after they had passed the Federal fleet, but she had been unable to sleep or take any rest.
 Pleasants, who had gone on shore immediately, came back to the boat at sunrise with conveyance for her and Dr. Bampney and another one for the body of her brother. It was broad daylight when they drove up to the doorway at Annandale. Where before there had been troops of servants to welcome her or her guests, now she had to wait and ring the bell of her own home before the one or two faith full retainers remaining to her pre- sented themselves.
 The men, with the assistance of the drivers, carried the body of the little master of the ancient house into the great parlor and left it there. After seeing everything disposed properly, Mary Amman, bidding the clergyman and the officer to go into the sitting room to partake of such refreshments as the blockade permitted her house keeper to offer them, turned to ascend AI,1 ,%,{,. ISa oIr !. foot upon them when the door of the landing above them opened and woman came out. It was Pink Fey ton.
 Mary Annanv' she cried, and the next moment, discerning a tall figure behind her, she ran down the stairs with screafn of rapture and relief and fell into Pleas&nts' arms.
 "Oh, thank God, thank God, you are safer' she cried ''And my brother?'
 Before Pleasants could answer Mrs Peyton followed her daughter.
 General PeytonT" she cried
 ssWell, madamY'
 '.His wound"
 'tA trifle"
 "God be praisedp' calculated the wo- man brokenly. ''The general is safe, and Willis. If only"-
 "And what of Boyd?" cried Mary An nan sharply, instantly suspicious of the pause.
 My poor child," said Mrs. Reyton, coming down the stairs and taking the girl by the hand.
 "Oh, what is it? Have you news of him P
 s'He is here, sister," cried Tempe, bursting upon them and clasping her sister in her arms. "He is here, in your room upstairs"
 "Hushi Hush!' said old Dr. Bampney, catching the child in his arms. Don't you see how you alarm your sister"
 Indeed the shock of the news was a1- most too much for the woman. She diyined instantly that Boyd Peyton would never be there in Mobile, in her house, unless something terrible had happened to him. Could it be that he was dead?
 ''How comes he here?" asked Mary Amman, leaning back against the wall.
 Willis brought him up yesterday under flag of truce"
 "Is he-wounded"
 Mrs. Peyton bowed her head
 "Badly?"
 "Oh, awfully, Sister Maryl Dr. ve- nosste says he will soon be dead, like brother" Tempe broke out again. "Did you bring poor brother back with you? she asked, her little face filled with pain.
 "Is it true?' whispered the girl. dis regarding her little sister in her con- suming anxiety.
 "Yes; I fear so,' said Mrs. Peyton, taking the girl in her arms. "Oh, Mary, dear; only God can save him."
 "Is he conscious?'
 'No, he has not spoken since-since he was wounded"
 'What is itf'
 "A fracture of the skull and con- cussion of the brain. pr. Venosste says that even if he recovers he might be- he might not his mind 70 God, O Godw walled the older woman, and she looked old indeed now, "that this should come upon mel And we sent him away on the porch that dayl His father drove him from us, and this is how he has come back to us! If he could only know that he is home again, that we love him once more and that we forgive him! If he could only know that, no matter where he goes or what he does, he is my boy, my boy!'
 we were all wrong," said the girl brokenly. "We all drove him away I as we'll as the rest, and I loved him too. love him now-now that it is too late! May I see him2 Take me to him.
 There on the bed, her own bed, he lay. They had taken him to her room that room with the window looking out toward the sunny south, where she had looked and watched, waited and lis tened, longed and hoped. She stood by his side dry eyed and desperate. This was the last blow that could have fallen upon her. She thought she had reached the sum of human endurance long since, but she knev@ now that fate had done its worst for her on that day and not before. Father, brother, lover --aIl gone. and now this one too!