The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-07-17

hair showing under her black bonnet
She could not have been much under
70 years. but was hale and strong and
descended lightly in spite of her flesh.
Once on the ground she turned and
held out "a hand to some one still in
| side.
There met hers hand slender, ~ hite
and bony. hand almost aeshless,
wrinkled and venous. II closed like the
meager claw Of bird. IL was left
hand and on the forcfnger blazed and
rioted single diamond larger than
| filbert. a white stone of violet and
crimson fires. an almost priceless
stone. IL seemed 10 throw CLEANS OF
light upon the brittle wrist above II.
| There came from the carriage. step
ping stifiiy down, a woman whose face
was a skull with dead skin stretched
across II. The upper lip was shortened
by painful nervous contraction, show
I ing all of the teeth in front. The nose
was thin TO tenuity. the chin sharp.
| The eyebrows were as white as snow
and beneath them were eyes OF bril-
liant and tender blue, the only living
! things in that face. The mass OF
snowy hair, dressed in the fashion OF
the early sixties. bore only wreath OF
orange blossoms The talons OF the
right hand clutched an enormous bou-
quet OF orange blossoms. From head
TO foot the woman was ROBBED in bridal
white: white satin slippers met her
white stockings on high fnstep:
about her wasted meek was circle Of
pearls, from her snowy hair TO the
hem 81 her snowy silken gown fell a
snowy veil
She spoke in thin voice. This voice
had dried and wasted as she had dried
and wasted. She said:
"Once again Clara. Oh once
again"
She walked slowly 10 the grave and
laid the blossoms upon IT, then sunk
upon her knees. raised the ghastly
hands TO the CHASTITY face and bowed
her head. The other woman stood
rigid her face set. looking afar Oft and
silent. So she stood through FIVE min
utes. then she put her hand ienderly
upon her companions shoulder.
"Come!" she said
"Not vet was the answer The
kneeiing woman rose and going 70 the
shaft laid her forehead against it, Then
she turned and spoke:
1--WE must talk Of him first. I could
not 20 away without talking Of him
He was handsome and brave, was he
notc So handsome and brave and
good. And he died long ago long ago
Tell me how he died. Clara"
"He died in the last charge. under
his flag. Its silk was over his face
when they found him"
"You were his sister. vet YOU have
not grieved as grieved. Clara"
81 was his sister. but you we're near
er and dearer 10 him"
"And on this day long ago-so Ions
ago-we were TO have been married
He wrote that he was coming home OF
furlough. Then there was the grea
battle down in Virginia and ] hear'
the guns over the hundreds OF mile
of space ] came 10 you. don't you re
member. and told you that the worl'
Twas damp with blood. You took me II
your arms and tried 10 comfort me
That seems five Iifetimes since. II
was handsome and brave. What doe
the stone say. Clara?"
at saws that il is sweet and right 4
die for ones country"
as that true?"
'.It is true. believe"
"It is-it must he. But IL seems y
hard. WHY should his life be taken
He was so handsome and brave an
good: loved him: / wanted him SO
and was waiting for him. This gov
came from the makers yesterday;
mean that yesterday long ago. Don
you know I tried II on and you kisse,
me on the cheek and said thathe woul
kiss me there soon? Oh. God II Wa
so long ago. To-day was the battle
I mean to-day back Wonder in tn
years"
| "He sleeps soundly mid thousan
happy whisperings of flowers. II
sleeps soundly when the leaves 81 al
y tumn march million strong. II
sleeps the seasons through. and II vi
Z no. be long now until you see hir
= again"
will be there when we meet. won't Won
(: Then YOU shall kiss me on the chez
= and he shall kiss me. You have bee
= with me all Of the lifetimes since b
= fell. You will not let death part us!
- 81 shall be there" said the dark w
ma. 1--WE three shall he there"
e 81 was 90 years old that day" sal
y the woman in the bridal gown. ear
> now I am old and Won are old: n
y world Is old"
She stopped and placed her har
:! upon the great slab which rooted II
x tomb. then entered the carriage 8
n lently. The other followed and II
sc door closed softly. The horses wheels
y at sober gait Harding watched the
y winding among the graves and 500
NJ they went from sight. He passed b
ie hand across his, eyes for II seemed
"a him that he had dreamed. Only n
orange blossoms told him that he hs
ID been awake. Tie read these lines. dee
z, " chiseled into the granite:
" "Sacred 20 the Memory Of job
IS Hardnett Ray. Lieutenant Company
IN Eighteenth Pennsylvania Volunteer
n x..:,.. NJ, IN rcco nv,fc.