The Irish standard., 1904-07-16

clouded.
1.-The camp was attacked Immediate
ly after and it was all the living could
do to save themselves. The dead were
left to bury their dead"
They stood for lorg time in silence
with their eyes fixed ON the marble
shaft that bore the name great before
the world. But they did not see the
monument or the name. They only
saw lonely grave somewhere with no
shaft to mark it's place and no name
to show whose loved one had been
glorified with the chrism of death.
Alone in her room that afternoon
Elsie remembered what day it was for
her.
"My birthday" she said. II am 20
and the war has been over 20 years.
To-day l was to know the story of the
unnamed grave"
She opened her trunk and took from
1t a silver casket, which she unlocked
with a gold key. In it was folded
manuscript that she held moment
reverently in her hands. Her mothers
hands were the last to touch it, and
when she put it away in the casket to
be read on that twentieth birthday. At
last she opened it and read:
when my child is 20 want her to
know the sad story of Alan Goodwin.
l am writing it down that she may
read 1t for herself should not be here
to tell it.
Il suppose girl never knows why
she prefers one man to another; that
Is, if she really loves him. Almost
anyone might say that Alan was finer
than Will Melwood and better adapted
to win the admiration and confidence
OF a girl. But admiration and conf
dence, important as they are, are not
exactly love. Alan remained my
friend, but soon after my marriage he
went south and few years later I
heard that he was married.
when the war began our people
were about equally divided in senti-
ment between north and south. Will
Joined the union army. In skirmish
one day he was taken prisoner and
confined in tent to await transporta-
ton to Libby prison next day. AS
night fell sense of loneliness envel-
oped him in darkness. He had ex-
pected to be killed in battle and was
prepared to die for his flag as is SOL
dier's duty. A dash on to the field,
hand-to-hand struggle, deadly ball
or a thrust of a sword, sudden dark
ness-that was a soldiers death.
Through an opening in the tent he
looked out into the moonlit night.
Against the whiteness he could see a
dark form passing to and fro in front
of his tent. In his isolation there was
companionship even in the measured
tread and dark shadow of the sentinel
whose duty it was to see that he did
not escape from his prison.
Suddenly the door opened and the
sentinel stood before the prisoner, who
turned toward him, wondering why
he had come. Was he to start tonight
on that long journey to the tomb?
A" Will Melwood. don't you know
me?'
Alan Goldwin!'
For a moment they stood silent with
clasped hands. Then Alan unwrapped
parcel he carried under his arm and
displayed a ragged, discolored suit of
brown clothes.
1T makes no difference what kind
of clothes you wear, so they cover up
your colors. Our uniform is more dis
tinguished for ununiformity now than
anything else.'
What are you going to do with
me?'
I am going to save you for-her.'
"He led Will from the tent to lit
tie pathway through clump of trees.
GO down this way and you are
safe.'
But you-what will happen to
your
Nothing. Remember only that
you are going to her.
HE turned back and Will went
down the path and was picked up the
next morning by detachment Of his
own regiment and taken by circuit
GUS route unknown to him back to the
camp from which he had escaped.
The confederates, outnumbered, re-
treated, leaving dead man lying near
the tent where Will had been confined
the night before. Bending over him
Will recognized the face of Alan Cold
win.
We have killed My best friend!'
No, you nebber,' said a negro, who
come up from the little belt of trees.
evidently camp follower of neutral
sentiments. I wuz hyeah wen he WIZ
shut by his own kunnel's order 'kaze
he helped a pris'ner ter 'scape.'
"Will got permission to SEND his
dead friend to his old home and on
his grave the most beautiful lilies and
roses from our garden have spent their
sweetness on the anniversary of his
| death"
Elsie walked to the window and
looked out through a mist of tears
that dimmed the golden wine of the
sun that was poured in radiant flood
over the world.
| Alan Goodwin! That was the name
of the young man whose quest was
among graves-the man who would
, not say in words what his eyes had
told her. She saw him coming down
the lane toward her little gate. She
went to meet him, holding out ner
hands.
Il will show you where he lies" sha
said, looking up with shining ewes
He followed her, not compreheadine
| how roaor;r-,