The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-05-29

withdrawn to the other end of the room, where
under the light of a suspended lamp she was reading a
book of poems. Although the abundant hair rolled
back from her forehead was as white as snow, she still
was a beautiful woman. The delicatcly archcd brows
were black. the belated charm of youth still glowed in
the dark eyes, while the smooth contour of the cheek
had remained unmarried by the passing years. In her
gown OF blue velvet with the long Jeweled chain thrown
over her shoulders she might have been a pictured
beauty of the court of Louis XIV. a proud lady who
had condescendcd to step from her frame and for a
time to taste the Joys of the new century.
From foreign strife we driftcd to the American
Civil War. and the Colonel, after stroking his gray mus
tache thoughtfully, broke a silence of some moments
with: The War OF the Rebellion, coming as IT did IN
the bloom of my youth. changed my fortunes in more
ways than one. Among other happenings of impor-
tance it brought about that which is bound to be an
event in any mans lfe-my FIRST love affair. 1t is a
romantic story, and as we have nothing else to do | will
tell you about it"
| glanced at the woman seated under the lamp.
Absorbed in her book, she seemed not to have heard
his remark. and / reflected that there may come a time
when a wife can hear with indifference her husbands
"reminiscences of early loves.
When Morton deserted us in Virginia" began the
Colonel. abruptly. Il. being a Lieutenant, was ordered
to go with a detail OF six men and find him. The task
was a distastcful one to me. for | was fond of the young
fellow. whose engaging ways had made him a general
favorite. He was a slender youth OF nineteen. and as he
was below the medium height and very good-lOoking
he had been surnamed Beauty a cognomen which
ne was disposed To resent. Belonging to a fine family
OF Old Virginia. he had been sent to a Northern col
legc to be educated. and was in his Junior year when
the war began.
THE influence Of his college mates had made him
quasi Union in his sentiments. but he confessed to me
that it was the eXhilaratiOn attendant on a wine dinner
and the singing of patriotic songs which caused him
that night to join a regiment OF the boys in blue. Had
VIC been sent to any other portion Of the Confcderacy
than the State of Virginia | think he would have stayed
by us to the end. but there i'll his native State. in the
county Of his birth rpCOlleCfipDS of his bOyhOOd
crowded the very air about him. reminding him that
in that dell he had gathered chinkapins. in this stream
he had tished. and that only a few miles away was the
family estate. the home of his ancestors, to which he
was returning an avowed enemy.
In the circumstances it would have required a
stronger character than tha' 1t Gerald Morton to re-
sIst the temptation 10 renourcr the cause he had
eSpoused in a moment OF fictitious enthusiasm. lie
had been moroSe and silent for some DAYS. and it was
not until after his disappearance that we learned that
the Morton homestead was within = dozen miles OF the
spot whereon We had pitched our tents
1T was near nine o'clock on a clear moonlight night
that we reached The Oaks, so-called from the splendid
trees Shading its ample grounds. From a stone gate
way a gravelcd road led To the old mansion. which was
made more imposing by the huge flutcd columns OF its
long porch. In antc-bellum DAYS. before generous
Southern hospitality had been checked by the restrain
ing hand of poverty. its doors were ever ready To open
to its many guests. but now 1t wore an air of solitude
and descrtion, and its only sign OF life was i FAINT light
in one of the upper rooms.
"Stationing nv men so that our descrter if inside
could not leave the house unseen. ! sought admittance
at the front door. The sound of the old-faShioned
knocker. loud and sharp, cut the stiffness of the night,
but | was obliged To Use it more than once before it
was needed. The door was opened by an old negro.
who was too frightened or too imbeCilic To give an in
teligent answer to my queries as | stepped past him
and stood in the hall. The old man gazed at me a
moment as if bcwildcrei, then murmurng something
about Young Miss he began slowly and painfully TO
climb the stairs. leaving me standing in the wide hall
which was lighted only by the fickcring blaze of the
logs in its wide fireplace.
I'm a short time a light appeared at the turning of
the staircase. and on thc landing | saw what seemed