The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-01-05


hanished from the home OF their love.
driven from state to state. forbidden
ever To- return. and compelled faally
to seek refuge among strangers in the
north. because Ladue senior. owner
Of the finest bookstore on the Gulf
coast. stood charged with having sold
to an old customer one copy OF Uncle
1 Toms Cabin" The business II had
/ taken Ladue nearly quarter OF cen
fury to build up was ruined in a day.
Ladue was shy and reserved. his wife
semi-invalid and Paul a sensitive
/ plant II was long before he seemed
I to thaw out at all, but Fred Benton,
I a near neighbOr when they passed into
the high school, was the youth he
! finally tied to, and then this strangely
assorted pair Joined forces. apparently,
| for good and all. Damon and Pythias
they called them; for. after the first
! six months of hyness on Ladue's part
they became inseparable. High school
finished. Ladue was needed as assls.
tant in his fathers growing business.
/ Benton had begun the study of law In
the Office of the famous old firm OF
which his father was the head. But
before either had cast his first vote
the long heralded conflict between the
north and south had burst upon the
startled land Sumter had fallen. The
| president had called, first for 5000
men to defend the capital, then for
500,0 volunteers ~ prosecute the war.
For a moment there came no answer
/ to Bsnton's tentative. Already he re-
pented him Of his words. yet there was
something he longed TO know. Fol
upwards of three years there had been
no secret between him and his chosen
| friend. Paul Ladue. who hitherto had
| held no communication with his native
state. was writing letters thither and
feverishly, furtively, perhaps. await.
ing reply. What did it portend?
On every hand men were quitting
/ the desk. the plough OF the tools OF
their trade, and fiocking to the recruit
| ing Offices. BentOn's name had been
sent to the governor for a commission
in one of the new regiments. Mass
meetings were bsing held almost every
night and energetic citizens were pass
ing subscription papers from desk 10
desk that fund might be raised for the
benefit of the families of the rapidly
enlisting husbands and fathers.
Ladue gave again and again and gave
| gladly. How could | do otherwise?"
said he. You and these kind people
babe me welcome when life was at its
blacklist. I am a sOutherner. | can
not fight against mine own people no
matter what they did TO me. | cannot
/ support them, however, in their reyoh
/ against the government which shields
and protects me. I will not refuse to
contribute towards the support of the
wives and children of those who so
kindly welcomed my wife and children.
I and mine are grateful"
But what Is Paul going to do?" was
the question that startled him. one
morning. "He would not enlist with
the boys here and he's writing letter
after letter TO somebody there. IL
/ isn't possible he would fight for the
people who broke his fathers heart"
Ii had never occurred to Ladue. II
was high time he interposed. Paul
was barely 20. and, therefore. still
subject to his fathers will II was a
soft warm evening at the verge of
June as the trio came silently back
! from their up-river row. Fred propped
! his SOULS against the tree box, and let
himself in at the gate for a few minutes
! of earnest talk. II was indeed time
somebody in authority sought to dis
/ suade the young man ii IL should prove
that he was seeking service with he
alabama troops.
Meantime the two young people had
gone on toward the Benton homestead.
Away down town there came the sound
of distant cheering, for another mass
meeting was being held in Market
Square and gifted orator from Cbica-
60 was being presented to the throng.
Up here near the BLUFFS overlooking
the great inland sea. all was STILL
Elinor Benton looked warily within
as they reached the gate in front of
the quaint colonial house that had been
her home since babyhood. Voices, in
low-toned chat, aoated out to her from
the broad veranda, and with hardly
a shadow of hesitation the girl turned
and followed when her partner said,
Let US go hack to the bluff a little
while" When they reached the edge
of the bluif Ladue turned 20 her and
his voice trembled as he asked.
you heard Fred's question:"
An almost inaudible Yes" was the
sole response.
"Whst--do you think fought to
do?" he wistfully, slowly asked. For
a moment she could not reply. When
the words came--for she was only six
teen, and the position most trying-her
clear young voice had pathetic, treIa-
ulous undertone.
How can judge? Almost any one
would say yorr duty was here-yet-
know--your hearts, there" And
as she spoke the heart Ia her own pure
young bosom was throbbing hard. Fol-
another little while there was silence.
broken only by the sound of distant
cheering from the center of the town
by the rhythmical, soothing plash Of
the wavelets on the pebbly beach be-
meath them. Then Elinor, uplifting