The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1906-1908, 1906-07-09
THE OLD GUARD.
lcopyrIght. lsOs. b pally storr Pub. G.
By BERNARD FOUNTAIN.

perfect beautyand symmetry. Her little
hands were clenched in anger and des-
perauon, and her shapely head was
thrown back in splendid soorn.
Well, sir, she said. and you ought
to have heard the indefinite contenpt
In the musical voice.
Are you the mistress Of the pa
place? l stammered.
am she replied, with dignity.
My grandmother is so Ill she cannot
leave her bed. l am the only one
left
Oh, the pathos of 1.-THE sickenine
pathos, and the tragedy. And, Bert. /
had to tell her my wretched orders.
For moment she seemed unable to
comprehend. Then. with a wild cry,
the defiance faded from her face and
manner, and before l could prevent Il
she flung herself at my feet.
Oh, not the house, please, please,
sir, not the house. she begged It's
all that Is left, and the only shelter
for grandma and the servants. And
grandma is SO Ill and the doctor says
she viii die If she is disturbed. You
cannot you must not be so cruel
I knew that moment that | would
not burn that house. | tried tc BIZ
stern. to remember the precepts of the
Point, and do my duty. But with that
helpless. kneeling girl before me, that
mere child caught in the resisSless
tragedy of war and trying to stem the
tide, not for herself but for others
with her swimming, eloquent eyes fixed
pleadingly on mine, knew I had not
the strength.
Wen, | temporized for time, and
finally ordered some of the barns and
stores destroyed, but left the mouse
and plenty OF provisions for immediate
use
Before lett sought the young mis-
tress again. She thanked me with sim
pie dignity, but with evident graft
tude. As | looked into her eyes
knew my heart was no longer my own,
and something | saw there made me
think she did not hate me as much as
the situation warranted, and that un-
der different circumstances, perhaps
The general finished the sentence witt
puff of smoke.
Il asked her name" he resumed, aft
er moments reverie, land learned 1
was Floridy Taylor.
~ know you have disobeyed YOU
Cf oh 81,
imperiling yourself If you knew how
grateful | am for myself and fol
grandma and the people, perhaps yol
would think it worth while. If we
can ever do anything to repay you
My eyes had caught a photograph
of the girl in frame ON the mantel. /,
interrupted her.
If you would give me that photo
graph with your name written on IT, !
said, 1 would feel doubly repaid
''She flushed scarlet as she took
down the picture and went to the OLD
desk, wrote her name on II, and gave
it 70 me. Then ! rode away"
And the sequel?" said Van Alstlne,
gently.
The other shook his head. mo"
he said. Il never saw her again. Aft.
er the war was over, l went back and
tried to find her, but the house had
been destroyed by some better officer
than |, and the family scattered |
could get no clew. But Bert, she is
the one woman in the world for me
There never has been one since then
and there never will be. | have kent
myself busy with my profession, but
there is always an ache in my heart
May | see the photograph" asked
Van Alstine.
The general took worn wallet from
his pocket and unwrapped an old pho
tograph.
AS Van Alstine's eyes rested upon
it he gave little cry.
i've seen that face somewhere!" he
exclaimed. "Ah, l have it. In the
pension Office where | had occasion
to look up i matter awhile ago, AID }
clerk was detailed to assist me-only
older and sadder. Tom, wait until to
morrow. Perhaps"
On the following afternoon Van Ais.
tine broke into the Generals apart.
ment in wild excitement
st is she, he fairly yelled. "Yes. >
he went on, grasping the generals
shaking hand. Her name is Floridy
Taylor, and she comes from Georgia.
and she is unmarried, and poor and
almost friendless, and a clerk in the
pension Office. I'm hanged if haven'l
got the plot for novel right in FROM
of my nose"
That evening the Generals card was
taken to a hall bedroom in a pain
boarding house, and a very bewildered
woman came into the dingy parlor ia
see what it was all about
This time 1t was the officer who was
on his knees, and that night Floridy
wrote her nearest of kin:
81 am to be married next THURSDAY
to Gen. Thomas Burton, of the army
He il not of our people, and fought or
the other side, but he was our friend
in time of need, and l have loved MIN
ever since. We will be in Atlanta on
our wedding trip, and hope you will
not be so offended as to refuse us you,
blessing and your hospitality"
Discounted.
Eortio-T Gnu Mice Cp,o~4o -,