Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1906-02-14

INJURED. "and-isn't that Georgia Scots
voice." A swift upward glance of
the soft, dark eyes said yes, and though
for an instant they fell again. it was
but for an instant: there was some
thing so compelling in the glow of his.
Then" said he. speaking and
bending lower
"Then-what?" she murmured. per-
sistingly insistent on being told,
though her head dropped again.
"Then-it's time for some-token of
surrender, is it not?" And now, loos-
ing the little hands, leaving them self
clasping on his breast, he wound the
other arm about and drew her closer
STILL
Il dont-quite-" she dimpled, her
soft cheek sinking on her own hands.
her tiny ear catching the loud beating
of his heart, vagrant tress fluttering
in the breath from her parted lips.
You do, think" he answered, half
smiling. When soldier surrenders
he gives up his sword. When a girl
surrenders she should give up-her
lips" and holding her more firmly, he
bent yet lower. seeking with wordless
eagerness the sweet symbol that he
craved. But she nestled closer still
where he could not see her glowing
face, and the answer came, half stifled,
after moment of shy silence:
You're not magnanimous like your
commander. He would not touch the
sword of Gen. Lee"
81 see!'-and this very slowly, "and
you prefer that 1 should be-like
Gen. Grant?"
No answer, verbal at least. Even
queens are women and would be
wooed. He should be made to know
this, even when both heart and lips
said yield. But the fates were against
her. Silvery laughter and soft voices
sounded close at hand now. All, some
were happy, even in the shadow of the
great surrender. since there were still
loved ones left for the sweet home
coming
ut is Georgia." whispered Benton,
land, as live, Kate Falconer! They'll
be here in a minute and I'll be gone.
Rosalie, do you remember that night
three years ago when you said now or
never?"
One moment of fluttering heartbeat
of latent, still smoldering rebellion,
then at laSt-surrender Slowly and
with down-cast eyes the queenly head
was raised One swift look into his
glowing face, and the white arms stole
about his neck; the rosy mouth up
lifted and, meeting the fervent pres
sure of those bearded, eager lips, in its
own sweet way. gave answer.
L'ENvOI.
Three years later, in the early spring
of '6S, we were steaming back through
Mississippi sound, en- route for New
Orleans by way of the Rigolets. 1t was
an exquisite morning, and the land
breeze was laden with the fragrance
of the magnOlias and soft with the
balsam of the southern pine. The
steamer darted swiftly through the
placid blue waters. bearing among
other passengers little party of Off
GERS and ladies, returning from a brief
visit to Mobile. Carver was there,
captain and brevet lieutenant colonel
in the regular service, and still with
Hancock. who was then commanding
the Department of the Gulf. Benton
was there, holding like rank with his
old friend of the staff; and with Ben
ton, seated on the upper deck, was
Rosalie, looking fondly into his face at
times, then again, with earnest inter-
est, on another pair, talking in low
tones together at the bows. 1t had
been solemn pilgrimage, this mis-
sion TO Mobile. They had gone thither
to lay away all that was mortal of Paul
Ladue, transferred from the rocky
banks of the little stream in far-away
Pennsylvania to the shady nook
where, all night long in the moonlight,
the hooking bird sang in this land of
his boyhood and his devoted love.
Gathered about his final resting place
were few indeed of his kith and kin.
but the tempered sunshine fell on
fair women and brave men of both
north and south-the blue and the
gray-all enmity stilled, please God,
forever. And of those who stood with
tear-dimmed eyes, as bugler of the
Eleventh Alabama sounded the SOL
dier's lullaby over the fresh-heaped
mound. Elinor Benton had laid a little
spray of lilies of the valley on the
lowering casket. 1t was a gray-sleeved
arm, for the old uniform was seen on
one or two veterans, that drew her
gently away and led her, bowed and
reverent from the burial of her earliest
love. 1t was the same arm on which
she was leaning now, as she stood
gazing down upon the dancing waters
under the forefoot, and it was on these
two, Elinor and brother Jack, that
Queen Rosalie looked with trimming
eyes; then, questioning, up into her
stalwart husbands face
But for whom did not Queen Rosalie
scheme and plan? Was it not she
| who, when the Pelhams had to part
with old Pyramus. sold a precious