Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1906-11-09
SOUTHERN ROSES
and NORTHERN LILACS

On. -Ol+--OHs
The woman in black turned and
saw Helen drop to her knees. She
was at her side in a moment. Beau
tifult' Helen was saying into the
depths Of the creamy roses. Where
did they come from?"
From Virginia; came by mail yes
terday, said the woman in black in
a soft Southern drawl. Helen noticed
the accent, and thought it sweet. She
did not know it was Southern.
'You put them here for us?"
Il put them here for him" The
woman in black pointed to the name
on the marble slab. He did me-
did us--a very great kindness years
ago"
She was on her knees now. beside
Helen, helping to arrange the white
lilacs Il love them so. the flowers"
she said.
A robin was oaroling overhead.
Family there came to them the
thrum, thrum of drum, and far
down the road cloud of white dust
was rising.
1T was a beautiful day, Just like
to-day" the stranger was saying, in
her soft, Southern drawl Mature
was ioyously. exuberantly happy. but
our hearts were heavy and sad. 1t
seemed to me as if mine was broken,
as if l could never be happy and
merry again. Down in our pasture,
tents we're pitched. From our side
piazza we could see blue coats NOV
ing about them. / hated those blue
coated men marauders - called
them by every despicable epithet
could think of l hated them because
they were quartered on US without in
vitation. Only n few weeks before. a
party OF them came into our garden,
and one of them went along and
smashed the sashes of our hotbeds
with his heel, and they helped them
selves to our radishes and early vege-
tables. When old Tom called to them
to leave 'em thar. we wants EN- to
eat, they laughed at iim and retort-
ed: We want em to eat, too, old
Mr. Blaekbirdi
ITO tell the truth. we had not very
much to eat in those days; we were
al short rations often, and now / re-
feet they must have been. too, those
boys in blue. ! hated them most,
think, because only a few days before
they had killed and eaten my pet
heifer.
"Oh child, those were hard days,
cruel days! But hardest on us in
whose homes and dooryards the
fierce, bloody battles were fought.
Oar house was watched. I'd seen
the men picke.ed about it. We were
suspected of harboring an escaped
prisoner. a spy, they deemed him. A
squad of blue coats came riding up
or lane one morning. They were
coming 70 search our premises. We'd
expected this for several days. They
dismounted and tied their horses to
the garden fence. One of them came
TO me. I was sitting or a bench
alongside the house. Over it I'd
spread a rug I'd fetched from the
hall
he officer explained, or attempt
ed to explain to me that he had seen
detailed to the painful duty of search
ing our house. Don't, interrupted,
make any apologies; they're quite
out Of place at such time, and from
you. Our permission you do not need
we are at your mercy. sir,'
Il could have struck him dead,
standing there, cap in hand, had /
been able. I think | looked my
hatred He looked embarrassed.
pained At signal from him the
men entered the house He had bid
den them give as little oGeuse as pos
sible and be quick He stood there,
Cap in hand, while the men were in
side-it seemed to me they were ages
inside His face was partly ayerted.
1t was a fne, noble face, face to win
confidence. He may have a mother
at home, or a sister or a sweetheart
at home, thought l had never as
sociated these tender ties with my
hatod enemies before. The men came
out and he went toward them. and it
seemed, led them away from me.
All right, lie said, I was quite
sure there was no one concealed in
side that house Did he emphasize
The word insides I thought he did,
was sure he did, and the thought
froze The blood in my veins.
He came back and stood guard
over me. What did he mean TO do
next2 Oh, how anxiously I studied
his face while his men searched our
outbulldings And when they had
done. be pointed to their horses, then
turning to me, cap. still in hand, he
said; / hated to make this search,
but we lave 10 obey orders. Say to
them, to your people, that you will
not be subjected to this annoyance
again while | am on duty. but | shall
be relieved Of duty here at o'clock
tomorrow mornings O'Clock to-
morrow morning, he emphasized.
4 know what he meant.s | knew
he meant get your house in order
before that Tears sprang TO my
eyes, tears Of gratitude. tears OF re-
lief. would have sprung upS and
gone TO him and shaken his hand had
dared to get up oh sir. thank
you. thank you! ! murmured. and
reached him a couple OF roses OF the
bush that grew beside me, the parent