Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-06-08
A Tiaieoh Anniversary WAR Story
By RANDALL PARRISH
COPYRIGHT. 1909. BY A. c MecLURG & co.

as it is dark. I've got TO marry Cal
vert Dunn" Her voice choked her
handclasp Tightening. "And-and. Joe,
l know I'll be miserable. for l believe
he is a cowardly brute. 1t has been
little things that have so prejudiced
me against him. Look how he dashed
you, across the face with his riding
whip; how he shot that poor dog be-
cause it failed to retrieve to his liking;
how he sneered at me for binding up
the poor things wounds. What real
man would insist on a girls marrying
him when he knows she would almost
give her life to escape?'
Does Massa Calvert know datr'
Il told him plainly enough. and he
only laughed. He said l was q child
and didn't know my own mind; then
he endeavored to brighten me. Father
and George both think so highly of
him they win not hear a word spoken
against him. 1 simply had to talk
with some one, Joe, and let out my
heart That's why came out here to
you. l tell you. all the slaves In the
south are not black. and l reckon It's
just as hard to be born free and then
sold as any other way. l might have
learned to like him if he had only come
to me as a man should. But. no. he
ignored me entirely and appealed TO
papa and George. telling them of the
danger / was in here and of how VAIN
able the two estates would be If Joined
together. That's the way they have
forced me along to the sacrifice. FIN
sold for the price of the land
She sprang to her feet. her cheeks
burning with swift Indignation. Il
should have fought it. fought it: but
all that Is too late now. am going
Joe: there's no use talking any longer.
and SO i am going to smile and look
happy, and no one but you will ever
know that l am not. am going to
have you and Aunt Diana with me at
Fairview just as soon as l can. 1t
will be comfort just to have you there
to look ut when my heart seems like
breaking. And he'll break ii. Joe: l
know he will"
She was gone. vanishing almost as a
shadow might
Pore little lamb. Pore little lamb
the old negro kept on saying over
and over. An she am right bout 1t
too; dat Massa Calvert am not de kind
fer Miss Jean"
Then he passed out also. and 1 was
left alone within the shed
My interest in the situation thus
oddly disclosed. awakened very largely.
1 must admit. by the extremely at
tractive personality of Miss Jean and
the deep. pathetic appeal In her soft
voice. left me momentarily forgetful of
my own unpleasant condition and re-
quirements- I burst not follow the
retreating negro. nor did feel. judg-
ing from the bitterness with which
both he and the girl had referred 20
the Yankees. that this particular color
ed brother would prove very much in
clined to assist one wearing my uni
form That l could in any way aid
the young woman out of her present
difficulty would have been a prepos-
ferrous thought: interested l was. yet
! had sufficient trouble on hand of
my own My wounds by this time
gave me very little concern. and my
mind was sufficiently clear and active.
Except for some accident. escape ought
not to prove so very difficult. although
it was true should be compelled to
travel through the night. largely by
instinct. knowing almost nothing re-
garding roads. direction or where
Confederate pickets might be encoun-
tered If / only possessed some sem
blance OF a Confederate uniform the
adventure would become much more
simple, for in the confusion. which
must have followed the late engage
ment there would be. many scattered
soldiers of all arms wandering a bout
seeking their lost commands
However. the first important and vi
tai consideration was food. but that
as well as all else must wait the COM
ing of darkness The sun had already
disappeared behind the grove of trees
in the west There was a fire burning