The Lamar register., 1913-02-05

anu give uo loh6uo.
The officer in command saw the
little group of women on the porch.
The moonlight shone from the street
side and high-lighted them, turning
the rusty black of most of the gowns,
home-dyed mourning-all til; could
be come at in those awful days In
Richmond-into soft shadows, above
which their faces shone angelic. He
saw the womans head in the window.
too. He knew who lay upon the bed
of death within the chamber. He had
helped to bring him back from the
front several days before He bit his
lips for a moment and then, ashamed
With arm and saber the battery salut-
ed the women and passed on. while
from the window of the great drawing
room, opposite the room of the lint
pickers and bandage-tearers. slender
boy stared and stared after the dis
appearing guns, his eyes full of envy
and vexatlous tears as he stamped his
foot In futile protest and disappoint-
ment.
The noise made by the passing can
non soon died away in the distance.
Stiffness supervened as before; work
ers whispered together. realizing that
some OF those passing upon whom
they had looked would pass no more.
and that they would look upon them
never again. Upstairs the means Of
the wounded man had died away; the
nj thIvv hot tcf Tod xs,oa ha
full laundering of the distant guns
around beleaguered Petersburg. With.
in the drawing-room. the boy walked
up and down restlessly. muttering to
himself. evidently nerving himself 10
desperate resolution.
'T won't do IT," he said. Il won't
stay here any longer"
He threw up his hands and turned
to the portraits that adorned the room.
portraits that carried one back
through centuries to the days Of the
first cavalier Of the family, who
crossed the seas to seek his fortune
in a new land. and It was q singular
thing that practically every one Of
them wore a sword.
You all fought" said the boy pas
sionately. ''and I am going to-"
The door at the other end was soft.
ly opened. The great room was but
dimly lighted by candles In sconces on
the wall: the great chandelier was not
lighted for lack Of tapers. but . more
brilliant radiance was presently east
over the apartment by the advent Of
old Martha. She had been the boys
Nanny" and the boys fathers
NANNY" as we'll, and no one dared
70 speculate how much farther into
the past she ran back.
"Is dat you. Mars Wilfredf" said
the old woman. waddling into the
room. both hands extended. bearing
two many-branched candlesticks,
which she proceeded to deposit upon
the handsome mahogany tables with
which the long drawing-room was fur
nished.
Eyes. 1t il I. Aunt Martha. Did you
see Benton's battery go by?"
'Lawd Tub you. chile, All done seed
SO many guns an bosses an soljahs
a-gwine by All don't TEX no notice OBJ
'em no mo-. 'Peahs lax dey keep ON
a-passin' fo'ebah."
We'll. there won't be many more Of
them pass by" said the boy in clear
accent, but with that soft information
which would have betrayed his South
ern ancestry anywhere. land before
they are all gone. l would like to Join
one of them myself"
why. my po' III lamb" exclaimed
Martha. her arms akimbo. dat All
done nussed in desc aims, IL you
gwine to de f1ghtf"
The boys demsanor was anything
but lamb-like. He made a fierce step
toward her.
Don't you call me lamb any
MORE" he said. Its ridiculous and
Nanny Martha started back in
alarm.
"'Peahs mo- lax a lion d be bet
ter" she admitted.
where's mother7" asked the boy,
Diminishing the subject as unworthy
Of argument
IT reckon she's upstaihs wild Mars
Howard, sub. Yo' bruddah-"
81 want to see her right away" con
tinued the boy impetuously.
Mars Howard he's putty bad dis
sbenin'." returned Martha. "Ah bet
tab go an tell her dat you want her
but All dunno's shed want to leaf
him."
ssuy.u vo,, tai I,ar IN cona a. aons