Year: 1873

A Story Of Decoration Day.


BY FLOYD BENTLEY.


1t is my own story that wish to tell


you, and since am neither scholarly


nor gifted, you will pardon me if I tell


it in my own simple way.


have lived here at the foot of hills
all my life. They have grown to be


friends and companions to me, these
Igray old bluff, rngged with rocks and
crowned with music haunted pines. In
my darkest hours their silent presence
has had the power to quell my muir
murings and reassure my doubling
heart. 81 will look unto the hills from
whence cometh my help!"' think
can understand the meaning of that,
for it was OH their heights that the Hell
per found me; from their unchangable-
ness first drew some faint perception
of that everlasting love and tenderness
that watches above the storm-rocked
world. ~ssi s


Wise men say that where this green
yoiceful valley winds in and out among
the hills once rolled the waters of
mighty sea. / can fancy that it,may
have been so, for, even now, the top
most heights wear the delicate ripple
marks chiselled indelibly on their stony
faces; and beneath the pines, buried in
the moss, myriads of tiny shells are
strewn, as if scattered by playful, child
ish fingers; and, indeed, ON any sunny
day, you may stand as / have stood be-
meath the trees, and while the green
grain-waves lapse softly by the. hills
side, and the winds solemn chant roars
through the pines, it requires no great
stretch of imagination to deem that it
is the dead seas voice to which you
listen, and that its white-capped bilIows
break as of old on the rocks beneath
you. Tr.sa i
There were four of us, in those olden
days of which | would tell you. My
father and mother, broken down and
aged before their time by years of un-
remitting toll; my brother Hugh, a
slender delicate lad of seventeen; and
|, the eldest, who, being as told you
before, neither scholarly nor gifted,
strove only to make the little spot of
earth where l dwelt the brighter for
my living in it. And that is a gift in
its way, let me tell you. There are
some women who shine only by reflec-
ted light, as they say the moon does
who are ill-natured and peevish and dis
eontented, when they. are alone with
their family and the glare of society is
withdrawn; but no home is worthy of
the name which does not contain some
spirit that sends forth a steady cheer
full flame alike in rain and sunshine,
fair. weather and foul. That light
strove to be in my fathers home, and l
think succeeded; at least, Hartley
used to say that no house could be des-
titute of sunshine while was in it. 1t |
was my one gift, and for it was truly
grateful. CfFI IETsT n


HartIey-Hartley Hcith; that was his |
named-liyed a little farther down the
valley where the houses crept along
close to the rivers bank. He was stall
wart farmers boy, full of high hopes
and ambitions. had known him from
childhood, and loved him with all my
heart. sRtsaEEz "a ssHE |


You who dwell in the centers of civ
ilization: to whom the telegraph brings
the worlds news still athrill with the
birththroe, cannot dream of the per-
feet isolation which locks in this valley
during the dead of winter; when the
snow walls pass from hill to hill, and
the rock-torn river, ice-bound and help
less, lies like some mighty giant at
their feet. In those earlier daysEof
which 1 write, we, were too fan from
the established mail routes to have any
regular Communication with the outer
world, but sometimes a homeward
bound hunter would bring the coveted
news along with his furs and game; or
some adventurous skater would strike
across the ice, and threading his way
carefully among the rocks, speed down
to the village twenty miles below and
return laden with letters and papers,
to meet the heartfelt benedictions of
the dozen families that constituted the
settlement. --E.H ulfoeFf1 "a


And so it was not at all strange that
the first mutterings of the great storm
which swept over the nation rolled
harmlessly by us and left no echo in
the valley. Once or twice through the
late winter vague half-heeded rumors
were borne to our ears; but when the
impossible snow-walls were melting
slowly away, and the waking river
giant with renewed strength swapping
his ice fetters one by one, a terrible cry
came to our ears on the southern gate.
Sumter had fallen! and we whose love
Of country was as strong and unchange-
able as the hills we dwelt among, knew
the double meaning of that direful mes
sage. .. IKE Enas.i z3Hia


knew from the first that Hartley
would go; and would not have kept
him back If | could. He was born a
soldier and hero. 1t was his work
and l could only bid him God speed
But when Hugh came to me,-my slen-
der boyish Hugh, nervous and sensitive
as woman, fainting at the sight of
blood, and shnddering at the sound of
Il gun; when he came to me with white
lips and eyes dark, with intensity of
purpose, and said ssI am going too,
Alletha y cried out In agony OF spir-
it, such as l pray that you may never
know. He, my baby brother, petted
and spoiled from his cradle, kept by his
delicate temperament from the worlds
rough work, and set apart from the
common throng by the tenderest of hui
man love rs one destined to tell the
good tidings of peace and salvation to
the world; I could not bear 1t, and |
sat down on the grass at his feet, and


burst into a passion of tears.


Don't take it so hard, Alletha!" ne


faltered, passing his soft hand across


my forehead, "for indeed 1 must go.
They call me coward! and say have


love for the land. Help me! Help me !!