m
CHATTKR I.
m not a pretty girl by hit Bui
seana, at Mil events at that period
Kb i
)Mr iif. Her mot emmog leaiures
i VT I targe an'! somewhat heavy nose,
! MJ a wide ni'.iitli. But her chin was
1 Irro sad well molded, and she had a pair
af Isrije Niiid cjes. act in a noble fore
lead. Her hair of a reddish tinge, and
Pf which abe poaaeased an unuaual quan
tity was ail pushed off her far in a most
aiibeeosntog fashion, and Iter plain, black
grew relieved by nothing more orna
mental than a frill of common luce about
, wie throat. Vet there vu nothing ordi-
.ry a boot her. unk-s-i it were the look i
rxtrftne weariness with which the aur
i feyed the sr-ent before her.
It wma evening, at tbe close of one of
the BottMt dsvs in July, and she was
panimt with both elbows on the will of
Iker bedroom window, trying to Inhale a
rvU of fresh air, mid looking expectant
t iip the street a he did so. Such a
fberirooai as it was. too! An attic at the
fvcry top of a dingy lodging house in
Ij.ju street of Liverpool, with a sloping
roof that concentrated all the mm ray,
nd made it like an oven at that time of
itbe year.
Ilvelvo mi seventeen years old, ano
haJf that time she had lived where she
ow waa, till me past nail iuu-u
faniwtl, fsr-off dream. Often, when she
ftiy. I a mhiiite to simre, she would rub her
tenxeTB over the leaves of the verbena, or
ft.ury her nose in the scarlet geranium on
Ith window aill, and try and bring back
'Isone recollection of the place in which
'b bad delighted long ago the stream
'where the large blue forget-me-nots grew,
land the fields laden with ripe corn, and
the nut-buahea and wild briur roves that
fhung over the country road,
t Wv.dvn'" called a shrill voice from
'fthe narrow staircase. The girl started
Ifrom her reverie.
I "Yes, Aunt Maria."
I Kvelyn opened the door and confronted
.tthe questioner.
i "(iood gracious me!" cried Miss Itaytie.
3- yOD OUgnt TO Oe BhllJIHI'M ' ...
fllere am I, toiling morning, noon and
Inlght to keep a decent borne above our
Sjrieade, and you can sit down and do uoth-
"It i only for a moment I nave i.een
working, too." replied Evelyn, with a
,uWrt dignity that always made her seem
older than her aunt when it came to an
argument between them. "I have made
the paatry for to-morrow, and 1 have
mended all Will's shirts," pointing to a
heap of linen on the Ix-d.
"WiUi shirt, indeed!" exclaimed Mia
Rayne, with a sniff. "Let Will find some
one else to mend hi sbirt."
"Oh, aunt, how inn he, with the miser
able salary that Uncle Onryll give him?"
"Well, he must ask for more pay, then.
Wtai Mr. Curyll begged nie. n a favor,
to take the lad into my house, and board
and lodge hiju for n pound a week, lie
aidn't aay anything nbout the mending
of biv linti. Will tiikea ijuite enough ad
vautage of my kindneaa an it is. He's
ot my ni)hew, you muat rvimnilM?r."
"No, aunt, but he s my cousin.
, "Rubbiah! That doeau't oblige you to
I turn Into his factotum. You are my own
hrfrther'a child, and aa such I'm bound to
VfUke an ititrreat in you; but except that
ijonr poor mother win one of thetii, these
yCarylli have no claim on me."
Si . "Utvcle Caryll dooan't troubl ua tuuch,"
J aaid Evelyn, in a low voice.
f1 "No, my dear; that'a juat wliere It la.
A na rolling ki money, without kith or
fchi, and taken no more notk-e of you than
it yon were so much uirt. What have you
Aooe that you should be left ontV You're
nSU aa much hia flesh and blood aa your
$ . onin.
I' "He haan't done mi much for Will, eith
4 r," aakl the girl. "He haa made him a
i eirrk in bil counting houae, and give uun
poand a we'k for hi clothes and pock
et nrtiney."
"And paya roe precisely the mine sum
for keeping him in food and lodging, lt'a
4kMrraeefiil!" lnterjiosed Misa lLayne ex
aaHnlly; "and aome on ought to tell the
M man ao. Partlenlarly If what folks
ay la troe-aud be nieana to loave Mount
Btleo to Will."
"A not!" cried Kvelyn, "ia that really
the caaer
"Well, my dear, It waa told me In eonfl
4mee, ao yon must be aure not to repeat
H. but Mr. Gamble wma called In to wit,
east your nncle'a will the other day, and
4 quit thinks Mr. Caryl) haa nominated
your eonain hia hir, instead of hia aoo
Hngh."
"Poor f)4iin Hugh. But la It quite
onite aure, auntie, that be will never h
heLrd of again'
"Aa aure as anything can be in this
world. The poor ly ran away to sen,
and waa drowned by the upsetting of a
boat in the surf In the Hay of Ollao. Ilia
body waa never found again. It was a
terrible ahoek at the time for your poor
unele, but It la five yenra and more swe
H occurred. Hugh would have been
three and twenty bad he lived; but since
be la gone, and we none of ua con take
our money away with us. It la only nat
uraj Mr. Caryll should thing of those who
tiave a clkim upon him."
"I a niao glad! I hope It ia true," inJd
Evelyn, with a auiplcioua sound In ber
vow like teara. "How happy It will
tr.ake poor Will. And he Is so fit for the
Petition, too. lie hates work. He would
alwaya be mlaerable aa'a pKjr man, but
W1M may have a lung apprenticeship to
erve before he cornea into Mount Kilen."
"Mount Kden, indeed," snorted Misa
Rayne. "It'a aickening to think of Unit
ly coming Into Mount Kden. Why, the
porWe lodge would be too good for Mm."
"Ia It mcb a beautiful place aa that,
Annt Maria? Have you ever been
Jierer ,
"Once (a jonr father's lifetime, and
then only for a day. Hut H'a the most
beautiful plstoaj you ever saw, Kvelyn.
More Mb ParavdUe than anything else.
It'a rightly named. Bat It should have
otu to yea (or, at the least, the half of
H), a4 I'll maintain that to tny dying
Amw-
"BreT hooU'd youthful voice from
tbe Makag room door; "Eve, where are
vvr (MM down and give me my ten;
I'm l hurry."
1 Tbe gM Mule for the dwr.
"1 Bay, Bra, this ia too badf stclaimed
UnryU, as she entered tne room,
aa I waiting for my tea, an4 in n
f a harry t gat aw agan, tmA
there's not a sign of it. Where's that fool
Sarah? Why hasn't she laid tbe cloth V
"My dear Will, it is only just 8 o'clock,
"iid you tever have your tea till half past.
It alsali be on the table in rive minuies.
Why are you iu ui 1 a hurry to-uighl'"
"I'm going out."
Erelyn'a face fell. It waa evident the
newa waa a disappointment to her.
"Oh! Then the beat thing I can do ia
to go and help Sarah."
"Are niy ahirts ready?"
"Yes. I lei id them on the bed. Shall
yon want anything more?"
"Only a clean white tie. And I think
there's a butlon off my new gloves."
"I will manage it," ahe answered cheer
fully, aa she left the rocm.
It was more of au effort than some
might imagine for her to answer cheer
fully at that moment. She had been look
ing forward ail day to ber cousin'a return,
and to a pleasant evening spent with him.
For it was Saturday, and on Saturday
Will Caryll received hia weekly stipend,
and always seemed iu better spirits for it.
Katurdoys be had been used to take his
cousin Kvelyn for long strolls, riding on
the omnibus or street tram, into the sur
rounding country, leaving dingy, smoky
Liverpool far behind and wandering
about all the summer evening with her
iin bis arm.
These were the girl's happiest moments
would prove, perhaps, to be the happi
est moments of all her life although she
was unconscious why they were wi. And
now, Will was going out somewhere by
himself, and Rhe must find her Saturdny
evening's recreation in toasting Miss
Fletcher's bread, or catering for Mr. (Iam
bic's supper. Hut she did not grumble,
even to herself. She even felt a certain
pleasure In producing copers from her
own pocket and running round the corner
to buy a few shrimps to make hia meal
more pnlatuble to bitn. And she sat down
aflerwnrils to p-el them, whilst he ate,
and would have asked no better fate than
thus to minisier to Iub wants for the re
mainder of her life.
CII.U'TKI! II.
Will Caryll was very reticent on the
subject of where he was going that night.
He ate his shriuiis as fast a.s Kvelyn
could peel them, and chatted to her of the
events of the pust day, animadverting
strongly on his uncle's meanness and
strict aurveillmice, which prevented a fel
low ever having a moment to himself.
He had good reason to keep hia inten
tions a secret from his cousin. lie knew
that she would have n-ason to dispute mid
oppose him. For he had two theater
ticket In his pocket, and he wanted to
take a pretty milliner's girl to the piny.
He as looking forward to posing as the
"lUHsher swell" to "Kmily," and Impress
ing her wilb a sense of his iiuitorlnnce in
the commercial world. Hut when h? ar
rived at the girl's n-slileme. he found him
self doomed to disappointment. Kuiily
had been "one too ninny" for him. Soiin
othr fellow, older than Will Caryll, and
probably with more money iu his pocket.
bad already ninde his appearance on the
scene, and the faithless milliner had left
the house under his protection. So half
an hour later, just as Kvelyn Kayne re
turned home with Mr. (Iambic's supper,
she encountered Will Caryll on the door
step. "Will!" she exclaimed, with pleased sur
prise; "what brings you home so early V"
He could nut tell the truth. He knew
It would lower him in her eyes, and he
too conceited to wish to lose even the
leswit modicum of admiration from any one
of the sex.
"Cannot you guewt?"
"Indeed, I cannot."
"I went out to buy some tickets for tie
theater. I want to take you there to
night to see 'Human Nature.'
"Oh. WUI, why didn't yon tell me of It
before? Io you think I shall look nice
enough? I have uot been to the tbeufer
for years not since Mr. Gamble took
auntie and me to the pantomime at the
liotuiida. I have nothing to wear but my
Hunday frock. And will Aunt Maria let
me go?"
"Cut In and ask her, and don't keep me
waiting all night," retorted Will.
Evelyn Dew on Jhe wings of the wind
Into the presence of her aunt. Khe was
rosy with excitement, and her great eyes
glowed like two stars.
"Aunt Maria, uncle haa sent Will two
tickets for the theater. May I go?"
"Theater tickets, child! Have yon got
Mr. Gamble's supper?"
"Yes, yes. Such a nice little lobster.
Quite fresh, and only nhiepence."
"And Miss Fletcher has bud her ten?"
"It, aunt, half an hour ago, and she
said the toast was delicious."
"Well, I really (lout see why you
shouldn't go, tlwii, If your cousin promi"o
to take protwr cure of you; but don't yield
to any of his persuasions, Kvelyn'. I
haven't much faith in William (Jaryll. If
he doesn't bring yon straight home from
Lhc theater, Just jump Into an omnibus
and come back by yourself, Iio y0u un
derstand me?"
"Of course I do, auntie; but Will will
bring me straight home. Oh, how good
it Is of you to let ine go."
When she came downstair again, In
her dress and hat, and a muslin lu hu lied
carelessly about her throat. Will Caryll
was pleased to approve of her HpM-ar-ance.
"You don't look half bad when you're
properly dressed. Ke," be ohservtd. In
a patronizing time; "it's a shame Miaa
Jtayne keeps you so shabby"
"Don't say thut, Will," she answered,
as tlicy turned out of the hall door and
hurried on their way. "Auntie gives nie
as much as she can afford, and I can't
tell you how sorry I Jim to be a burden
to her. I am utterly useless, except to
look after the house."
'That's the best thing a woman can
do," said WUI, "and, when you marry,
you'll find the truth of it"
A crimson wave of color surged up
Into Evelyn's fsos.
"Mnrryl Oh, I never ahsll do that,
Will."
"That's rubbish," remarked Will la
conically. "Hut we must look sharp,
Kve, or we shall loss Ut drat piece. Ult
hanaoni!"
Evelyn could at bwHsre bar eysa. Ttm
most she had evar dreamt of waa that
her cousin would taka her to th theater
in an oannlbus or a tram.
"Will," she whispered, la an sweat rack
', "did y menn It? Wos't ft be ei-
peoaivef"
"Of course I meant it," be returned.
IsughtBg. "Do you want to walk all tbe
way? If H'a a warm nitjht we may stroll
home again, bat just now lime Is precious.
To the Grand, cabby, and hurry up."
"Oh, km't H delightful !" exclaimed Eve
Ivn. a the horse set off at a swingin
trot. "If I could alwaya hire a bansom.J
1 should never want to have a earvtagv.
"Yon ihall have both csrrig and
hansoms when I come iuU the Mount
Eden property. Eve, for I shall never
forget what friends we have been the
very lest of friends, eh?" he continued,
aa be pressed the hand he held in his.
Kvelyn was in a flutter of delight.
When they reached tbe theater they
went into their seats two of the'beet
seats In the iheater and for the next
three hours the girl could think f noth
ing but the scene before her, and the
actors who look part in It.
Hut when the evening's amusement wss
concluded-when the lights were out and
the curtain had dropped for the lat time
on the mimic world which had seemed so
real to her and they were walking back
together, the feur that Will might be out
stripping his means recurred to ber.
"Will, dear." she suid, a little timidly,
"I am so much obliged to you for taking
me out to-night. I have enjoyed myself
beyond measure, but I am afraid it must
have cost a lot of money. You must uot
be extravagant, you know, or you will
make uie miserable."
"That's no affair of yours, my dear,"
he said gaily. "All you have to do when
I take you out is to enjoy yourself and
look your best. And you have bis?n look
ing your best lo-night, Kve. I was quite
proud of you. Your eyes are glorious,
and when you are happy yon get such a
nice color."
"() Will!" she cried, blushing all over,
"what nonsense you do tjilk. Hut if you
think I am -nice, it is all I care for."
"Think you nice!" he repeated, with a
fervent pressure of the arm which was
slipped within his own. "I should think
slipped within his own. "I should think
I did think joti nice. Why, Kve. you're
the very best girl in all the world to me!
What should 1 do without you? You're
everything to nie, Kve. Hut you shall
have your reward some day. Some day,
when 1 am rich and prosperous, and the
owner of Mount Kden. you shall see that
I have not forgotten what you have done
for mo."
( HAI'TKK 111.
"But 1 don't want any reward," said
the girl shyly; "1 do it because because
because "
"Heeause why'" be demanded, looking
down upon her triumphantly.
"Heoiiusc you are my cousin," she an
swered, niore lirmly; "and it is pleasant to
wait on you. If relations cannot help
each other, who wil'.V"
"You dear girl!" he answered, pressing
her arm to his side. "It was just what
I was going to say myself. We are I'm-le
Caryll's only relations. The property
must come to one or other of us two. lie
couldn't iu deceucy leave it to a stranger.
And whichever of us gets it will share it
with the other. Is that a bargain?'
"Yes. ics. with all my heart," cried
Kve.
"Hut there is only one way of doing it,
my dear," continued Will, as they passed
into the shadow of a leafy square, "and
that is by marrying each other. Will
you promise to marry nie, KveV uot just
directly, of course, because we are both
too young, but by-and by. w hen I earn a
decent salary, ami my prospects are a
little more settled."
Under the shade of the leafy lime trees,
Kve blushed a vivid red from brow to
bosom. In I lie quiet of its shuttered
houws, Will Caryll could hear the rapid
lieating of her heart. This was what she
had been dreaming of for a year past,
but never hoped to gain the bright vis
ion of happiness that had dam-ed before
her waking eyes, but burst like a bubble
with the sigh that cu'Brsd it.
"Won't yon say 'Yes?' " whispered Will,
as his arm stole round her waist, "or
don't you Ihink you like me well enough?"
"Kike you! Ob. Will! my darling Will,
you know-jou must understand. But
are you sure that am good enough?"
"Why, of course I aai sure. You don't
suppose 1 want a wife with nothing but
n pretty face to recommend her, do you?
Turn your face this way, Kve, there'a no
one looking, and give me a kiss to seal
the bargain."
Tbls was not the first kiss, by many,
that had been exchanged between the
cousins, but It was the first thut W1U had
ever given her In the character of lover,
and Eve felt the difference at once, and
never again forgot it. It changed her
from a child to a woman. She walked
the nut of the way borne by his side In a
species of silent, delirious delight.
"I hope your aunt will have gone to
lsd," whispered Will, aa he fumbled with
the latch-key; "und theu we can have a
few minute iu the parlor to ourselves."
But Miss ltayne was not In lied. As
soon as they stepped into the hall, she
confronted them.
"Dear, dear!" she enid, testily, "how
lste you are. Do you know that it's past
twelve? I've been expecting you for the
Inst hour. Mr. Gamble baa been in for a
Ion; time, and asking to see Will Caryll.
lie's wailing for him In the front room
now."
"Iet him wait, then. It's past working
hours. He's got no right to bother me
now," i-ried Will.
Mr. Gauhle was the cashier In his un
cle's counting house, in tbe firm of Ciiryll,
Tyndal A Masters, timber merchants.
lie had lodged with Miss ltayne for some
years before the lad hud hit been taken
iuto the business.
"Perhaps not, Mr. William," said the
cashier, opening the door of his sitting
room, "hut you will acknowledge that Mr.
Caryll bus. On my return this evening, I
found a note from him that demands
jour Immediate attention. He good
enough to atep iu here."
The lad turned red, but was compelled
to obey. lie had only Jiiat time to give
Kvelyn a significant glance before Mr.
Gamble's door had swallowed him up and
closed npon him, as she was left alone
with Miss ltayne.
Eve gave one wistful glance nt Mr.
Gsmble's closed door through which tbe
cashier's voice could he heard speaking
in very grave and measured tones, and
with a sigh went up to her room. Hut
when she rii hod It, she did not remove
her things, but sat on the edge of her bed.
stead, listening for Will's step upon the
stairs.
Mr. Gamble was saying to ber cousin
below
"It'a a mysterious business altogether,
Mr. WilHsm, and one that we don't like."
"Wall, I know nothing of the matter,
sir."
"That Is wfc 'ha fault Haa. Xc
a
business to know. The
outlsy is in your depev
Caryll expects a strict a
of both. It is oaly right
No business can be prap
without every expenditure
rately checked, w e hsve
srror of this kiud iu the
It reflects on everybody emp!
"That'a just it," cried y
"everybody is asking foe tav
ute of the day, and It is Impoi
down every postage stamp
They don't leave me alone t
together, either. I'm ia and
desk like a jack-in-the-box.
earth can I be responsible fo
taking the stamps and papers
not there?"
"Well, sir, you'll have to be
fill for the future," replied t
"for It has come to Mr. Ca
and be seldom passes over a fault for the
seisiiwl time."
Will had grown very red and angry
during this discussion.
"You seem to forget that I am Mr.
Otaryll's nephew and nearest relation." he
said haughtily. "You are talking to me,
Mr. Gamble, as if I was the'otlice boy."
"No, Mr. William, I forget nothing: but
neither, you will find, diss Mr. Caryll,
even though you are his nearest relation.
He is a just employer, but a very strict
one. So 1 advise you to keep your books
more accurately for the future. And
that is all!"
"I don't want your advice, and I shall
go and s.-e my uncle to morrow and Htwak
to him ahoiit it myself." retorted Will,
as he left the room and slammed the door
afler him.
(To be continued.)
Sunday School Hooks.
Ed word W. Hok, in the Ladies' Home
Journal, writes of the "wlnhy-washy,"
pornlcioiiM literature which is placed
In the liaiulrt of the young through the
Sunday school libraries. He makes a
plea for a reform of this evil, ami baa
some words of regret, that standard
uovels are not generally included In the
libraries of Sunday schools. He also
gives the tlilos ami teachings of a few
of the books procured from Suuilay
school libraries.
"The lirst," he says, "w as called 'The
Assault, or Hobby's l.essou.' Hobby
si nick a lsiy, who died from the effects
of the blow! Imagine: Then Hobby
liecatne sorrowful, morose, finally went
Insane, was scut to a madhouse ami
died there at the age of ',. The story
plainly points to the fact that Hobby
went to hell. Another Uiok which I
read, preached the cheerful gospel of
Idiocy. 11 was called 'Marpraret. or the
Story of a Kittle idiot Girl.' In 11 a lit
tle girl was born on Idiot, and eight lit
tle girls were dally sent to ber house so
that they might hear her Idiotic say
ings and feel thankful for their bless
ings! 'Oscar's Sunday Flowers' told
the story of a boy w ho pleki,! Mowers
on Sunday, and that finally made him
an unsuccessful man for life! Mlui's
Confession, or a Hoy Who Lied.' was
the story of a lie. Poor little Jim told a
lie to bin mother one day, and that sot
fled him. Ills tortures lire pictured
through one hundred and forty-eight
pages, until be at last repents. But
men and women bbun him, and he la
always known as 'Jim, the I.lar.'
'The Two Schoolboy.' port rays two
boys: one gool, the other bal. Both
die: one goes to heaven and the other
to bell! 'Kittle Klla' Is a dressy jrirl.
She puts ou a bright red frock to wear
to Sunday school one day against ber
mother's wishes, and her downfall as a
woman Is the result!
Keflecttons oi' a Bachelor.
A neddlng la life's prize package.
If yvn were the windows of tbe soul
there would be more people that
IK) ul id.
Murrlage la a lottery In which men
have to wear the blanks hung around
their not'ka.
If Borne men were In busiitoss for
their health, they'd take the doctor Into
partnership.
The average man doesn't know touch
about women; if he did be'd think he
know more.
Probably the real fact la that the
lady ate the tiger.
There never w as a lovable man who
couldn't tolerate tobacco.
Th serpent knew hia buslnet. He
advlt'd Kve not to eat the apple.
Women pro'iably began wearing
clothes because they were tired of try
ing different sh-tdea of sunburn.
Tb women invented tbe name
"kimono" lie. use they knew the men
wouldn't let them wear them If they
called them Mother llubburds.
Kvcry niarileil woman wonders what
she would havj said If a certain man
bad proposed lo her, and every married
man wonders vliaf a certain woman
would have suid IX he hadn't. New
York I'ler.
Heat This Keeoril If You Can?
They say lightning never strikes
twice In the snuie place. It may not,
but it coim very near It sometimes,
a Col. CurtrUl t. of AlluuUi, will
agree. During a passing slorm In th
summer of lH'.fl 'he Colonel took refuge
under a popuir tree. Upon a Isdl of
lightning (shivering a tree In the same
row be ran Into a house near-by. W'bl'e
there iinot!.r bolt tit ruck a part of the
bouse, stunning cverylssly In It. An
hour later ai;other storm eamo up,
while the Colonel waa riding home In
i wagon. Aa he passed alon a group
of trees one was struck by lightning,
about oOO poinds of wood splinters
falling Into the Colonel's wagon. Ar
rived at home, he had barely entered
wncn n te.rrllc OaaU unroofed tlia
whole building.
Then Ha Painted.
. CuHtonier Have you any posts fa
stamp?
Clerk Tea, ma'am,
Customer Do you glva trading
checks with them?
The upright plauM f or am aot
neighbor la liaayi a
rtana 1
cW r
i
GRAY
It I I ON THE
officii V. twill.-
I 11.
1 t:
r-
1
I night, and
l-ep on tbe
I V the note
a un led Dines as the
south wind sofllv stirred.
Gloom above and around, and tbe brood
ing spirit of rest;
Only a single star over Dunderlierg's
lofty crest.
Tbrijiigh the drench of ooze and slime at
the marge of the river fen
File iisiii tile slips by. See! are they
ghosts or men':
Fast do they forward press, on by a track
Unbarred ;
Now is the causeway won. now have they
throttled the guard;
Now have they parted line to storm with
a rush on the height,
Some by a path to the left, some by a
palh to the right.
Hark!-the pes I of a gun! and the drum
mer's rude alarms!
Kinging down from the height there
soutideth the cry "To arms!"
Thundering down from the height there
cornel h the cannon's blure;
Flash upon blinding Hash lightens the
livid air;
Look! do the stormers quail? Nay; for
their feet are set
Now at. the bastion's base, now on the
parapet.
Urging the vanguard on prone dolh the
leader fall.
Emit ten sudden and sore by a foeman's
musket ball;
Waver the charging lines; swiftly they
spring to his side.
"Madcap Anthony Wayne," the patriot.
army's pride!
"Forward, my brmes!" he cries, and the
heroes hearten again;
"Hear me into the fort, I'll die at the
head of my men!"
Die!- did he die that night, felled ill his
lusty prime?
Answer many a lield in the stormy after
time!
Still did his prowess shine, still did his
cmirage soar,
From the Hudson's rocky steep to the
James's level shore:
Hut neer on Fame's fair scroll did he
blazon a deed more bright
Than his charge on Stony Point in the
heart of the murky night.
Youth's Companion.
A Tratiedy of th' War.
K had been a cup
tain for a year or
more Captain
Hligiit of Company
H. Fourteelif li In
fantrybut bo bad
ls!'n on detached
service Instead of In
I he field with his
men. And Ca plain
Blight had finally
been released from special dmy and
scut to the front and his commimd, and
he arrived to find the camps In eomrno
liou. Orders had Iximi Issued to pi-e-pate
three days' ralions and that meant
a movement and the owning of the
caniiiaJgTi. He was jubilant at first,
and he wondered that the men were
glum and grim Instead of exultant.
Through r.he cotton walls of his tent he
heard two of the privates) of his com
mand talking as they stood guard over
some couimlsKnry stores.
(Join' after Lee, eh?" (juerlexl the
first.
"That's the chalk, old man; Grunt's
goiu' to Hud Lee and go for him, und
we'll lie right In it."
"Wonder If our Captaiu's got sand?"
"iMiuuo. If he hasn't he'd better go
out and hang himself. Don't look to
me like a very grilty cuss."
The words si ruck Captain Blight
strangely. The rank and file bad been
sizing him up, and th" verdict was un
favorable. Ten minutes later he was
asking of a corporal w hom he had sent
for:
"Corporal Henderson, you have been
In several battles, haven't you?"
" Three big on :, sir, ami three or four
hoi skirmishes," was the reply.
"How did you feel la your first bat
tle?" "I wauled fo boll, sir, and Iord only
knows bow 1 pulled through It. 1 did
n't get over being scared till the ser
geant kicked me and made nie mad. I
am lobl that seven of our men goi into
a ditch and had lo be kicked out. The
lirst battle Is hell ou I lie nerves, sir,
begging your pardon."
"Hut no olllcer ever bolls. Corporal."
"Of course not. If a commissioned
ollicer should run away It would ls
worse than death fur him. No. sir his
way would be to shout himself on the
field "
For an hour after the corporal went
away the captain sat and thought over
i lie mailer and discussed It with him
self. A hundred thousand men broke camp
find went marching to the south for
twenty miles, and then they found a
lloii In the path. The beuds of the col
umns tiled to the riglrt and left, guns
wen hurried up and planted nt Inter
vals, and the legions faced each other
Iu battle line. There wan only skirm
ishing that day developing the strong
and weak sKt In eaeb other's posi
tion. The Fourteenth had three or
four tnen wounded by stray bullets, and
Hie victims were laughed at as they
went to the rear. "Watch the captain!
Watch fbn captain!" whispered the
Comimny B men nt frequent ItttarraJs
dining the afternoon, and Oaptaln
Blight realized that his every mora was
under criticism.
As the lines of buttle m ere formad be
became pale f sM, antf thafw WfH
tremor Iu bis volca as ha apok. Aa a
h4 screamed over the bead of fas)
regiment be looked furHTtfy atSbav hia,
Knt abut bis teeth bard. Tn aim m
the wounded men and the sight at I
made him stagger, but be pullacl bsam
aelf together sfter that on betrayal at"
weakness.
"He ain't goln to flunk," aad oa
veteran to another aa they waAcbad the)
explain.
"Nothing to flunk over In thu," ra
plied the other, "but you wait till to
morrow! He hain't got a durned bat
of sand to carry a face like that, but
he's got pride."
That night the mem slept on tbelt
arms, awl after the darkness had coma
down there was no more firing. If any
other man in Company B was awaka
Captain Blight did not know it. Ha
lay for hours looking up at the start
and fighting with himself. The events
of the afternoon had proved to him tha
he was lacking in courage. It was
hard thing to admit, but It was true.
The sun was scarcely aliove the tres
tops next morning when tbe battle
opened. It begun on the right wing
and roiled down along the front as you
have seen a great wave run along a
breakwater. In a quarter of an hour
from the lirst, crash of musketry th
center was fighting for its life. The
men of Company B, who bad said t
each oilier the afternoon before:
"Watch the caplalu!" gave him no
thought on this morning. They saw
the battle lines of the enemy marching
out one after another to attack them,
and they walled with baled breath fot
the lirst shock.
Tramp! tramp! I ramp! A host of men
in gray, with flags rippling in the morn
ing bree.e and lines dressed as If on
parade, moved across the barren field!
with stern set faces. Along the linea
In blue the men lay In thousands be
hind tbe breast works of rails and dirt,
with every musket at the full cock and
every finger on the trigger.
Tramp! Tramp! Crash! Crash! A
wall of flames two miles long a cloud
of blue-black smoke rolling back ove
the meadows ten thousand cheers, and
yells, and curses, as the shock came.
Before rhe volley there had been silence,
in the ranks of Company B. As the
sheets of flame leaped out every man
began to cheer or curse.
"This will break the strain and heart
en him up all right now," said the cor
1 1 rural, as he peered through the smoke.
Five mi miles liHer. ae ne waa pull
ing a dead man aside, the captain Mood
ls-rre him. He had deserted his place.
His face lre the pallor of death, even
when seen through the heavy smoke,
and his eye looked the terror which
w as eating at his soul.
"Go back, captain for God's sake, g
back!" shouted the corporal, as h
(minted to tbe head of the line.
"I'm running away running away!"
replied the captain, as be grasped tha
man by the shoulder aud itcreauned tha
words into his ear. "I told you I could
n't stand it, and 1 told you "
In his right hand he had his revolrer.
He lifted the weapon toward big facs
and the corporal seized It and cried:
"Don't, captain; don't! You are all
riglrt now! Go back go back! No, )
won't ! Gd, but look at that!"
A bullet from over tbe breastwork
had struck the oaplnln In the head and
spattered the corporal with hia blood.
It wins a thousand times better thai
than dishonor or suicide.
W i liner Mi l. run's Two H Istoric Hoimci
Gen. Horace Porter describes the sur
render of Lee In his "Campalgnlnn
With Grant" In (lie Century. Tbe sur
render lisl; place In the house of Wll
mer McLean, It will be remembered.
Gen. Porter says: It Is a singular his
torical coincidence that McLean's for
mer home was upon a Virginia farm
near the bn tile ground of the first Bull
Uun, and his house was used for a time
as the headiiuarlers of Gen. Beaure
gard. When It was found that this lighl
was so popular I hat It was given an en
core, and a second bat lie of Hull Uun
was fought the next year ou the Same
ground, Mr. McLean became convinced
that the place was altogether lacking
i In reiiose, and, to avoir! the active thea-
ler of war, he removed to the quiet vll-
luge of Appomattox, only to find hlm
j'solf again surrounded by contending
armies. Thus lhc first and last scenei
of the war drama In Virginia were en
acted iisui his properly.
His Ki-nmia,
The Sixth Michigan Cuvalry, of ths
renowned Ouster Brigade, waa com
manded by a gallant colonel, formerly
a member of the Michigan bar.
In the early morning of tho lat day
at Gettysburg, while his regiment, with
others, was in line awaltlu orders, r.iie
men grew noisy In" their COBTersatlon
and laughter. . i " ' " '
Turning nervously to them tbe col
onel roared out, "Keep silencu there!"
Theu he added In an apoloretlc tone.
"Not that I care, but It will aound bsb
tor."
I UK KIXAI, ACT.
