THE STORY-TELLER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3163, 1 October 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE STORY-TELLER.

""if■; r 1 r' W• 0 Ph ;f"?JT' J Q ii i .:.ri IS 0.1. 5S •■ : 1 fit: B 1.4S ll l!ii<.l A!' t!-..» !>svi.!ci!p; 'Hi' of tlio civ i! \v:. ]' i!!:!)! ! n:: !' l Si a 1 I wa-i Ill;]'' ii"V. 'I!! ■ I <•!!!• 11 ■ 1 ■'i !'■■•-t 11'..'!1 • lionr v.n.-i ii J'l:ti'i'l-i":i'■■' (1, kiii-1-Itfcu-fi'-il, "OihTOH-s !Jiiaker. J»otli hi; nml his %»».l \r>t'» l:a<l l»wn reared in t!i<; Soiit h. anil after tin-lii)i-Viitii:n of their sl-ivos from n sousi! ()[' iliily Hliil retained enough 'ii surround themselves and family with a!! the comforts which the people of tlioir simuie faith care to jlossess. In those days their great stone hoiw.es with its thiol', wnlJbroad verandahs and low windows met my irti-u of the castles which were mixed up with my meagre knowledge of mediaeval times. The macadamised road which ran through the farm was lined on either side with locust tress that, in tiio period of blooming made the air heavy with fclio perfume of (ho graceful white blossoms waving in a background of green that they almost concealed. A Hover-failing spring that bubbled up through the mossgrow stone was embowered in the over-hanging branches of strongtrunk weeping willows. The great front yard had its drive-ways cut thruugh a rich sward and wound among towering maples. The garden had the earliest, the latest,

iind sweetest llowers. Tho stock was the fatto.'-fc and the best cared for. Tl;o in CTO3S who would not leave a kind master and mistress found a life of comparative ease and plenty with them. The handsome old gentleman was " Grandpa Waterson" to all of us, and the wife, who allowed no visiting boy or girl to depart without cookies, groat mellow apples, mince pies, maplo cakes, or somo other evidence of a kindness thai took all the. world into her heart, was always " grandma" No noblor couple ever trod the pathway of life together, and tho sorrows that came upon them suggested to me, as a boy the inscrutable ways of Providence.

There wore two sons in tho family, models of physical perfection and manly courage. 'No handsomer could" bo found. They were over six feet tall, had the light curly hair, tho blue eyes, and tho fresh complexion so conspicuous in men of origin. They were highly educated and idolised, not onlv bv tho parents but by the four fair sisteis and untold scores of other people's sisters. Ono had gone "West and soon established a popularity that placed him in a responsible public position The other had remained at home and relieved Grandpa "Watorson of every business care. Tho startling news of active hostilities flashed over the country. Henry the eldest sen, resigned his oliiee and suprisod us all by appearing one afternoon without previous no;ice. The warm family greetings ever, Henry called his brother out for a walk, anil forgetful that "little pitchers have ears," thev allowed me to saunter along. At tho spring wo all drank, and then followed a long tramp in tho shade of the locusts. I almost let out a shout of mingled terror and surprise when I heard Henry say to Charles in tho language they had always used at homo :

"Charles, I have decided to enlist,"

" I have already done so." "Thee can't mean it. Do father and mother know?"

" I promised Ruth to tell them to-night. It's more terrible to mo than the dread of war."

" Thee is nearer to them than I, Charles. I will bjealc tho news to father when we get back. No one can soothe the mother or break the news so gently as he' I am more than sorry that tlieo has taken this step, for I came homo to prevent it. I wanted to make sure that ono son and one brother would be left But it is too late. I have consent m! to command a regiment of sharpshooters and cannot honourably disappoint thorn. I will, have a gallant lot of boys at my back." Hero I broke away so full of importance that I ran at top speed. I was going to (ell Grandma Watorson. I would not have those two handsome fellows stoppinir bullets. But I met Lydia, as pretty a maiden as over donned a drab dross or dropped a modest pair of eyes, and called all her friends by their first names.

'•Lydia," I shouted between breaths, " Henry, and Charlie are going to enlist, it must be stopped.' But by that :ituo the girl was as pale as a ghost, and leaning against the nearest tree.

'• Don't thee say another word." she commanded in a determined voice. '• iVot another word. This must come from brother Henry or brother Charles. ]>ut it will break mother's heart," and I joined Lydia in a hearty cry just out of sym-

pathy. Only in after years did I learn what followed. Henry, in hi maulv straightforward way, told his father all. Pleading, argument, and persuasion on the part of the iiillictcd old man wove in vain. It was contrary to the doctrine of iiou-resistaac. , , a tenet of tho Church, it was raising the band of iiis son against the relatives who were lcl'r m tho .South, but the brothers llnnly clung to their deteriniu itton, gently Dorsisliiig and doing , all possible to soften the poignant grief , they indicted.

Grandpa Watorson's lips quivered as he bade Henry good-bye, and the broken-hearted mother clung to the neck of her eldest born until

unconsciousness rob , ;■■ i h ,- iVoni the pangs of a.-tual p-Lriin:; - . A'i'.-v days lat-r dories rode, forth on his own horse, it gallant ]il,-:;-k of Kentucky lineage, and i:',-. ) vh;.'lv ii.-rr-.ii'l that no liner, lir.r.vr b ,y w-at';.! do batt!.) foi tho union. 'ID 1 join;,-,! (ho K'inggold ('avalry. I'lirlv in tilt: war )iu was wounded on the field and was kindly cared for by a southern family. Mis nurs-; was a pretty little rebel wilh soft wavy hair, great brown eyes, inviting lips, an a disposition as cheery as tho elea'l Riiiishiuo aff.er ;m April shower 1 ' No woman had a right to resist. that big. brave, handsome fellow, and there the Union soldier was betrothed to the bewitching champi- uof secession. Then Anuie, for that was her name, began to correspond with .Ruth, and through this intangible liuk of connection tho wholo family fell in love with the little confederate.

Charles rejoined his troop as soon as able. After a desperate engagement his company was scattered and he was hommed in on evory side except where the rugged mountains of Virginia to'.vered up behind him. Boldly ho turned back", went living over tho foot-paths leaping eiuisms and forcing hi.-j way where few could follow. But there were bold mountaineers in the chase, and when they brought Charles to bay the gallant stand ho made, drawinghissabro when bis revolvers were emptied, saved his life for the time. His desperate courage won tho heart of tho southerners, and they persisted until he was taken alive.

lie was sent to Libby, mado his escape, went for days without food, and when at length he found it (so tho story that reached us said)ato so much (hat dealh followed quickly upon tho pangs of starvation. Henry's record was as brief as glorious. His regiment worshipped 'him. No man of them, westerners though they were, could outrido or ontsiioot him. He led wherever he asked his men to go. A giant in strength, ho was a hero in courage

At Pleasant Hill, La., he was shot from his horse, but still fought on, and after being , fatally wounded three of the enemy bit the dust bef.ire his hand dropped senseless to tho ground. His remains camo home, anil never was brother, son, and neighbour more sincerely mourned. Charley's story was uevrir learned until after the war.

1-Jut now comes a sequel stranger than the story itself. Grandpa Waterson and his wife had borne their sorrows with a fortitude that only people like them ean understand. They talked of their lost boys and together found a grim pleasure in reviewing the childhood, the youthful experience, and tho manly qualities of the dead sons. Time ,111,1 time have I seen them at tho end of the front verandah, overgrown with the honeysuckle:-, sitting hand in hand talking of Henry and Charles.

Ono day came a letter from Annie, announcing that sho would visit tho Watorsons. T'noro was groat preparation, for shn would hiivii boon Charles's wito had ho lived, and sho was dear to thorn in her own. right, for sho had never eoased to send those welcome letters, always bright and cherry save when Charles's i'ato forced its way into her thoughts. ,S!io c-amo to a royal welcome T imagine now that I was overofllcious piloting her round, pointing out everything- that Charles was over associated with and gabbling , away as a boy whose voice is at tho hen-cackling stage of advancement will.

"Thee is a great comfort to us," Grandpa Waterson used to say to Annie, and when Grandma got her nrm? rouud her pretty southerner there was always a gentle kiss and a sweet-voiced assurance that Annie was just as dear as though sho were a daughter.

Then c-irne a surprise in tho shape of a handsome, showy, bold-faced woman who announced herself as having been the affianced of Colonel Waterson, killed at Pleasant Hill. She had long meant t> visit the family and make herself known, but had not been able to do so. Colonel Waterson had left everything to her, and sho produced a wilfat that late day purporting to to have boon made by him. Sho was welcomed with old school courtesy, but them was a sober look on every face that she encountered. I called Annie out at once and hold an indignation meeting. That woman was a fraud, and I know it. Henry was not tho man to fall in love with any such specimen of her sex. I dodicated my time wholly, then and thoie, to watching her movements and proving my opinion. The result will suffice without the details of my detective work. Grandpa "Watorson's watch was missed. All of Annie's most valuable jewellery disappeared, and the adventuress complained loud and often about robberies, claiming that she never could trust "niggers." Then ("f rand ma would gently chide her and say : " Tlieo should not judge. All those poople aro old friends of mine and faithful." Tho fraud would turn up her nose and put on a look of contempt that always sot me boiling.

Ono day a- tho spring she loaned over to use tho clear water as a mirror, and from somewhere about her person dropped the big gold watch that Grandpa Waterson prized most as an heirloom. I had it in a twinkling, and tho angry shouts of tho woman only addod to my speed. I told grandpa, told everybody. I wanted her arrested, but "Thee must leave this matter entirely to mo," cheated my ardour. ; ' There

mil-' li- , }\-.i fiilic.' , lii> <-nii-iu!i"d. : '■ I. Will Si'i! i.lmi i.iiis 'VO'!|:i!S |.':IV!.'H : u<. .Don't pi-ad i'.ii- li.:r. ni.itii' , !-. I ! Wiil <>nly ilismi.ss iu'i , . that is :il!.' ; J .in.] h.' did, al'fiir cvrryi .-ling had i li(;.;l! J'Cl.'.jVl.'rod it I>'l l.ll;; !'■•)! Will I iif.-it.riiyc , ;!. Wo mvor h<;;u\i i/i ii.-r i again. The very uoxt, aftcrnooii there was a great clattor of horses' feet up the hi ml road. The rider cauie like a rocket, and we all rushed to seo who it was. I. think that ovory one fainted but Annie and myself. She omitted something between a shriek and a gurgle, vaulted over the verandah railing, and landing right in tlio arni3 of—big handsome Charles. He was alive, lie was well. All that we had heard was false, lie had survived his sufferings after a long illness in the family of a poor mountaineer, and there he was, the picturo of health, with Annie in his arms. I sprang into the saddle with a maniacal yell. I got two little darkeys on behind mo. Wo tore over tho yard in wild delight, and soon all the folks about tho farm were shouting, crying, and welcoming Jfassa Charles. " God bless thee, son," was all grandpa could say then, while the good <ild gentleman blinked, tried to look calm as the tears rolled down his cheeks, and then ho sobbed : " Charles, Henry's wish is fulfilled. Thee is left to bless wur old age and thee has also brought us Annie."—Detroit Free Press.