| Show ICE OL 01 LEVI DUANT was a tittle little start startled lea by the news that hla his daughter was engaged ildage to be married subject to hla his fatherly a p p r 0 v a 1 still he felt that i there was no need I 1 for worry dorothy was 20 00 and since her mothers death had y been left almost en arsi to the caro care of alit her aunt mary at Popl poplarville arville while her father was wan occupied with his business affairs in the c city ity it was natural therefore in her lack of adequate parental protection that she eho should turn to matrimony as the most convenient and comfortable refuge col drant had conie come down to pop lar carville vIlle in response to an all invitation to deliver the Ate memorial mortal day address at the 60 public exercises to be given till 1111 tier the of his old grant grand army post lie he had formerly been been a resident of the tha town that was lie be tort fore the growth of his bis bushings nicea it abed d Us its removal to a larger field end anti made it advisable for liliu to take up als his abode in the city dorothy m nan lent the greater part of her time little IL ii she was not partial to alt te especially as it separated ter ler t er fr from in aunt mary who was a second mo mother t her to her and from tho the old homestead to which sho she was greatly attached it was dorothy who met col drant brant tit at the railway station when he ar rived on oil the evening pre epling tile tho of may alay 1885 and it was dorothy who blushingly confided to jilin on 0 their way to the house that a very handsome find anti a verl ier i er worthy young roan man had bad been paying court to her for two months past he will call on abts evening papa to ask your she said bald softly the deuce 1 growled tier her father you have already glen ghen yours I 1 suppose why course and so BO it camu camo about that tha t richard challoner alloner Cb the fortunato suitor for dorothys hand called at tho the home st ead that jovania g and form introduced to coi brant lie ile was indeed a handsome and young anun whose frank geniality and courtly ma ni annera had already made a stanch blanch ally of aunt alary and at once made an all agreeable impression ou on the colonel lie wits was a budding young lawyer of unimpeachable virginia stock who had recently established himself in III for the practice of his profession salon and bad bounded at once into popular tavor favor in tho that course of the evening col drant and young challoner retired to thy the library on the second hoor floor ot of tho the house bouse to indulge in a quiet smoke and a private interview here challoner tro broached ached tile the subject of his love ov for dorothy and soon gained the consent P it was dorothy who met col brant ot of the grizzled old id father to the proposed mar garringe ringe when they were leaving the room utter after their cigars Chal loners attention was waa attracted to a picture on the wall and he ha stopped in to look at W lt ira in a momert he seemed deeply interested then he be catgut his bis breath sharply and gripped a chair to steady himself the picture was a painting in oils evidently evl evi deatly uie the work ol of an artist of more lhnn ordinary talent it was a wartime scene representing a battlefield ir in perspective with troops engage engaged tl in ft A running fight in the background half obscured cured by clouds of smoke in the tie to frouz weye were the figures fl guret ol of two jn kantyf who hid crossed swords in a lo 10 feath one of thom them wore tho the blue regimentals of 0 the tha northern army the other was clad in confederate gray both were stalwart typical sol soldiers diets the artist had caught the spirit qt of tile the encounter hla his fentus had endowed it with lire life nc lie tion atmosphere the play of the muscles the expression of the faces the fire in the eyes ol of the combatants were wonderfully realistic tho the picture lie represented the exact moment when the federal officer gaining n momentary advantage over tits adver sary enry was ending tho the fight by driving his gleaming sword through the con body that painting said col brant coming up tip behind challoner and tool 1001 ing over his ghoul dor is a no favo favorite ritti of mine it t memorizes an ep imode in my career its as nn an army officer that I 1 would give worlds to forget the rhe artist was an eyewitness eye witness of the scene and ills hla portrayal la is spoken or of as thel the work of a master but I 1 have destroyed the thing long ligo ago if my of alster a bad not begged permission to fo keep it my ty sister ts to dorothys ant stary mary you it w sho she fully understands that ian lits not to be displayed on tho wall when I 1 am aim in the house hut but I 1 r suppose this Is 14 A case of forgetfulness on her part ile he paused but challoner did not speak or move in n a sorrowful voice the colonel the picture Is calculated to perpetu ate the memory or of a most regrettable affair As you probably rio bably know one of 40 too nastiest skirmishes or tile the var nr took place only live five miles train from this apok spot Popl poplarville arville was in n a panic out but we managed inana goil to beat oft off the enemy 1 and they hey t were soon in full retreat with our boysan boys ln hot pur pursuit sult at the very beginning of 0 the chase the horse ridden by the young colonel of a rebel regiment stumbled and fell I 1 happened to be ba close behind this man when the iho accident occurred and hollering him to be badly hurt I 1 quickly dismounted to render him such na BB aln tance as AR I 1 might nil plit but apparently he was not hurt at all with a yell he sprang to his ha feet and rushed upon nie ine with drawn sword award of course I 1 had to defend myself three times during the fierce fencing that ensued I 1 begged him to desist d 8 I 1 waa I 1 in a hairs breadth of beiner hilled by ti I 1 skillful onslaught but in n the end I 1 wits was victorious and lie he fell I 1 intended only to disable him but ut ettely tely my blade passed clear through his body six weeks tie lie waa in the military hospital here before lie he finally succumbed and his body now isea in tile poplarville Popl arville cemetery uy lj the way ft ay suddenly exclaimed the colonel its hla namo name was challoner col challoner the same name as yours I 1 believe my gott sir air I 1 hope he was not a relative n na aa a the words died on at hla his lips for at that moment tho the younger man turned slowly ground around and faced him richard was waa pale RB na death his ba breath came in quick excited gasps hla his eyes shone with ft a tierce fierce glare blare ile he was my fitt father lierl I 1 the words fairly hissed through hla his clenched teeth leeth 1 I ana am col Chal Challon loners Bra bon and nd you were the man who killed hilled him you youl you uy by god sir air you shall answer to me for that act col brant was struck dumb with horror my reason for coming to coplar ville to begin roy my busI business noss career continued the young man hoarsely i was because bause my father lay in your cemetery here I 1 wanted to be near him to care for his grave I 1 never drea dreamed rued ile he broke off suddenly and seemed to restrain himself by a strong effort then with a quick nervous gesture lie fie turned on hla his heel beel and without trusting himself to utter another word lie ho strode from the room at the foot of tho the stairs he met dorothy who was waiting for him the sight of at his white face and blazing eyes startled her richard Ille richard bardl sho aho cried lie he brushed past her without an answering sign took hla his hat from the rack and an instant lawr tho the hall door closed behind 1 him the day which custom has bas bet set aalde aside for the annual decoration ot of soldiers Boli Hers traves braves dawned bright and beautiful i was lo 10 ably attire the air was ana with the perfume or of mowers flowers the buildings were gay with bunt bunting lux flags floated at half mast and the tha Popl poplarville arville hand discoursed patriotic music an ln the public square quare col lewiston drant brant ining mingled led with ith tho the veterans of hla his post poat and not a few remarked his grave demeanor and the unusual Bad badat nt that seemed to have settled down upon him apparently he had agenten aged ten years in as aa in many any hours col brant delivered hia me memorial mo ff d oration with an aa eloquence born of deep feeling and sincerity ire he moved till all hearts by hla his simple touching trl bite to ohp heroes who had laid down heir lives in owr th clr count rys defense and closed with tha appeal but while we are hoz honoring oring our dead let us ua not forgat arget the graves graven tit at those other brave fellows whose resting place Is in our cemetery tho the men mea who were pitted against us ua in that hat aw hil ful struggle who rell as ag devoted martyrs to it cause causa which they believed to ie be rights right Ite member them also alao with your flowers flow i your teara tears and your prayers in secluded part ot of the cemetery cerne tery that afternoon riel richard ard challoner stood alone beald 3 it a grove grava which wr was marked by it granite bearing thu the name of ula ills ether so occa pled was aa he 1 with ills his own gloomy thoughts that hl he did not notice the timid hesitating approach of 0 dorothy drant brant until she ehe atas within a few feet of 0 hlin him he straightened up then bhend ana greeted her with a so solemn lenin courtly bow while hi his cheek flushed the girt girl was waa very pale and her eyes were ered red with weeping she carried an armful ot of rose which alie andrev and rev deposited on the dead berates grave thon facing the man opposite with a look of pitying appeal sho she took from her bosom it a letter find antt handed it acroca to him read head this richard she said in a frightened quivering voice 11 II wat was written by your father fabber to my lay mother many years ago before il was born it has been preserved among mammas other treasures left at her bor death aunt mary found it last night and I 1 we wanted you to fee e it and please dont refuse willard richard written by my father to your mother lit heald said slowly with a deeply puzzled look yes yes oh please rend tt it tit ill 04 IN 4 it till I 1 deposited on the dead confederates grave will help you to understand this in I 1 I 1 iny last raiv tt Uphard Aff ift j og J y f ww awen io said fia no cnorr more edt but t a tile let et ter from its ita timeworn time worn horn eave lopo an and d read mr hire levison BrantD arant dear tar Atit it pains tn 0 to learn that your husbands wip oBel tor for ny iny condition hax almost prostrated rou 1011 pray do da not hot worry on that score or I 1 aaen you OM frow frona rny my inmost about that hat I 1 not only forgive your our husband but I 1 louive already begge his h tor for ferong will to commit on an au at which lie le so i deeply aplon dp lon tho th coult was wan antl rely my own anil and I 1 alone am in the I 1 it ono one who shou 4 buffer bellevo me ine I 1 am profoundly sorry norry for what happened und it Is in not a bonow that Is I 1 tn in by stel lf ll flah i or the tha fear of 0 death bynoe I 1 have been alte n in athla copl at col lins linn bevorna my mont calud and BIK best beitt bejlov 1 friend what hu he has ilone done for me can never be ba loli libut but lie hp tm tits made me real renolie lize that flint there ar are true line g ent leme n at tile the roillie UK 08 well a as in iho south and oat lie 1 in one line of tha nob nota 1 ext tent men in the world I 1 thank you ou dear clear madam nia dinn for r 1 g iving me 1110 alila till opportunity to xa ay t ahat so far from rom feeling resentment t rement ment I 1 only a 8 aument of if arl and gratitude to ta ward A ard your husband sincerely yours WILLIAM tho the color canio canie and went in the young mans inane face as aa he is read and the light in his bis eyes softened to a tender glow finishing he be crumpled tho the letter convulsively in his hi hand and came round thu the headstone of the grave at a half dozen quick strides dorothy he be cried seizing her hand hia la Is a glorious glor loua revelation ravel atlon to me lat it us ua hunt up your father at once I 1 will go down on ruy lay knees to him it you like with you for or a wite wife and col hrant for cor a father in law it shall be the happiest man in poplar ville |
