The Richmond Palladium

RESULT OF A LOVE QUARREL.
BY ETHEL CARLYLE.

The sun had set, and along the western horizon crimson and golden pillars of light lay exquisitely outlined against the soft fleecy clouds, while from the opposite quarter the full moon, rising in silvery splendor, was dissipating the soft haze of the coming twilight by her glorious beams. Over hill and dale, flowing rivers and green meadows, the soft light fell, bringing out new beauties wherever it rested.

It was a lovely evening, far too beautiful to be spent as Ward Milton and his pretty affianced was spending it, in a foolish lover's quarrel. No person could have doubted what was the trouble to have glanced at them as they lingered on the broad, vine wreathed piazza of Dr. Barrow's quiet cottage.

Ward was just twenty-an age when boys think themselves men, and are very jealous of their manly dignity, which usually sits so ungraceful upon them that they scarcely know what disposal to make of it—and he looked, as he stood leaning against one of the piazza pillars, as if that pet dignity had been so terribly outraged and insulted that no amount of indignation which he could show would be sufficient resentment for it.

It certainly seemed as if a young fellow like him might have found more profitable employment in war times than tearing vine leaves to shreds and scowling angrily at a pretty girl, even if she had been as wicked as Nellie Barrow's conduct towards him had proved to be; but it looked pretty evident that if he could he had no idea of seeking it until that terrible quarrel was settled to his entire satisfaction, which there was very little prospect of for Nellie looked as if she was the injured party.

It was just such a quarrel as every pair of lovers have had since the days of Adam, and I don't doubt if there would have been a similar one in the garden of Eden, if Eve could have found another man to flirt with : for if she had looked the second time at one, of course Adam would have been jealous, if he was anything like the men of the present day.

But, let that be as it may, there was no denying that Ward was unmistakably jealous Because Charley Richmond was handsome and agreeable, and the ladies all like him, Ward took it upon himself to dislike him in the same proportion, particularly when he began to make himself agreeable to Nellie, who was his especial property, of course so long as they were engaged; and more than ever when Nellie showed no resentment to it. He had made himself perfectly miserable for months about it and Nellie knew it, but only flirted the more But this evening he had determined to be particularly agreeable and take Nellie for a sail on the moonlit river, but Charley had forestalled him and was just returning from a pleasant boat ride with her, when Ward reached the house.

There was a pretty state of affairs for a jealous young fellow. Who could blame him for being angry ?

He certainly thought that in this case "forbearance ceased to be a virtue" and only waited until his rival was out of hearing ere the storm that had been gathering burst over Nellie's head. He intended to be calm and dignified in his reproaches, but with that volcano in his bosom it was difficult to keep its fires pent up, and his words betrayed more boyish pride and anger than of dignity; but not a word would Nellie answer to it, either in justification or excuse. She let him talk until he was tired, and for a moment he stood perfectly quiet, waiting for an answer to his last question.

"Well," he said at last, impatiently glancing up at her from under his frowning brows.

"Well, what?" she asked, as coolly as if she had not heard a word of his long lecture, and never once raising her eyes from the tip of her gaiter, which she was carelessly tapping with her parasol.

"I asked how long you intend to flirt around with that detestable puppy ?"

That was emphatic enough; she could not pretend to misunderstand it, and the answer flashed out defiantly from the scornfully curved lips.

"Just as long as I please, sir!"

"And do you think that I will permit it?"

"You permit it?" If scorn could annihilate, Ward Milton would have been nowhere about that time. Nellie Barrows never looked half so beautiful before as she did now, with her petite form drawn to its full height, her black eyes flashing and her lips wreathed with a scornful smile, but Ward Milton was too angry to remark it.

"Yes I, Miss Barrows," he retorted hotly. "Do you think I will have a girl who is engaged to me flirting with every conceited coxcomb who crosses her path and curl down like a whipped spaniel with no remonstrance?"

"Really, sir, one would suppose you had bought me body and soul; but I think you will learn that I am my own mistress yet," was the scornful answer

"Which you may always remain for all me, if this be a specimen of your conduct."

"I prefer too"

"You may for all my troubling you in future."

"Then I have the pleasure of returning this to you." she said coolly drawing her engagement ring from her finger and tossing it carelessly toward him.

It fell upon the smooth floor, rolling almost to Ward's feet, where it lay flashing back the moon's bright beams, but he never offered to touch it, only spurning it scornfully with his foot.

"Permit me, Miss Barrows," he said with mock politeness, to congratulate you on your freedom, and with joy your next conquest.

With a cold "Thank you." Nellie bowed gracefully in acknowledgement.

"And, begging your pardon for detaining you so long I wish you good evening."
He lifted his hat with a polite bow and the next moment was walking carelessly down the gravelled walk whistling "John Brown" as unceremoniously as if the late quarrel was the most indifferent thing in the world to him : and still farther to prove it, went straight to a recruiting office and enlisted.

If all the girls had been as silly as Nellie, and their lovers as jealous as Ward, the word draft would never have needed a definition in this country.

Two great armies meeting in deadly conflict was a new and grand sight to Ward Milton, and standing in the midst of the contending forces he forgot his own danger in the scene of the awful excitement which surrounded him, the incessant roar of artillery, the sharp rattle of musketry, the cry of the wounded, the groans of the dying, and ever and anon the inspiring strains of martial music from the band in the rear, the thick clouds of battle smoke lit up by the quick flashes of the terrible weapons of death—filling every sense of sight and sound, to the total exclusion of every thought of personal danger.

But the knowledge of it came too soon, for a sharp, stinging pain in his head recalled it suddenly to memory, and, raising his hand, he found the life-tide trickling slowly down, while, faint and giddy, he fell among his slain comrades.

Gradually the roar of the battle ceased, and all grew dark and still around him : a cold numbness was stealing over his limbs, reaching his body and piercing his heart with its icy chill.

Through his half-benumbed brain crept the terrible conviction that he was dying alone upon that terrible battle field, rousing him to a consciousness which brought the keenest anguish, as with a mighty effort he endeavored to shake off the deathlike paralysis which had settled upon him—as if by his will he would hold at bay man's last enemy.

But all in vain; the heavy weight only settled with more terrible force on his heart, while body and limbs seemed cased in iron. With a groan of despair he yielded at last to the fate that seemed inevitable. Suddenly a soft hand was laid on his forehead, and a voice low and sweet murmured in his ear—

"Ward: dear Ward!"

It was Nellie's voice. Was he dead an i just waked up in heaven to find Nellie waiting for him ? For an instant he thought so, but that touch had broken the chain which bound him, and raising himself he looked anxiously around.

Neither a blissful paradise with white robed angels nor gory battle field with its ghastly burden was revealed to his wondering gaze, but simply a patch of green sward beneath him, and the branches of a gnarled apple tree over his head while just beyond the long rows of tents gleamed white and clear in the scorching rays of a July sun, and the merry laugh and low hum of conversation reached his ears from the soldiers gathered there, bringing to his recollection where he was.

This was the camp in his native town, where he had been but a few days, and here beneath the shade of an old apple tree he had laid down to rest when tired and heated a short time previously, while the mosquito, humming so angrily about his head, in token of his displeasure at the interruption of luxuriant repast, was the cause, in his half unconscious state, of the terrible roar of battle, his sharp sting the rebel bullet, and the life tide ebbing from his mortal wound simply the perspiration oozing copiously from his heated brow.

"Confound it!" he muttered, throwing himself back on the ground, "only a dream after all." And really feeling half vexed that it was not reality, for he would have been willing to have received at least one rebel bullet to have heard Nellie speak his name in such endearing accents.

A slight rustling behind him brought him suddenly to his feet. One part of the dream, at least, was true, for Nellie Barrows was standing close beside him.

"Ward, forgive me," and "My darling Nellie!" were spoken simultaneously, and Nellie's head was pillowed very tenderly on Ward's blouse, and his moustache was in suspiciously close proximity to her face.

What an astonishing change a suit of Union blue and a few days absence effects in silly lovers! It was decidedly fortunate for Ward that none of his comrades caught a glimpse of that very interesting interview, or he might have had it reversed with variations far more amusing to others than to himself. Such little things are done occasionally to relieve the monotony of camp life.

"See, dear Ward," Nellie said at the close of the interview, holding up her hand, on which shone the discarded engagement ring. "I found it and put it on again Shall I wear it?"

"Always, until before the altar I replace it with another."

Happy Ward! he was all right now.

The crushing of the rebellion was a mere trifle, not to be compared in any manner with this reconciliation.

And Ward Milton went to war after all. Of course he did! you don't suppose I would have him sneak out of his place now because he had enlisted in a fit of jealousy? Not a bit of it. He followed his regiment through its three years of campaigning, and returned at its close, rough and sunburnt of course, but brave and strong, and ten times more a man than before that foolish love quarrel sent him to the performance of a duty from which selfishness was withholding him.

And Nellie?

Well, if any girl having any love for a man could not be cured of flirting by his absence for three years amid the dangers and sufferings of this rebellion, she has no true woman's heart, and is not worth reforming; but, happily for both, Nellie was not one of this stamp, but came out of the furnace as pure as gold.