ANDERSONVILLE VIOLETS. 
Copyrighted by the Rural New-Yorker. 
All rights reserved. 
CHAPTER XII. 
AFTER THE WAR. 
The soldiers could not settle down to any¬ 
thing like regular work for a long time. 
There were too many stories to be told. So 
many reminiscences were constantly coming 
to mind that it seemed impossible to pick up 
the dull routine of country life at once. The 
whole North was one great blaze of patriot¬ 
ism. Sober work was well-nigh impossible 
while the excitement lasted. It was hardest 
for Uncle Nathan to forget the stirring days 
of the March to the Sta. He read with keen 
interest all that the papers had to say con¬ 
cerning the state of affairs at the South. At 
some particularly startling news he would 
take hoe in hand and vent his feelings upon 
the weeds iu his garden. The vegetables that 
year were noted for their excellence. 
The old soldier was never tired of iightiug bis 
battles over and over. It will be noticed that 
these oft-repeated battles grow in vigor aud 
importance as they are fought over. Any 
statement concerning a battle in which Uncle 
Nathan had taken part, was enough to wind 
him up for au hour’s talk—and he was always 
sure of au audience. 
The village people listened day after day to 
the story of the escape from Audersonville, 
without tiring of it. They would sit with 
open mouths as Uncle Nathan pictured the 
scene, or gave a practical illustration of the 
way iu which he overcome the Confederate 
guard. Sol and the fat soldier came to be 
well-known personages in Breeze to wu One 
class of citizens, of which Reuben was a very 
good example, could not see why Sol bad not 
done about as much to preserve the Union as 
old Abe Lincoln himself. 
•‘Do you have any idee you killed that fat 
man, Uncle Nathan?” Reuben asked this 
question after listening to the story for the 
tiftieth time. 
“Wal, I never cud tell how ’twas. Ye sec 
bis head must a ben putty hard or be wouldn’t 
a gin me the chance at him, but then agin, I 
hit him a putty hard crack. I call it about a 
tie, an’ I hope the cbauces is iu his favor. One 
thing is snrtiu—I dou'c s’pose that dog never 
showed no signs of life agin.” 
It was much easier for Jobu to settle dowu 
aud forget the war times. He found himself 
quite a hero among the village people. Uuele 
Nathan was never tired of singing the praises 
of his comrade. He was glad to put John 
ahead as an example of what “Maine men” 
could accomplish. There may have been some¬ 
thing iu tbe fact too that every brave act of 
Johu's introduced one iu which he had fig¬ 
ured, 
“It tuck grit to do them things, an’there 
warn’t no grittier soldiers in tbe army than 
them that went from the State o’ Maine. I 
s’pose Jobu here done about the grittiest thing 
that was done down there.” 
John would blush painfully at this glowing 
eulogy, prouder by far of the glad look in 
Nellie’s eyes than of the whole chorus of “I de¬ 
clare" and “I vow it beats all,’’and t he admir¬ 
ing glances of the audience. He had told Nel¬ 
lie the whole story of the Andeisouville vio¬ 
lets and she had complimented his bravery in 
a way that made John wish he could liud a 
chauce to do the like again. They werespeak- 
iug about it one Suuday afternoon when Nel¬ 
lie suddenly said: 
“I wonder what made that man let you 
pass over and get the flowers.” 
“I don’t know,” said John. “P’raps he 
had some cue at home like you. That’s about 
the only thing that, would make mu do it.” 
“ Ain’t you ashamed?” said Nellie, blushing 
with pleasure at Johu’s honest compliment. 
“ Not a mite. I don’t see nothin’ to be 
ashamed of.” 
Nellie did not seem to see anything either, 
yet of course it would not do tolet John know 
it. After a long silence Nellie spoke again: 
“ I would like to see him, John.” 
“What for?” demanded John, 
“ Oh, liecause”—aud she ended the conversa¬ 
tion by brushing John’s hair down over his 
eyes and then running a way. Neither of them 
knew how soon they were 10 see Jack Foster 
again, and learn the true reason of his con¬ 
duct. Surely these were golden days for 
John. He worked on Uncle Nutbau’s farm 
in a way that startled the neighbors. His 
heart was in tbe work, aud be never knew 
what fatigue meant. Politics meuut. "nothing 
to him: be was planning for Nellie’s comfort. 
As the little woman grew rosy aud bright 
with happiness, John grew away from his old 
awkward self. He grew to be a strong, ear¬ 
nest man, with but one idea, and that one the 
noblest that a man ever can have, to give his 
life up to tbe happiness of the one woman he 
loves. So they lived on, drawing more and 
more of the rays of happiness to the old farm 
house. 
Iu the latter part of July, John got a letter 
that produced quite an excitement in the 
little household. It was from the colonel of 
John’s regiment—not the one in which he had 
served at first—for that had Iwen swallowed 
up at Andersonville—but the one be bad joined 
after the escape. In consequence of the free 
and easy style of marching adopted by Sher¬ 
man’s army, John had, several times, been 
thrown into close relationship with Col. 
Gray. The officer, a warm-hearted Western 
man, had taken a great fancy to the sturdy 
Yankee, and after the war, he had kept 
track of him. He wrote now to offer John a 
position. Shortly after the close of the war, 
Colonel Gray had bought a large plantation 
in Mississippi. It was badly run down, and 
be bought it for a small sum, expecting to go 
himself and build it up. Like many North¬ 
ern soldiers he hoped to settle at the South, 
and take advantage of her great natural ad¬ 
vantages. A proffered office iu one of the 
Territories, had tempted him to give up his 
farm operations, aud he wrote to try and 
induce John to go down and practice a little 
Northern agriculture ou Southern soil. 
“The chance seems a good one"—he wrote. 
“You know how these cotton planters have 
abused their land, and what can be done in 
that country with regular, systematized work. 
You are just the man to go dowu aud take 
hold of this place and make it worth some¬ 
thing. I am satisfied that you could make it 
a very profitable property, and help your¬ 
self iu mauy way’s. I do not look for very 
much trouble. Society may lie broken up 
for a time, to some exteut. yet the w r ar mem¬ 
ories must be buried, since there is now’ noth¬ 
ing to fight about. The Northern men who 
are flocking by the thousands to tbe South, 
will in ray opinion, with the aid of the negro, 
overcome the more turbulent class of South¬ 
erners. The soldiers of the rebel army will be 
glad, 1 think, to drop tbe contest and develop 
the arts of peace.” 
At tbe close of the war it is probable that a 
good share of tbe thinking Union soldiers 
held about these ideas in regard to the state 
of affairs at the South. As slavery had been 
killed, they could not see why the North aud 
the South could not be one. 
This letter was a sore temptation to John. 
With New Eugland thrift, he had made many 
a calculation as to what these plantations 
could be made to accomplish. He had figured 
many a time how, with one of these great 
farms at his command, he could make a for- 
tuue such as Breezetowrfs rocky hills could 
never kuow. He never made a single sugges 
turn, however, when the letter came. He was 
sitting in the kitchen with Nellie that night 
when Reuben brought the letter from town. 
Uncle Nathan aud Aunt Susan had gone to 
make a visit. Reuben, with his characteris¬ 
tic watchfulness, fell asleep on the lounge 
before John finished reading the letter Jobu 
was not a great literary man, aud he read the 
letter through slowly and careiully before he 
could get i;s real meaning. When he had 
finished he handed it to Nellie without a word. 
She put down her work and read it through 
with a troubled face. Her under lip quivered 
as she put the letter down at lust. 
“Please don’t go, John,” she said “I could 
not leave Lome now.” 
Jobu said uevera word in reply. He folded 
up tbe letter with the air of a mau who has 
just listened to some unanswerable argument 
He smiled a little as be thought how utterly 
impossible it would be for him to go when she 
wished him to stay. Nellie watched him with 
eyes that glistened a Jitile. She came and 
stood at the back of his chair and ran her 
fingers through his hair, and at last. bent, over 
aud kissed him. She had read his thoughts 
perfectly. John could not have concealed 
them from her if lie had tried. 
“I kuow you would like to lie rich aud fa¬ 
mous for my sake,” she. whispered to him, 
“but 1 don’t mind. I know 1 can make you 
happy here, and that is better for us both isn’t 
it?” 
Jobu answered iu a way that left very little 
doubt as to his sincerity, aud Nellie went back 
to her work, happy again. John picked up 
the county paper. The first thing bjs eyes 
fell upon was a little poem in the “Poets’ 
Corner.” He had not read a line of poetry for 
years, yet he studied this poem out word by 
word—he knew not why. It was a simple 
little thing; there was not even a name to it. 
The sun went merrily up the hills 
That stood like sentinels grim and gray, 
Between the. vale and t he busy world 
Where Fame and Honor and Fortune lay. 
The shepherd wistfully watehed the light 
Fade over the mouutalu fur and dim. 
Could he hut follow and llnd the place 
Where Fame’s bright mantle was waiting him, 
A soft hand tenderly touched his arm, 
A sweet voice spoke in bis waiting ear, 
Fame lies over the mountain high, 
Love and happiness yet arc here. 
The sun wont over the hills alone 
Touching the sky with a crimson flame, 
Men may long to be great, yet still 
Love Is better by far than Fame. 
John studied away at llio poetry until Nel¬ 
lie came and pulled the paper away from him. 
He woke Reuben aud sent him off to bed 
where be could slumber on a more economi¬ 
cal basis. Then Jobu came back to tbe table 
and thought the poetry over rill Uncle Nathan 
and Aunt Susan came home. He kept tbe 
little poem in his mind, and studied over it 
for many a day, Nelliocutit outof the paper 
aud pasted it into her scrap book. 
John wrote Col. Gray a plain letter telling 
him honestly the reason for declining the 
offer. The “little girl” that he praised so 
proudly, looked over his shoulder and boxed 
liis ears for daring to write wbat she loved so 
well to see. Why a woman will take such 
forcible and contradictory methods of indicat¬ 
ing her pleasure, will always remain one of 
the mysteries of nature. Surely these were 
golden days for honest John, though at times 
the hours seemed to crawl by with lagging 
footsteps. At last the nights begun to grow 
cool, and the first frosts bit savagely at the 
flowers and grass. The fall is the saddest sea- 
sou of the year. It is tbe season of death. To 
John, however, it was the season of life. 
Thanksgiving Day came at last, aud John 
and Nellie were married. They tried to have 
a quiet wedding, but the village people would 
not hear of this at all. AU Breeze town 
crowded into the weather-beaten ehurob, and 
when John and Nellie stood up before the pul¬ 
pit, every woman envied Nellie and every 
man envied John. Reuben drove them home 
in fine style to eat the great dinner that Aunt 
Susan had prepared. Even Old Whitey en¬ 
tered into the spirit of the occasiou. He 
kicked up his heels and fairly ran dowu hill, 
something he had not done since Nellie was a 
baby. It may have been Reuben’s stick that 
taught Old Whitey this complimentary caper, 
but let us not take such a practical view of it. 
Let us believe it was pure sentiment that 
pulled up the heels. 
After dinner Uuele Nathan made a speech 
to the company. He closed with his old eu¬ 
logy of Maine men iu geueral and John in par¬ 
ticular, and then, not knowing of auy com¬ 
pliment strong enough to do auytbiug like 
justice to NolUe, he kissed her, aud then hur¬ 
ried out into the woodshed, ostensibly to get 
some fuel, but really to blow’ his nose. Mauy 
men like Uncle Nathan are obliged to relieve 
the heart, through the uose. Would that there 
were more of them. The company had a very 
merry time with siugitig aud games, till at 
last they went away with mauy a heartfelt 
wish for the happiness of the young couple. 
Aud John and Nellie standing at the door to 
bid their good friends good-night, he like a 
strong, rugged oak, and she like a tender, 
clinging vine, felt indeed that the world was 
ojietiing before them bright and fair. 
The days went by like sunbeams iu the lit¬ 
tle household. Each day left a little of its 
brightness as a sweet memory. Reuben grew 
up. uuder John’s influence, into a faithful boy. 
Uncle Natbun grew more grizzled as the 
years went by. His eyesight began to give 
out at last, and even Ilia spectacles failed to en¬ 
able him to read all the political news of 
which he was so fond. This eye trouble in¬ 
duced him to l ake a great interest in Reuben’s 
elocutionary training. He pressed the youug 
gentleman into the service, and by means of 
promised help at the chores, bribed him to 
read aloud thelong statements and interviews 
concerning the South that- filled up the papers 
at that time. It was funny to watch the two 
politicians Ihrartiing the grain nut of the 
political stack—Reuben slowly and painfully 
struggling through the long words, skipping 
or widely guessing at the rceaniugs, and 
glancing every few moments at the end to see 
how much there was left, and the gray old 
man listening patiently in his arm chair,’ put¬ 
ting in a word now ami then, or explaining 
with a theory of his own, some intricate 
point. 
[To be Continued.) 
Itliiftrilanfoujtf I^dvmijoinn 
Rheumatism 
tVe doubt if there la, or ciui he, a specific 
remedy for rheumatism; hut thousands who 
flavo suffered its pains have linen greatly ben 
ettted by Hood’s Sarsaparilla. 1 1 you have failed 
to find relief, try this great remedy. It corrects 
the acidity of the blood which is the cause of the 
disease, and builds up the whole system. 
” I was afflicted with rheumatism twenty years 
Previous to IHSH 1 found no relief, but grew worse, 
until I was almost helpless. Hood’s Sursaparilla 
did me more good than all the other medicine 
1 ever had." H. T. Ualcom, Shirley Village, Mass. 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
Sold by all druggists. $1; six for $5. Made 
only by C. I. HOOD & CO., Lowell, Mass. 
IOO Doses One Dollar 
SAM HMALL’S BROTHER. 
Why I)td God Make so Much Outdoors? 
Two Women's Experiences. 
“Sam Small. Evangelist!” 
The proverbial philosophy of “Old Si,” the 
venerable plantation darkey, who gave to the 
world through the medium of Small’s pen 
maxims of worldly wisdom, clothed in a ver¬ 
biage of irresistible humor, has found a per¬ 
manent place iu humorous lib-rat ore. 
Great surprise was shown when it was an¬ 
nounced that he, having been converted under 
t-lie ministrations of “Sam Jones,” would be¬ 
come au evangelist. 
At first, thought-, a humorist in the pulpit 
seems incongruous. Is it really so.' 
No doubt ilie mere buffoon attempting 1o 
turn men’s hearts to soli inn truths w-i uld meet 
with only contempt. But truth is not hidden 
in gloom. Genuine humor frequently illus 
trates and fastens in the mind bits of wisdom 
that would otherwise pa-s unheeded. 
In his eulogy of Henry Ward Bee -her. Rev. 
Dr. Barker says: “Whenever ho came among 
men, he biought June Sunshine and muric, 
and made even desponding and surly men feel 
that a fuller and w armer summer, Mho King¬ 
dom of Heaven,' itself was at hand.’” That 
is genial Christianity. 
Mr. Small brlongs to a witty family. He 
has a brother connected with Annoy Knox’s 
and “Fat ContributorV’ Texas Siftings, a 
paper which has bad phenomenal success in 
the field of humorous literature. Mr. Frank 
A. Small is the present representative of lhat 
popular paper in Etiglai d, and, like his dis¬ 
tinguished brother, be takes a deep interest in 
the welfare of other people. 
Uuder date of IS Porten Read. Kensingtou 
W., London. Eng., Sept. 2Tth, ISNT, he writes: 
“While at Yalding. iu Kent, yesterday. I met 
Prof. S. Williams. Head Master of the Cleaves 
Endowed school. Iu the coarse of conversa¬ 
tion about America, Professor Williams re¬ 
marked that Warner’s safe cure had been of 
great benefit, to his wife, who had been much 
troubled with a disordered liver. Warner’s 
safe cure (an American preparation) was all 
she hail taken, and she had experienced none 
of her old trouble for sonic mouths past. 
Mrs. Annie Jenness-Millor. editor of New- 
York Dress, aud a very popular woman in the 
fashionable world, says in her own magazine 
for October: “Warner’s safe cure is ihe only 
medicine I ever take or recommend. In every 
instance it gives new energy and vitality to 
all my powers.” This distinguished woman 
also says that for ladies this great remedy is 
“peculiarly effective.” 
Sam Small is likely to succeed ns a moral 
teacher. When we remember how near to¬ 
gether in human nature lie the fountains of 
laughter aud of tears, the deep effect his dis¬ 
courses must have on the masses can easily bo 
imagined. 
“Why did God make so much outdoors?” 
exclaimed a little girl. We know not. He 
has made it and we should grow in it, broad, 
charitable aud geuiul, judging everything by’ 
merit, not by prejudice. 
Cheaper than Paint. 
CREOSOTE WOOD STAINS. 
For Outbuildings, Shingles, Fences, etc. Durable. 
Strong Preservatives of the Wood Can be applied 
with a Whitewash Brush bj any boy. In all colors. 
SAM HEIj CABOT, Sou: Maniuaiti keh. 
Send for Circular. 7U KILBY S I., BOSTON. 
Our $15 Shot Gun now $10. 
“ $\5Breechtoa:'r tl $9.00 
All kiudx Guns guaron** lower than 
elsewhere. Send ■ tamp l /. illustrated 
catalogue. POWEl, CLEMENT, 
180 Main St.. Cincinnati. Ohio. 
PATENTS 
P. A. LEHM ANN, Solicitor ok Patents, Washington, D. G 
No cbm go uitlvoo patent Is scoured. Send fur Circular. 
CARDS 
paper, id) fur A lie stamp. 
Book of HIDDEN NAME Cards, 
1 :i Tunny Storlm, M*0 Wt-vx. hour*. Kiddle*, 
Hncccfu*. Etc., and M’ut.r of nnr ftarlv iUu.Mr.itcd 
HOME AM) \ m i ll, (mill, Ohio. 
CASKET OF JEWELRY FREE! 
Tbte elegant 
Ladles* Jewel Dea¬ 
lest, which Is Im¬ 
perfectly shown In 
our small Illustra¬ 
tion! Is made of 
line, polished lmrd 
wood, bountifully 
Inlaid. and lined 
Insldo with dark 
blue nud silver. In 
Its construction 
fhafbllu win* hand¬ 
some woods nro most artistically Joined In mosaic work : Cherry, 
Black Walnut, Butternut, Poplar unit lUusteonJ, nnd the casknt. 
In Its finished state* forms one nf tho most ait furtive nnd useful 
ornaments for a lady's dross ini vam* or bureau that wu have over 
sonu. Wishing to introduce into thousands of now homed onr 
large and sttiurtleo It-page, Cf<>1 won Illustrated paper, Tho 
l*n<l !»•**’ World* which Ifl ever brimful of tho Wert Interesting 
nnd Instructive reading matter for Indies, taring devoted to 
stories, DkfttchoH' poems, fumy work, homo decoration, fashions* 
Uyglooo, hdtuiukceulny, etiquette, reading for the young, etc., wo 
now make tho following c*: inordinary cufor* receipt of 
only Thirty Cotifstti d n !U smd The JLndliV World for 
Tlirw Month*, aniita rvrry r uLurrlatr i nUvdcnd If’nio 
and pou-j'-tui, tt\A beautijtl Juncl t'linkrt above described, 
together ttlfJ* th6j^DovAng .1 ova city i rhtch each Ctuket will con¬ 
tain 7 a h und*''inoiwyortf<i / Varf Shell Mrckhirr, ro/uistiny of a 
large number <*/ beaut ifulMhetl* iveaOy joined together i a pair of 
LamiMumd h'ubbcr ialtieA-i/Xtrk flrarciets, good find durable; 
u pair of Onyx Leper AUeaer Jhdtohs, fteai urul handsome, and 
o Com/muta >n Floral Breast I'in, very neat and attractive. 
ftfrxneuibsr. tho Ctuksl, to*;other With all this Jewelry, costs you 
nothin Kilt I* glveit/rcc with a $nionHis' subscription I. . our paper. 
Bis subscriptions and ofx conttutn ufjewohy will ls> scut for $1.50. 
You cannot afford to miss this great chance I Takoadvantage of 
It at oncet Wt guarantee double value of money sent* As to 
©ur reliability, we refer to tny publisher iu N, Y, Address. 
0. U. MOOUK 4s CO., l*i*rk Pluco, Now York, 
