An Original Belle

by Edward Payson Roe

  A DAINTIER bouquet than usual was placed on Lane's table next morning,and the piece of chicken sent to his breakfast was broiled to thenicest turn of brown. The old colored cook was friendly to the"Linkum ossifer," and soon discovered that "Missy S'wanee" was notaverse to a little extra painstaking.

  After the surgeon had made his morning rounds the young girlvisited the men also. She found them doing well, and left them doingbetter; for, in rallying the wounded, good cheer and hopefulnesscan scarcely be over-estimated.

  As she was returning the surgeon met her, and said, "Captain Laneis already better for your first visit and impatient for another."

  "Then he's both patient and impatient. A very contradictory andimproper condition to remain in. I can read to him at once, afterI have seen if mamma wishes anything."

  "Please do; and with your permission I'll take a little walk, forI, too, am restless from inaction."

  "I don't think it's nice for you to read alone with that officer,"said Roberta.

  "I see no impropriety at all," cried Suwanee. "Yours and mamma'srooms are but a few yards away, and you can listen to all we sayif you wish. If your colonel was sick and wounded at the Northwouldn't you like some woman to cheer him up?"

  "No, not if she were as pretty as you are," replied Roberta,laughing.

  "Nonsense," said Suwanee, flushing. "For all I know this captainis married and at the head of a large family.

  "But I'm going to find out," she assured herself. "I shall investigatethis new species of genus homo who imagines me to be a saint. Hewasn't long in proving that Northern men were not what I supposed.Now I shall give him the harder task of proving me to be an angel;"and she walked demurely in, leaving the door open for any espionagethat her mother and sister might deem proper.

  Lane's face lighted up the moment he saw her, and he said: "Youhave robbed this day of its weariness already. I've had agreeableanticipations thus far, and I'm sure you will again leave pleasantmemories."

  "Then you are better?"

  "Yes; thanks to you."

  "You are given to compliments, as our Southern men are."

  "I should be glad to equal them at anything in your estimation. Butcome, such honest enemies as we are should be as sincere as friends.I have meant every word I have said to you. You are harboring me,an entire stranger, who presented my credentials at first veryrudely. Now you can ask me any questions you choose. You haveproved yourself to be such a genuine lady that I should be glad tohave you think that I am a gentleman by birth and breeding."

  "Oh, I was convinced of that before you put your sabre in itsscabbard on the evening of your most unwelcome arrival, when youspoiled our supper-party. You have since been confirming firstimpressions. I must admit, however, that I scarcely 'reverence'you yet, nor have I detected anything specially 'angelic.'"

  "Your failure in these respects will be the least of my troubles.I do not take back what I have said, however."

  "Wait; perhaps you will. You are very slightly acquainted with me,sir."

  "You are much less so with me, and can't imagine what an obstinatefellow I am."

  "Oh, if I have to contend with obstinacy rather than judgment--"

  "Please let us have no contentions whatever. I have often foundthat your Southern men out-matched me, and not for the world wouldI have a dispute with a woman of your mettle. I give you my paroleto do all that you wish, as far as it is within my power, while Iam helpless on your hands."

  "And when I have helped to make you well you will go and fightagainst the South again?"

  "Yes, Miss Barkdale," gravely, "and so would your officers againstthe North."

  "Oh, I know it. I sha'n't put any poison in your coffee."

  "Nor will you ever put poison in any man's life. The most delightfulthing about you, Miss Barkdale," he continued, laughing, "is thatyou are so genuinely good and don't know it."

  "Whatever happens," she said, almost irritably, "you must be curedof that impression. I won't be considered 'good' when I'm not.Little you know about me, indeed! Good heavens, Captain Lane! whatkind of women have you been accustomed to meet in the North? Wouldthey put strychnine in a wounded Southerner's food, and give himheavy bread, more fatal than bullets, and read novels while dyingmen were at their very doors?"

  "Heaven help them! I fear there are many women the world over whovirtually do just those things."

  "They are not in the South," she replied, hotly.

  "They are evidently not in this house," he replied, smiling. "Youask what kind of women I am accustomed to meet. I will show you theshadow of one of my friends;" and he took from under his pillow aphotograph of Marian.

  "Oh, isn't she lovely!" exclaimed the girl.

  "Yes, she is as beautiful as you are; she is as brave as you are,and I've seen you cheering on your friends when even in the excitementof the fight my heart was filled with dread lest you or your motheror sister might be shot. She is just as ardent for the North asyou are for the South, and her influence has had much place in themotives of many who are now in the Union army. If wounded Confederateswere about her door you could only equal--you could not surpass--herin womanly kindness and sympathy. The same would be true of mymother and sisters, and millions of others. I know what you thinkof us at the North, but you will have to revise your opinions someday."

  Her face was flushed, a frown was upon her brow, a doubtful smileupon her lips, and her whole manner betokened her intense interest."You evidently are seeking to revise them," she said, with a shortlaugh, "much as you charged our cavalry the other evening. I thinkyou are a dangerous man to the South, Captain Lane, and I don'tknow whether I should let you get well or not."

  He reached out his hand and took hers, as he said, laughingly:"I should trust you just the same, even though Jeff Davis and thewhole Confederate Congress ordered you to make away with me."

  "Don't you call our President 'Jeff,'" she snapped, but did notwithdraw her hand.

  "I beg your pardon. That was just as rude in me as if you had calledMr. Lincoln 'Abe.'"

  She now burst out laughing. "Heaven knows we do it often enough,"she said.

  "I was aware of that."

  "This won't do at all," she resumed. "Your hand is growing alittle feverish, and if my visits do not make you better I shallnot come. I think we have defined our differences sufficiently. Youmust not 'reverence' me any more. I couldn't stand that at all. Iwill concede at once that you are a gentleman, and that this lovelygirl is my equal; and when our soldiers have whipped your armies,and we are free, I shall be magnanimous, and invite you to bringthis girl here to visit us on your wedding trip. What is her name?"

  "Marian Vosburgh. But I fear she will never take a wedding trip withme. If she did I would accept your invitation gratefully after wehad convinced the South that one flag must protect us all."

  "We won't talk any more about that. Why won't Miss Vosburgh takea wedding trip with you?"

  "For the best of reasons,--she doesn't love me well enough."

  "Stupid! Perhaps she loves some one else?"

  "No, I don't think so. She is as true a friend as a woman can beto a man, but there it ends."

  "With her."

  "Certainly, with her only. She knows that I would do all that aman can to win her."

  "You are frank."

  "Why should I not be with one I trust so absolutely? You think usNorthmen cold, underhanded. I do not intend virtually to take mylife back from your hands, and at the same time to keep that lifealoof from you as if you had nothing to do with it. If I survivethe war, whichever way it turns, I shall always cherish your memoryas one of my ideals, and shall feel honored indeed if I can retainyour friendship. To make and keep such friends is to enrich one'slife. Should I see Miss Vosburgh again I shall tell her about you,just as I have told you about her."

  "You were born on the wrong side of the line, Captain Lane. Youare a Southerner at heart."

  "Oh, nonsense! Wait till you visit us at the North. You will findpeople to your min
d on both sides of the line. When my mother andsisters have learned how you have treated me and my men they willwelcome you with open arms."

  She looked at him earnestly a moment, and then said: "You make mefeel as if the North and South did not understand each other." Thenshe added, sadly: "The war is not over. Alas! how much may happenbefore it is. My gray-haired father and gallant brothers are marchingwith Lee, and while I pray for them night and morning, and oftenthrough the day, I fear--I FEAR inexpressibly,--all the more, nowthat I have seen Northern soldiers fight. God only knows what isin store for us all. Do not think that because I seem light-heartedI am not conscious of living on the eve of a tragedy all the time.Tears and laughter are near together in my nature. I can't helpit; I was so made."

  "Heaven keep you and yours in safety," said Lane, earnestly; andshe saw that his eyes were moist with feeling.

  "This won't answer," she again declared, hastily. "We must have nomore such exciting talks. Shall I read to you a little while, orgo at once?"

  "Read to me, by all means, if I am not selfishly keeping you toolong. Your talk has done me good rather than harm, for you are sovital yourself that you seem to give me a part of your life andstrength. I believe I should have died under the old dull monotony."

  "I usually read the Bible to your men," she said, half humorously,half questioningly.

  "Read it to me. I like to think we have the same faith. That bookis the pledge that all differences will pass away from the sincere."

  He looked at her wonderingly as she read, in her sweet, girlishvoice, the sacred words familiar since his childhood; and when sherose and said, "This must do for to-day," his face was eloquentwith his gratitude. He again reached out his hand, and said, gently,"Miss Suwanee, Heaven keep you and yours from all harm."

  "Don't talk to me that way," she said, brusquely. "After all, weare enemies, you know."

  "If you can so bless your enemies, what must be the experience ofyour friends, one of whom I intend to be?"

  "Roberta must read to you, in order to teach you that the Southcannot be taken by storm."

  "I should welcome Miss Roberta cordially. We also shall be goodfriends some day."

  "We must get you well and pack you off North, or there's no tellingwhat may happen," she said, with a little tragic gesture. "Good-by."

  This was the beginning of many talks, though no other was of sopersonal a nature. They felt that they understood each other, thatthere was no concealment to create distrust. She artlessly andunconsciously revealed to him her life and its inspirations, and soonproved that her mind was as active as her hands. She discovered thatLane had mines of information at command, and she plied him withquestions about the North, Europe, and such parts of the East ashe had visited. Her father's library was well stored with standardworks, and she made him describe the scenes suggested by herfavorite poets. Life was acquiring for her a zest which it had neverpossessed before, and one day she said to him, abruptly, "How youhave broadened my horizon!"

  He also improved visibly in her vivacious society, and at lastwas able to come down to his meals and sit on the piazza. Mrs.Barkdale's and Roberta's reserve thawed before his genial courtesy,and all the more readily since a letter had been received fromColonel Barkdale containing thanks to Lane for the considerationthat had been shown to his family, and assuring his wife thatthe Barkdale mansion must not fail in hospitality either to loyalfriends or to worthy foes.

  Roberta was won over more completely than she had believed to bepossible. Her proud, high spirit was pleased with the fact that,while Lane abated not one jot of his well-defined loyalty to theNorth and its aims, he also treated her with respect and evidentadmiration in her fearless assertion of her views. She also recognizedhis admirable tact in preventing their talk from verging towards atoo-earnest discussion of their differences. Suwanee was delightedas she saw him disarm her relatives, and was the life of their socialhours. She never wearied in delicately chaffing and bewilderingthe good-natured but rather matter-of-fact Surgeon McAllister, andit often cost Lane much effort to keep from exploding in laughteras he saw the perplexed and worried expression of his friend. Butbefore the meal was over she would always reassure her slow-wittedguest by some unexpected burst of sunshine, and he afterwards wouldremark, in confidence: "I say, Lane, that little 'Missy S'wanee'out-generals a fellow every time. She attacks rear, flank, andfront, all at once, and then she takes your sword in such a winsomeway that you are rather glad to surrender."

  "Take care, McAllister,--take care, or you may surrender more thanyour sword."

  "I think you are in the greater danger."

  "Oh, no, I'm forearmed, and Miss Suwanee and I understand eachother."

  But he did not understand her, nor did she comprehend herself. Herconversation seemed as open, and often as bright as her Southernsunshine, and his mind was cheered and delighted with it. He didnot disguise his frank, cordial regard for her, even before hermother and sister, but it was ever blended with such a sincererespect that she was touched and surprised by it, and they werereassured. She had told them of the place possessed by Marian inhis thoughts, and this fact, with his manner, promised immunityfrom all tendencies towards sentiment. Indeed, that Suwanee shouldbestow anything more upon the Northern officer than kindness, acertain chivalric hospitality, and some admiration, was among theimpossibilities in their minds.

  This, at the time, seemed equally true to the young girl herself.Not in the least was she on her guard. Her keen enjoyment of hissociety awakened no suspicions, for she enjoyed everything keenly.His persistence in treating her, in spite of all her nonsense andfrolicsomeness, as if she were worthy of the deepest respect andhonor which manhood can pay to womanhood, ever remained a bewilderingtruth, and touched the deepest chords in her nature. Sometimeswhen they sat in the light of the young moon on the veranda sherevealed thoughts which surprised him, and herself even more. Itappeared to her as if a new and deeper life were awakening in herheart, full of vague beauty and mystery. She almost believed thatshe was becoming good, as he imagined. Why otherwise should shebe so strangely happy and spiritually exalted? He was developingin her a new self-respect. She now knew that he was familiar withstandards of comparison at the North of which she need not beashamed. Even her mother and sister had remarked, in effect, "It isevident that Captain Lane has been accustomed to the best society."His esteem was not the gaping admiration of a boor to whom she hadbeen a revelation.

  "No," she said, "he is a revelation to me. I thought my littleprejudices were the boundaries of the world. He, who has seen theworld, walks right over my prejudices as if they were nothing, andmakes me feel that I am his friend and equal, because he fancies Ipossess a true, noble womanhood; and now I mean to possess it. Hehas made his ideal of me seem worthy and beautiful, and it shallbe my life effort to attain it. He doesn't think me a barbarianbecause I am a rebel and believe in slavery. He has said that hismother and sisters would receive me with open arms. It seems to methat I have grown years older and wiser during the last few weeks."

  She did not know that her vivid, tropical nature was responding tothe influence which is mightiest even in colder climes.

  CHAPTER XL.

  LOVE'S TRIUMPH.