The Tragedy of Wild River Valley

o drive with him a few miles into the country, whither professional duties summoned him. T

s the beautiful blue of the sky overhead, the glories of the sunset clouds, and the overshadowing trees on the hither shore. On the

girlish tones. "But where now?" as horse and gig took a sudden t

my dear," repl

the Heaths re

active place it is; I

ss Heath has not

er or dearer, eh, Serena?" he said, dropping the reins on his horse's neck and bending

ance that few would have taken her to be the mother of

ng gentleman, rising hastily to his feet, with the eviden

lled," said his mother, putting a hand on his shoulder

smiling down upon the little prattler. "You know you must keep q

peated Serena, "and it is not according to the rule

been for want of will, but of ability; and to please me and poor Ro

red lips; "what has there been to prevent her? 'Tis over a week s

, my dear, since her mother's death, two years ago, she has actually carried on the farmin

e a coarse, vulgar creature. How ca

," he said, warmly. "Miss Heath is as refined

sible if she works in

cting-while the actual hard labor, ploughing, sowing, reapin

ry of the Heath family, which the

after their marriage had sought a home in this Northwestern State, locating themselves on the banks of one of

the defence of the imperilled Union, while his wife, equally full of patriotic zeal, und

; fields, orchard, and garden flourished under her sw

, and when, a few months later, Mrs. Heath followed her husband to the grave, Miriam assumed the whole burden laid down by her mother-the superintendence of

erest about equally divided between

side of the pretty sheet of water from which it took its name. A grove of forest trees half hid the house from sight as they approached, but passing that, v

ation of delight. "Why,

. Look off yonder, my dear; there lies Prairieville, apparently al

e porch overl

it, and at this hour we are likely

d seated themselves near the hammock in which Ronald, pale-faced and thin, and with his left arm in a sling, swung slowly to and fro. The two little fol

and again in tremulous tones and with eyes full of tears since, less than a fortnight ago, he had come home to her to be nursed back-if

d, yet their joy was tempered with many a pang at thought of his suffer

What a luxury to breathe this pure, sweet air; to gaze on your flower-garden there, so full of beauty and sweetnes

d delightful home here,"

ciate their mercies, Ronald," Miria

smile; "but no one who has spent weeks and months shut up in a squalid, filthy prison, devoured

Brother Ronald," pleaded a ch

, turning his head to look at the speaker.

run off, and now

is it you wa

ryth

w while we are all together," he added. "I will tell you about the battle fought close to the house where Mrs. Jasper and her father

you got shoote

hall never forget the doctor's kindness to me or the motherly care of the old lady; no, nor how goo

e both so handsome and so nice, though as unlike as possible in character a

e for our lack of resemblance," responded Miriam, w

full of energy. She hasn't a bit of that, but talks and moves with a sort of languishing grace that is charming in her, but would not suit me in my sister. I am very p

s; "you can hardly feel so proud of me as I do of my brave soldier-brother, who h

"Yes, there's Dr. Jasper's gig right at the gate; and

ing, and hurried out to m

that he had persuaded her to disregard the

gloved hand, and an admiring look into the brown eyes of the pretty ex-widow; "and Ronald will be del

mbled and her

el, I couldn't for the life of me help liking him; and so, just for his sake, you see, I yielded to the doctor's entr

, and will be delighted to see you

doctor and Serena bade him lie still, for he was alm

young, fine-looking man of gallant bearing, whom the doctor and Ronald greeted most

na and her boy, the latter of whom s

sister of whom his young friend always spoke with great brotherly pride and affection. He had expected to be disappointed