The regiment4 marched to the front. The Colonel as a man was freezingly formal with the Lieutenant5. As an officer, he knew his worth and relied on it in every emergency. The State of Illinois had raised two companies of raw recruits to join in subduing6 the Indians. The Colonel sent his most efficient subordinate to swear in the new soldiers. On the morning of the muster7, there appeared before the tall Lieutenant, a man full three inches taller, and famous in his county as the gawkiest, slab-sidest, homeliest, best-natured fellow in the State. He was dressed in a suit of blue jeans.
In slow, pleasing drawl, he announced:
"I am the Captain, of this company—"
And he waved his long arm toward the crowd of his countrymen on the right.
Lieutenant Jefferson Davis promptly8 administered to Abraham Lincoln his first oath to support the Constitution and laws of the United States.
Two men destined9 to immortal10 fame had met and passed with scarcely a glance at each other. The young army officer was too much of a gentleman to mark the ill-fitting blue jeans of the awkward captain of militia11. Great events, after all, make men great. Only the eye of God could foresee the coming tragedy in which these two would play their mighty12 r?les.
At the end of the brief struggle on the frontier, Black Hawk's people were scattered13 to the four winds and the brave old warrior3, with a handful of his men, sought Colonel Taylor's command to surrender.
Again, the Colonel sent his most accomplished14 officer, the Lieutenant whom he had forbidden to enter his house,—to treat with the fallen Chief.
The Lieutenant received with kindly15 words the broken-hearted warrior, his two sons and sixty braves, and conducted them at once as prisoners of war to the barracks at St. Louis.
The cholera16 was raging at Rock Island, and on the boat two of the Indian prisoners were seized with the fatal disease. The Lieutenant, at the risk of his life, personally ministered to their needs. The two stricken men made known to the commander in broken words and signs that they had sworn an oath of eternal friendship. In pleading tones the stronger said:
"We beg the good Chief to put us ashore17 that hand in hand we may go to the happy hunting grounds together."
Near the first little settlement their prayer was granted.
The young officer turned to his boat with a sigh as he saw the red warriors slip their arms about each other and slowly sink to the ground to die alone and unattended.
Old Black Hawk sat in silent, stolid18 indifference19 to his fate until the curious settlers began to crowd on the boat and stare at his misery20.
The Lieutenant interfered21 with sharp decision.
"Push those men back, Corporal!" he ordered angrily.
The crowd was roughly pushed back and the Lieutenant took Black Hawk kindly by the arm and led him into a reserved apartment where he was free from vulgar eyes.
The old man's lips tightened22. He gazed at the officer steadily23 and spoke24 in measured tones:
"The young war Chief treats me with much kindness. He is good and brave. He puts himself in my place and sees all that I suffer. With him I am much pleased."
The Lieutenant bowed and left him under the protection of the guard. Courtesy to a fallen foe25 in the old days was the first obligation of an officer and a gentleman.
In the autumn, Colonel Taylor again sent his Lieutenant on a distant duty—this time one of peculiar26 danger. He was ordered to Louisville and Lexington on recruiting service. And the cholera was known to be epidemic27 but a few miles from Lexington.
The good-by scene that night at the lovers' trysting place, the little tent reception-room of the McCreas', was long and tender and solemn.
"Oh, I feel dreadful about this trip, dear," his sweetheart kept repeating with pitiful despair that refused to be comforted.
"You must be brave, my own," he answered with a frown. "A soldier's business is to die. I am a soldier. I go where duty calls—"
"To battle—yes—but this black pestilence28 that comes in the night—I'm afraid—I just can't help it—I'm afraid. I've always had a horror of such things. I've a presentiment29 that you'll die that way—"
"Presentiments30 and dreams go by opposites. I'll live to a ripe old age—"
She looked up into his face with a tender smile:
"You think so?"
"Yes, why not?"
"Well—I've something to tell you—"
She paused and the man bent31 low.
"What?"
"I've made a vow32 to God—" the voice stopped with a sob33—"that if He will only send you safely back to me this time—I'll wait no longer on my father's whim—I am yours—"
The lover clasped her trembling form to his heart.
"Good-by, dearest," he said at last. "I wish to go with that promise ringing in my soul."
Ten days after he reached Lexington, the cholera broke out, and hundreds fled. He stood by his men, watched their diet, nursed the sick, and buried the dead. He helped the carpenter make the coffins34 and reverently35 bore the victims to their graves. No fear was in his soul. Love was chanting the anthem36 of Life.
A strange new light was burning in the eyes of the woman he loved on the day he returned in safety.
She seized his hand and spoke with decision:
"Come with me."
Her father was standing37 at the gate. She faced him, holding defiantly38 the hand of her lover.
The old man saw and understood. His jaw39 was set with sullen40 determination and his face hardened.
"We have waited two long years," she began softly. "We have been patient and hopeful, but you have given no sign. My lover's character is beyond reproach, and I am proud of him. I am sorry to cross you, Father, but I've made up my mind, I am going to marry him now."
The Colonel turned in silence and slowly walked into the house.
Captain McCrea engaged a stateroom for her on the boat for Louisville. The lovers planned to meet at her aunt's, the Colonel's oldest sister. The tearful good-bys had been said to Mother and sisters and brother. The Colonel had not spoken, but he had business on the boat before she cast her lines from the shore.
The daughter drew him into her stateroom and slipped her arms around his neck. Few words were spoken and they were broken.
"Please, Father—please?—I love you—please—"
"No."
"I'm no longer a child. I'm a woman. You're a real man and you know I could have no respect for myself if I should yield my life's happiness to a whim—"
The old Colonel stroked her shoulder:
"I understand. You're a chip off the old block. You're just as stubborn as I am. And—I—won't—eat—my—words."
With firm hand, he drew away and hurried from the boat.
The Taylor clan41 of Kentucky gathered for the wedding in force. The romance appealed to their fancy. They loved their high-spirited, self-poised little kinswoman and they liked the tall, modest, young officer she had chosen for her husband. The stern old Colonel was not there, but his brother and his three sisters and all their tribe made merry at the wedding feast.
On the deck of the lazy river steamer, the bride and groom42 slowly drifted down the moonlit shimmering43 way to the fields of Mississippi.
The bride nestled close to her lover's side in the long sweet silences too deep for words.
He took her hand in his at last, and said tenderly:
"I've something very important to tell you now, my dear—"
"I'm not afraid—"
"You trust me implicitly44?"
"Perfectly—"
"You have given up all for me," he went on evenly, "I'll show your father what I can do for you—"
"You love me—it's enough."
"No. I have resigned my commission in the army. I have given up my career. We'll live only for each other now and build our nest in the far sunny South beyond the frost line."
A little smothered45 cry was her answer. And then her head slowly sank with a sob on his breast.
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1
hawk
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| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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subduing
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| 征服( subdue的现在分词 )； 克制； 制服； 色变暗 | |
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muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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militia
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| n.民兵，民兵组织 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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cholera
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| n.霍乱 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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22
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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epidemic
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| n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的 | |
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pestilence
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| n.瘟疫 | |
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presentiment
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| n.预感，预觉 | |
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presentiments
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| n.（对不祥事物的）预感( presentiment的名词复数 ) | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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coffins
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| n.棺材( coffin的名词复数 )；使某人早亡[死，完蛋，垮台等]之物 | |
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reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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anthem
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| n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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40
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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41
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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42
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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43
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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implicitly
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| adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
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45
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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