The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-10-17

possessed not those stern virtues which
prompted those ancient heroines to lay
the last particle Of affection upon the
altar of their country's freedom! No;
she asked nothing more than the love
and presence Of her husband-a devo-
tion that reigned paramount in her
heart, permitting the presence of none
else. Grief! she could not submit to
be thus left alone. The act must be
revoked that made him Of the army.
She would seek him-she would i'm
plore him to- come back to those who
loved him, and to whom he was all the
world. e @
So that same day, ere the sun had
reached his meridian, unknown to any
one, she left her home, and after three
hours weary travel she stood beside
her husband in the camp, beseeching
him to return. Those VINO witnessed
her earnestness were melted by her
tender entreaties- those rugged sold-
ers that would rush madly on bayonet
and cannon--march barefooted over
frozen ground and through deep snow,
sustained only by fervent patrio tism-
they wept as they bsheld this fond but
timid wife clinging to her husband, and
with eloquent endearment, begging him
for the love he bore her to return once
more 10 the desolate hearth now left
without protector. Impossible! he
had enlisted for the war--the army
could not spare any Of fitsnumber, which
at the best, was even too small to cope
with larger force. better disciplined
and better clothed. Impossible! he
could not, with any good grace, retreat
from position SO recently assumed.
He consoled her as best he could, but
assured her Of the impracticability Of
leaving the army. She must submit; it
would be sacrifice no greater than
had been made by thousands. There
was no remedy but to wait in hope
the end was certain, and the conse-
quence would be glorious. But what
could the poor wife do? Ha! a thought
has struck her. She will seek the tent
OF Washington-at his ieet will she lay
her petilion.
| Behold the hero in his tent--the
great, The god-llke, in whom are joined
all virtues-created for the cause, doing
what none else ever did, performing
what none else could. Before him is
kneeling the wife Of George Madden.
Her petition has not been in vain, her
tears have not been without effect
She holds in her hand a paper that will
restore to her, her husband; but before
she goes to the officer of his regiment,
she reverently takes the hand ofher
benefactor and presses it to her lips;
tear falls upon it which the good man
suffers TO remain. and sends her from
his presence with benediction, and
words of hope and comfort!
Again she is in the presence Of her
husband--she shows him his discharge
with beaming countenance, and words
of Joy.
SNOW you will 60 home with me
George, and we will again be happy,
oh. so happyw s
| But no glow of satisfaction lit up his
eye, no gladening emotions shed their
radiance over his features.
The discharge was recognized, and
she led her husband from the ranks Of
his devoted companions; but he went
not forth with that manly dignity and
firm step with which he entered the
camp as volunteer. The eyes Of the
hardened soldiers were upon him-he
fancied scornfully-his head dropped
upon his chest, and suppressed whis-
pers hissed in his ear like so many SER
pents, each voice Of reproach and
shame; but the timid and loving woman
that led him from that camp Of war was
unconscious of all this. She heard no
whispers Of rsproach, she saw no scorn-
ful eyes--she was only conscious that
she had recovered her husband and
what cared she for eyes and lips! The
pickets were passed, and the last guard
stared rudely in her face as she ap-
/ preached him. and muttered something
that she did not hear. She prattled
ramblingly to her husband, fond crea.
ture, all the way telling how happy she
should be, and father, and mother
but he answered her not, still walking
Igloomily by her side. Little cared she,
though, and still she wended along,
and still she prattIed. Poor timid, ten
der creature! She did not imagine
what load ofshame she had piled up
on the head Of her husband! She could
not think how deeply he was wounded.
She had him safe--all her own again,
at last, and she could not dream ofany
future wo, or brooding sorrow! But
he thought---he brooded over his deser-
ton Of his comrades, and remembered
the expression Of their faces as he suf-
fered himself 10 be led out Of the en-
campment. And that night, in his