Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1853-09-15

| join the army He had not far to travel
as Washington had encamped within eigh-
| teen miles of Germantown. aud but half
that distance from his own residence. aud
long ere daylight on the FIRST of October.
he had presented himseifswithin the lines
of the American army, and made known
/ his desire to enlist. and that mornings
reveillc, as it beat the time to rise, was
answered also by the presence of George
Madden
/ But what consternatioE did thlt morn.
/ lng's dawn bring to the hearts of his wife
and parents His non-appearance was
at first scarcely noticed, till the former
perceived a letter lying on the table di-
rected to herself, wherein George informed
her of his resolution, and urged the neces-
slty OF his assisting in the struggle for
| freedom
If [ fall" it said, remember mel
shall die in glorious cause If live
trust me, it will be in the. enjoyment of
freemans glorious privileges"
Ere the letter was concluded, the forsa-
ken wife had fallen senseless on the floor.
The father felt glow of patriotic pride
thrill his heart at this devotion of his son
while the mother knelt and clasped her
hands IN silent prayer.
The poor wife at last came to her sens
es, but it was to wander about the house
weeping, continually calling upon her hus-
band, insisting that she should never see
him more, and marveling at his cruelty in
desertlng her. She was not of Spartan
mould, and possessed not those stern vir-
! tues which prompted those ancient hero
ines to lay the last particle of affection up
on the altar of their country's freedom =
No, she asked nothing more than the pres
ence of her husband-a devotion that re-
malned paramount in her heart, permit
ting the presence of none else. Grief -
she could not submit to be left thus alone
The act must be revoked that made him
one of the army She would seek him
she would implore him to come back to
those who loved him, and to whom he was
all the world
On that same day, ere the sun had reach
ed its meridian. unknown to any one, she
left home. and after three hours weary
travel, stood beside her husband in the
camp, beseeching him to return. Those
who witnessed her earnestness. were melt
ed by her tender entreaties. Those rug
ged soldiers who would rush madly on
bayonet and cannon, march barefoot over
frozen ground and through deep snow ,sus-
! tanned only by fervent patriotism, wept as
they beheld this fond bat timid wife cling
ing to her husband, and with eloquent en-
dearment, begging him for the love he bore
her, to return once more to the desolate
hearth now left without protector.
Impossible, he had enlisted for the war
the army could not spare any of its
number, which, even at the best, was too
small to cope with larger force, better
disciplined and better clothed Impossi-
bic he could not with any decent grace,
retreat from a position so recently assum
ed. He consoled her as best he could, but
assured her Of the impractca bility of lea
wing the army She must submit; it would
be sacaifce no greater than had been
made by thousands There was no RENE
dy but to wait and hope--the end was
certain and the consequence would be
glorious. But what could the poor wife
do All a thought has struck her. She
will seek the tent of Washington--at his
feet she will lay her petition
Behold the hero in his tent--the great, |
the godlikc. in whom are joined all vir
tues--created for the age and the cause.
doing 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 n paper that will re
store to her her husband but before she |
goes to the officer of his regiment she rev
erently takes the hand Of her benefactor |
and presses it to her lips tear falls up
on it which the good man suffers to re
main and sends her from his presence
with a benediction, and words of hope and /
comfort
Again she is in the presence of her hus !
band-she shows him his discharge with a |
beamlng countenance and words of Joy.
Now, you will go home with me, George,
and we will again be happy-oh, SO hap
Ply !"
But no glow of satisfaction lit up his
eye no gladdening emotions shed their
dance over his features
The discharge vas recognized and she
led her husband from the ranks Of his de-
voted companions but be 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 suppress
td Whispers liSSeu III DlS Cal iihc 81 lilduN
serpents. each a voice of reproach and
shame but the timid and loving woman
who led him forth from that camp of war.
was unconscious of all this. She heard
no whispers of reproacb, she saw no scorn-
ful eyes-she was only conscious that she
had recovered her husband, and what
cared she for eyes or 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 ram
blingly to her husband, fond creature, all
the way, telling how happy she would be. |
and father, and mother. but be answered
her not-still walking gloomily by her
side
Little cared she though, and still she
wended along. and still she prattled -
: