Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-11-09
"Changa we the scene


'Cold--aye. shivering cold: not from
the chilling atmosphere of the climate.
but OF the heart the old man wandered
homewards. Thought, feeling. life al :
most. all but motion, had deserted him.
Thief at last burs. from his pent-up
bosom, rs he slrode homewards--'I a
thef?'
Thief exclaimed a voice at his side,
that made him involuntarily turn round,
and lay his hand on his sword. He looked
around in the darkness but perceived no
Que; be was still passing a cavern in the
Lowland hills. long since renowned for
the clearness of its echoes
ERE the veteran had scarce began to
TO recover his senses, he found himself at
the threshold of his cottage.
That night at least there was an am
pie meal for all within those walls thai:
had the power of par'aking oft.
The following morning brought nu ner-
Gus messages and messengers from the
CASTLE in hopes of recovering the lost
bijou
"Entreaties first, then threats were
had recourse to; but each in turn were
met BY steady and firm avowal Of limo.
cence by tine owner Of the cottage. In
compassion to the veteran, he was not
at once handed over 70 :he civil power,
but in few days afterwards he received
o letter from the Horse Guards. TO whom
the matter had been fully communicated
and the halfpay Of the old mans rank.
upon which he had retired. was immedi
ately suspended, leaving him a beggar,
and powerless in the world
''True he mi gh. have claimed the alter
pative of a court martial; but were not
all the circumstances of the case arrayed
against him-bearing on their face a
moral certainty Of conviction, in spite
of his honor or his oath,
Nothing was new left but starva
ton or the workhouse. and he chose the
latter.
"In huge whitewashed building in
the nearest town, he found himself sepa-
ra ted for the first time in life from his
children. from her who had shared his
troubles as private soldier. and his hon.
our as an officer. Those whom God had
joined together, man at last had put
sunder.
"Sharp and agonizing was the anguish
a, first; but ere a week had elapsed. an
other blow more stunning than this was
doomed TO descend on the martyrs head
''He heard the church bell tolling, and
saw--but at a distsnce-all that was
mortal of his two darling daughters borne
from out that whi;ewashed world of sor
row 10 the grave!
"A settled melancholy, bordering on
idiotcy, now came over the old man S
spirits. His daily task was gone through
mecha nically; but his wife still lived.
and he might yet one day meet her again
alive, and that was, indeed. consolation
in his sorrow. but. alas! how faint even
that poor ray of hope
"Faint-:aint. indeed-roor outcastt
You have looked your last. aud brea thed
your last farewell. ere YOU entered within
the walls that now enclose you!
THE intelligence Of his wife's deaf
was soon after communicated 10 him. &C.
compsnied by permission for him to
have access to all that remained of one
once dearer TO him than life itself. and
the further boon was conceded Of follow
ing her to her long last home.
How willingly would he have availed
himself Of this kindnes ssi--but as the first
boom of the bell tolled out. he fell back