Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1855-07-28
I'll Mary TO hasten


for am badly hurt"
A man was sent TO bring his vile.
"Doctor," said the gambler, "save that
mans life and there is my bank, and $40,
900 in BurgOyn' s--you shall have 1t all. y
The doctor felt the pulse of the man
and probed the wound anew. The gam
bier watched him with the greatest ankle
ty until his inspection was finished, when
the doctor shook his head in token of i'm
possibIity--lhe gambler sat down by the
side Of the wounded man and balhed his
head with water, and staunched the flow
of blood from the wound until the arrival
OF the wife--she came accompanied by
few friends, and as heroic women bear
their misfortunes, she bore hers. Not
word Of reproach escaped her-words OF
cheerfuness only came from the lips as
the tears coursed down her checks. 10
her inquiry as to the chances Of her hus-
bands recovery, the doctor assured her
that there was no hope-that the wound
was mortal-and that in few hours he
would die. She sank down on her knees
and invoked the mercy of lorgiving God
for her dying husband and the murderer.
The gambler asked the forgiveness of the
wounded man for the wrong he had COM
mitted, and also that of the wife which
was readily granted.
"This," said he, "is for not obey ing
the sacred injunction of my aged father
and mother-not to gamble. have faced
death thousand times, and still | have
escaped--the balls of an enemy have
wiislled past my ears as thick as haI
stones, and the bursting bomb has eXplo'
ded at nv feet--I have lived--oh God
and for this High above the red tide OF
battle have carried my country's en-
sign--and that won for NE name among
men, when not one cOmrade was LEFT to
tell of the deeds in the battle, escaped
unscalheG. Why was | not killed like
tie rest! All that was proud and pleasing
to a man | have had-and if could recall
This last act by living upon carrIon, sleep
ing in pauper's grave and renOunclng
every proud act Of my life, | would do il
| was born in the same village with that
,man--We have been classmates together
at The same school--receiVeG instructions
of the same aged man. We were born
beneath the same roof, and oh, God the
same mother gave us birth ! He must
not die-he is my brother ~
And the gambler sank down in swoon
upon The floor. The wounded man rails
ed himself upon his elbows--his CLASSY
eyes wandered about the room as if i'll
search of some particular person.
"Mother," SAID he, sis brother William
here ? !" and The words chokcd in
his throat, the gurgling blood stopped his
uterance, and he sank back a corpse upon
his pillow. The wife knelt again, but il
was beside dead body, and invoked the
mercy of God upon his soul, and forgive
ness of the murderer.
The gambler awoke from his swoon
and staggered up to the wife and said,
"Mary, would it were otherwise, for
have nothing TO live for now, the dead
and dying do not want anything in tins
world--take this certificate of deposit to
our aged father, and tell him we are both
dead--but, oh do not tell them how we
died -
Before the woman could reply, or any
one interfere, the report of tha! pistol
sounded again, and the lalricide had ceas'
ed TO live.
On the hill near Rincon Point were
two graves, a few years ago, enclosed
with white picket fence, and one tomb.
stone at their head, with the simple in
scriplion--"BRoTHERs."