Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-03-12

tenderly laid down in a hospital and
there it lay, week after week, though the
long bright summer days, until the har-
vest, spared by war, had ripened and
was gathered in.
Over and over again, the sun rose and
set upon the crowded city; over and over
again, the moonlight nights were quiet
on the plains of Waterloo; and all that
time was blank to what had been
Lieutenant Richard Doubledick. Re
joicing troops marched into Brussels,
and marched out; brothers and fathers.
sisters, mothers, and wives, came throng-
ing thither, drew their lots of JOY or
agony and departed; so many times a
day, the bells rang; so many times, the
shadows Of the great buildings changed,
so many lights sprang up at dusk so
many feet passed here and there upon
the pavements SO many hours of sleep
and cooler air of night succeeded; indif-
ferent to all, marble face lay on a bed,
like the face of recumbent statue on
the tomb of Lieutenant Richard Doub-
ledick.
/ Slowly laboring, at last, through a
long, heavy dream Of confused time and
place, presently faint glimpses of army
surgeons whom he knew, and of faces
that had been familiar to his youth
dearest and kindest among them, Mary
Marshalls, with a solicitude upon ii
more like reality than anything he could
Observation-Disclosures Richard Doubledick
came back TO life. To the beautiful life
OF calm autumn evening sunset. II
the peaceful life Of fresh quiet room
with large window standing open; 3
balcony, beyond, in which were moving
leaves and understanding flowers; be
yond again, the clear sky, with the SUI
full in his sight, pouring its golden radi
ance on his bed.
\ 1t was so tranquila and SO lovely, that he
thought he had passed into another world
And he said in a faint voice, Taunton
are you near me:'
f a face bent over him. Not his; hi.
mothers.
came to nurse you. We have nurs
ed YOU many weeks. You were movec
here long ago. Doyou remember moth
ing?'
Nothing
| The lady kissed his cheek, and held
his hand, soothing him.
Where is the regiment? What ha
happened? Let me call you mother
: What has happened, mother?'
: a great victory, dear. The war j
over and the regiment was the bravest il
the feld.'
His eyes kindled, his lips trembled, b
sobbed, and the tears ran down lis face
He was very weak: too weak to NOV
his hand.
! WAS it dark just now ? he asked pres
] emily.
] No
1t was only dark to me Somethin
passed away, like a black shadow Bu
as it went, and the sun-O the blesse
sun, how beautiful it Is touched my fac
l thought | saw light white c.cad pas
out at the door. Was there nothing tina
went out"
She shook her head, and 10 a liitl
while be fellasleep, she still holding hi
hand and soothing him.
From that time he recovered. Slow
Iy, for he had been desperately wolndg
in the head, and had been shot in til
body; bat making some little adyanC
4. every day. When he had gained suii
cient strength to converse, as be lay
bed, he soon began to remark that Mr
- Taunton always brought him back to h
- own history. Then he recalled his pr
servers dying words, and thought, >
comforts her.
!, One day, lie awoke out Of sleep, r
. freshed, and asked her 10 read 10 lii
! But the curtain Of the bed softenina Il
!, light, which she always drew back whe
b. he awoke, that she might see him fro
her table at the bedside where she sat
e work, was held undrawn; aad woman
voice spoke which was not hers.
II Can you bear 10 see a Stranger
:. idsoftly. Win you like to see stra
e y ger?
: Stranger " be repeated. The Vol
awoke old memories, before the days
a Private Richard Doabledick.
Ie "A stranger now, bat not a strang
n once it is said IN tones that thrilled biz
e Richard, dear Richard, lost through
u many years, my name
y. re cried ,st,f bsr yae,e kg.r.. T, .,