Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-08-08


ly listened to by both Nellie and myself.
laughing drills Of his sister filled many an
evening. 1t was a pretty sight to see that
fair girl, tossing the curls from her bright
face, and donning Horace's cap, 70 through
the maneuvers witn the musket her little
ws;,Y nands could just grasp. She attend.
ed all the drills where lady was admitted
she read all Horace's books, and was the
toast and admiration Of half the cadets and
newly-made officers. At the balls, where
one half the company laughingly called her
Corporal Curtis, her bright face, sparkling
wit, and animation both in dancing and con-
versation, made her the belle of the room.
Five years glided away, and the lawyer
wrote to resign his guardianship of the young
twins property. They were man and wo-
man now, yet, to me, children, true, loving
children still. We were at home, in the dear
country place, Lieutenant Horace Curtis,
Corporal Nellie and /, when the war of Mex.
leo was declared.
l am not writing history of the war, So ]
say nothing here Of the many reports which
kept us in an anxious state of suspense for
several weeks. Finally the blow fell; Hor.
ace was ordered to join his regiment to sail
for Mexico. For months we bore the tor
ture OF the home watching, and then we
resolved to go to Mexico. Letters were few
and far between; and, to speak without ex-
aggeratlon, | feared that Nellie would lose
her reason or die. All the courageous in
dependence which characterized her when
near her brother deserted her when he left
us upon his mission of danger She became
pale, listless, or restless, as the news from
the seat of war excited or depressed her
spirits. When the account of battle reach
ed us, the agony of suspense which she
suffered until the list of wounded and dead
followed it threatened to unthrone her rea-
son. 1t was difficult to obtain permission
to embark. but we did at last, and arrived
in the month of February, 1S47, at the little
village Of Buena Vista. Our journey, from
the time Of our embarkation, was full of
peril, though we were under the escort of
U. 5. troops lin fact we travelled as bag
gage, but Nellie never complained, never
seemed frightened or fatigued the one fact
that every hour brought them nearer to
Horace seemed to intuse new spirit into
every step. The old light came into her
eye, the bloom to her cheek, the smile to
her lip. One day friend in the regiment
to which we las baggage) belonged, sugges-
ted to us that we might find Horace wound
ed or dead.
"He is safe; safe and well" said Nellie,
drawing her tall figure erect. 81 feel it
l should know ifhe suffered He has been
suffering that we were apart but now he is
well. -
We were lodged, on our arrival at Buena
Vista, in a small house in the village, and
found that we were still with the baggage of
the army, Of which great quantity was sta
toned here. We knew that Horace was
near US, with Taylor division, but we were
in the village nearly two weeks before he
was allowed to visit us. He came one day
with Lieutenant Boardman, and cannot for
bear mentioning what this young man told
me.
'There has been," said he "the greatest
change in Curtis within the last few weeks.
Brave as a young lion, he has been since
we have left home silent, reserved, and mel
ancholy. His courage was too well known.
and since we have been here too severely
tested for any one to attribute the change to
cowardice; but he, who was the life Of the
seemed to have become perfectly
in his sad reserve. The change
back to his old manner began some weeks
ago. His song was again the merriest round
the campfire, his joke the wittiest, and from
that day to this he has been the Horace
Curtis Of West Point. Did he know you
were coming?''
"No; we did not write"
'But | knew it, said Horace, looking
from Nellie to us: 81 knew Nellie must
come to me and felt her drawing nearer
every day"
believed him. The twain love, strength
ened by their orphanhood, was the one in
tense, concentrated passion of their lives.
'Ifyou could stay to-night, only to-night!'
whispered Nellie, as she grasped his hand
for the farewell
81 cannot it is late now. At sundown l
am to relieve the guard at the San Luis road
and the post is important, and so dangerous
that it will be eternal dishonor if skirk it.
My men wait now. Good-by, darling, dar-
ling!" j.,
Never had his pet name for her sounded
more sweetly than on that afternoon, as he
folded her fondly in his strong arms.
AS she came from the door, where she
stood watching him till he was out Of sight,
| saw tears on her cheeks.
81 cannot help it, auntie," she said,
there is evil impending, some
harm. Ali" one cry of agony, and she tell
senseless at his feet.
Wondering, fearing I knew not what, !
ran for water, and tried to restore her con-
seriousness. She looked up bewildered, as,
at leagth, she sat up.
"Auntie, auntie? whereof, remember.
My arm" -. -,
eyes; such a sharp, sudden pain it made
me, faint; 1t is gone now, though it feels 9
little stiff
"Auntie p This voice came from the
door. Did mention that Nellie's deep
rich voice was exactly the same as her broth
er's, though in him was a sweet tenor, in hel
fine contralto? started as the new voice
so like the one at my side, fell upon my ear.
Horace, pale and scarcely able to stand, stood
in the doorway. "Auntie; can you bint
this up?" He pointed to his left arm, which
hung useless and bleeding at his side.
"Some rascals fred on us from behind &
wall, - he gasped. "Quick, auntie, Board
man is waiting at the door"
You cannot return !" cried.
II n,ustI Honor" The words died or
his lips, and he fell fainting where he stood
With returning consciousness, his eyes wan
dered deliriously, and then, the blood flowing
freely, he tainted again.
We lifted him into the little bedroom, and
then removed his clothes. | was busy ovel
his wound, bathing and dressing it, when the
sound of scissors clicking made me turn. Fol
an instant thought l, too, was delirious
Horace apparently stood before the glass