The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-09-19
BIDDEFoRD, MAINE, FRIDAY MORNING,
Snow. boys" shouted the captain, "aiter
'em Shoe. to kill, not to scare 'em J"
"Ping! Ping!" rang the rides.


Ping! Ping!" rang the rifles.
"Zzz.z.vit!" sang the bullets.
On they went. crouching among the bush
es, creeping along under the banks Of the
brook. cautiously peering from behind trees
In search of "butternuts.
Hopeful was in the advance his hat was
lost, and his hair more deiantly bristling
than ever. Firmly grasping his rifle, he
pushed on, carefully watching every tree
and bush. A rebel sharpshootcr started to
run from one tree to another, when, quick
Ms thought, Hopeful's rifle was at his shoul-
der, puff Of blue smoke rose from it's
mouth. and the rebel sprang into the air
and fell back-dead. Almost at the same
instant. as Hopeful leaned forward to see the
effect of his shot, he felt sudden shock. a
sharp, burning pain, grasped at bush'
reeled, and sank to the ground.
"Are you hurt much, Hope?" asked one
of his comrades. kneeling beside him and
staunching the blood that flowed from his
wounded leg.
"Yes, | expect | am; but that red wamus
over yondcr s redder n ever now. That
fclIer won't need u pension"
They carried him back to the hospital, and
the old surgeon looked at the wound, shook
his head, and briefly made his prognosis.
"Bone shattered-vesscls iujured-bad leg
have to come of. Good constitution,
though; he'll stand it,"
Aud he did stand it; always cheerful.
never complaining, only regretting that he
must be dscharged-that he was no longer
able to serve his country.
And now Hopeful is again sitting on his
little bench in Mynhcer Kordwaner's little
shop. pegging away ut the coarse boots, sing
Ing the same glorious prophecy that we first
heard him singing. He has had but two
troubles since his return. One is the linger-
ing regret and restlessness that attends a
civil life after an experience of the rough,
independent life in camp. The other trouble
was when he frst saw Christina after his re-
turn. The loving warmth with which she
greeted him panied him; and when the wor.
thy Herr considerably went out of the room,
leaving them alone. he relapsed into gloomy
silence. At length, speaking rapidly, and
with choked utterance. he began:
"Christic. you know love you now, as
always have, better n all the world. But
I'm cripple now-no account to nobody
lust dead weight-an' don't want you,
cause o your promise before went away,
TO tie yourself to load that'll be drag on
you all your life. That contract--ah-prom-
ises-an't-is--is hereby repealed There "
And he leaned his head upon his hands and
wcpt bitter tears, wruns by great agony
frou his loving heart.
Christie gently laid her hand upon his
shoulder, and spoke, slowly and calmly
{" Hopeful, your soul was not in that leg
was it?"
1t would seem as if Hopeful had always
thought that such was the case, and was
just receiving new light upon the subject he
started up so suddenly.
"By jng!" And he grasped her hand,
and-but that is another Of those scenes
that don't concern us at all And Christie
has promised next Christmas to take the
name, as she already has the heart, OF Tack
EFT. Herr Koriwaner, too, has come to the
conclusion, that he wants partner. audon
the day of the wedding. new sign is to be
put up over a new and larger shop, on which
"Co." will mean Hopeful Tackett. In the
mean time, Hopeful hammers away Justify.
mcrrilv whistling, and singing the praises of
the "Bauger." Occasionally. when he is
resting, he will tenderly embrace his stump
Of Lex, gently patting and stroking it, and
talking to it as to pet. II stranger is in
the shop, he will bold IL out admiringly,
and ask:
..Do YOU know what call that? ] call
that Hopeful Tdekea-his mark"
And il is,a mark-a mark Of distinction
badge OF honor, worn by many brave fell
low who has gone forth, borne and up
held by love for the dear old dag, to suffer,
to die If need be, for it; won in the fierce
contest, amid the clashing strokes OF the
steel and the wild whistling of bullets, won
by untlinching nerve and unyiclding muscle;
worn as a badge of the proudest distinction
an American can reach. II these lines come
to one Of those that have thus fought and
suffered-though his scars were received in
some unnoticed. unpublished skirmish, tho
bulletins spoke not Of him. "though fame
shall never know his story"-let them come
as a tribute to him; as token that he Is
not forgotten; that those that have been
with him through the trials and the triumphs
of the field, remember him and tho heroic
courage that won for him those honorable
scars and that while life is left to them
they will work and fight in the same cause.
cheerfally making the same sacrifices. seek
Ing no higher reward than to take him by
the hand and call him "comnde," and to
share with him the proud consciousness Of
duty done. Shoulder straps and stars may
bring renown; but he is no less real hero