The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-12-02

enemy He spoke with the ardor G
strong desire, his eyes bright, and hi
face in glow-wounding, and the pai
of wounding, all forgotten. Blu
another's eyes became as dim as hi
brlghtened-another's cheeks paled a
his grew warm. | saw the tears shin
ing as Mrs. Harley answered, in an un
steady voice.
| am neither brave enough nor strong
enough for soldiers wife,
She had meant to say more, as wa
plain from her manner, but could no
trust herself.
%, yes, you are ; brave enough anC
strong enough replied Mr.. Harley, will
animation. Not every one could have
moved so calmly amidst the dreadful
scenes of camp hospital after battle
| watched you often, and felt proud 0
you
IL oHo Hau ilol Dtcu WOuuueU dloO-
my wife began but Mr.. Harley inter
rupted her with the ejaculation,
Wounded ? in tone of surprise.
Yes, wounded resumed my wife
and, as now appears, nearer the seat o
vitality than you were. Did you no
know this before, Mr.. Harley p
My friend was perplexed for little
while. He could not get down at once
to my wife's meaning.
when you were struck, she was
struck, Also
20, yes ! Light broke in upon Mr..
Harley. He turned quickly toward his
wife, and saw in her face what had been
unseen before, the wasting and exhaus
ton that come only from deep seated
pain. He had thought the paleness oI
her countenance, the weakness that made
her step slow and cautious, only the re-
suit of oyertaxed muscles and nerves.
But he knew better now.
q didn't think of that he said, with
visible anxiety, as he gazed into his
wife's countenance. Our wounds, so
- ,. .r
than the flesh and bone. The pain is
short, and nature comes quickly to the
work of cure with all her healing ener-
gies. We suffer for a while, and then it
is over. We are strong and ready for
the conflict again
But, said my wife, into the homes
that stand far away from the battle fields
come swiftwinged messengers that
wound and kill 40 surely as iron hail
They strike mothers, wives, sisters
some with death wounds, all with the an
guish of vital pain. Alas for these
wounded The healing, If it follows, is
never, as the surgeons say, by first in
tsnton, but always slow, and often thro'
abscess and liberation. The larger mum
ber never entirely recover. They may
linger for years, but do not lose the
marks of suffering
A long silence followed. There were
others present who, like Mr.. Harley, had
never thought of this. | noticed that
for the hour we remained together he
was tenderer toward his wife, and more
than once | saw him looking at her,
while she was not observing him, with a
troubled countenauce. He did not again
speak of the early period at which he ex
pected to join his regiment.
On the day following another long lis;
of killed and wounded was given to the
public. AS | read over the names and
counted the numbers, nay thought came
back from bloody field aud suffering hos
pital. Those are not ALL said. Alas
not all. The ball struck twice, thrice ;
sometimes oftener. There is pain, there
is anguish. there is wounding, even un
TO death, in many, many homes, within
a thousand miles of that CORY place.
Some are alone and neglected dying on
their battle field, with mono to put even
a cup of water TO their lips some are
with loving friend who yet fail to stanch
the flow Of blood, or bandage the shat
tered limb--seme cover their wounds,
hiding them from all eyes, and bear the
pain in chosen solitude. The sum Of all
this agony, who shall give it .
Our wounded ! If you would find
them all, you must look beyond the hos.
piIals. They are not every one bearded
and in male attire. There sat beside
you, in the car just now, woman. You
scarcely noticed her. She left mt the
corner below. There was not much life
in her face her steps, ms they rested on
the pavement, were slow. She has been
wounded, and is dying Did you no.
tice Mrs. D in church last Sunday i?
Yes; aud now | remember that she
WAS pale, aud had an altered look One