Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1862-02-06

Ho'iSn' az sno SVtsaSe, just W ueaI iud
she was well and happy, or to leave bun
die of newspapers for their perusal
ga battle at Lexington"l 1t flashed
along the wires, and heart-strings quivered
III sympathy. Then came newspapers,
with that dreadful tale of weary waiting
OF the held where "some one had blunder-
d." how 'to the jaws of death rushed
the six bundred:" of the thirst that mad.
dened; of the hope of succor fading out
while brave men stood their ground as
brave men will. AS yet came not the
fatal list SKILLED and wounded" Mothers,
sisters, wives, and sweet-hearts asked God
10 help before they stopped to read it;
and, alas the help was sorely needed when
the page was scanned.
Pauline was going to the post-fice. Fe-
verish and i'll she certainly looked for her
eyes were glitering and her mouth dry and
burning. She had not slept these two
nights, and would sleep no more until she
heard Grant Rylaud fate. Ah bravely
bad she struggled and she almost thought
that she had won the victory until now
But the vision of the strong arm that once
saved her from death lying powerless and
still-the eye whose light she had dared
so seldom to encounter staring blank and
fixed, uncovered to the plying sky-the
voice stilled forever-ah, Pauline could
not hush the beating of her heart, though
though she pressed her hauds closely over
it e
"Miss Pol,iny-Pollinyr' and Sophy
Grump's shril voice and bekoniug her fin
ger bid her come closer within her own
door. There's turrible news-have you
heard it? I've got todays paper, and
I'm going down to Miss Ryland's with it.
Here it is,s and running her long finger
down the list of "Killed" it stopped.
sc. Ryland." Pauline saw it clearly.
1t seemed to burn into her brain, &c. Ry-
land, killed." 1t was all over; there was
no disguise longer: and Sophy and Mrs.
Grump stood agast to see the fierce agony
that convulsed the young girls frame un-
til insensabiliIy came TO her relief. Then
came the wild fever and beating brain.
Days added became weeks, and yet she
was to i'll to be removed to her uncle's
house; but no kinder or more skilful nurse
than Mrs. Grump could have been found.
1t was infinitely better than if Mrs. Beau
fort had been in charge. The kindly soul,
who never left the bedside, began to puz-
zle herself sorely over the scraps Of deliri-
Gus muitering that fell upon her ear, and
faint light seemed TO draw up
on her mental borizon; but as she kept |
the new idea whatever it was, quite away t
from Miss. Sophy's observation. Dull as
she seemed, the old lady was yet capable
of wise actions for kindly purpose. ss9r
1t was bright day of early autumn,
aud Pauline was convalescent. The old
lady went around the garden cutting such
late. outlandish flowers as grew there for
a bouquet for the inva lids room, talking
to herself meanwhile, with many emphatic
mods of the head and shaking Of the black
ace cap. "There's dreadful tangle some
where; things is lin snarl; and we'll see.'
So she added dahla to marigold, and ar
emisia to gelder-roses, until she had made
, great Struggling bouquet, which would
nave shocked city belle; but Pauline lik-
ID them, homely as they were, and afaint
lush OF pleasure came into her face as
he turned in the arm chair to greet them.
There was knock at the outer door, and
he busting dame, in Sophy's absence, laid
he flower down hastily to attend it,
What allied the old lady when she came
,ackl She behaved very strapgly-get-
eng the big souptureen fer a vase for the
lowers, and trying to tie them up with
inc thread Paulines wondering eye
ecalled her.
"Who was that, Aunty Grump'l
Auuty BIT off the stem of a big carna-
ion short up by the flower, and then tried
o stick it on again.
"It was man just stopped here"
"What kind of man. Aunty! Were
,ou afraid of him.
"La bless you, no, childp and then
aughed heartily; but I'm so easy fustered.
lie looks like somebody ! knowed once"
Then she trotted off in the other room, and
eemed to hold coIloquy with some one
lere-came back and sat down besides ,
Pauline, and choked little before she
poke.
"Wus you ever mistaked, Polliny? Now
est think of the wust trouble you ever
lid have-no, maybe not the wust; for ,
hem that's lost mother knows what is |
be hardest to bear. Oh dear! am maxim
er feel bad again for the pale hand had ,
rushed away a tear al mean, Polliny, :
hat something that you thought wasn't !
II the while; and something that you /
hought happened didn't happen; and it
,as the other one all the time; and it was
as brother George that was killed ,
he one Minnie was promised to-and- :
Ryland, come here and tell :
er yourself how you amt dead, for can't
it through with it at all
1t did not need second bidding to call
he tall soldier. from his durance vile TO S
end beside the old armchair and the c.
ale girl, whose white hands elapsed to G
ether she laid in bis, and whispered, soft D
,,"Thank Godp 1t was no time Tor n
lie words for an explanation, or doubling e
hey needed but to look in each otheres
yes to read the tale Alright, and the sunny a
.esses cleaned in the sunset as if to COM
are themselves with the gliding trappings Il
n the soldiers coat, whereon the head il
as laid. True, it was pleasant to hear e,
ON her bps that no harsh word for him
nd passed them; that the colduess was fl
ut to cover an acheing heart, when she O,
,liavad him Minnia's hntrotheu. And a,