Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-12-04

MIN CilcCIIuiIy.
His letters came often. written in
good spirits, addressed to his sister,
but never without some cordial, rev.
crent, almost tender mention of her
who sent him forth to fight the great
fight IN her stead. Still the subtle
sense which foretells coming danger
haunted Miss Barclay like a phantom.
She could not lull it.
A day came at last when she open
cd the paper, feeling what its contents
were before she saw them. She read
there that Richard Kecnc was dead.
The Fedcrals had been repulsed, lcav-
ing their dead, of whom he was one
for the enemy to bury.
She read the tidings calmly. She
knew he died as he would have wish
cd, for she recalled his parting words.
Her soldier was gonc--her stake in
the war. Her hope of success seemed
70 have died with him. She did not
eel like weeping. She scarcely knew
that she felt at all only the cold
dull ache that made her clasp her
hand tight to her heart reminded her
She said to herself still calmly:
must go to Emily and tell her
that sent her brother to his DEATH"
She put on her things, and wonder
cd vaugely that she did not weep as
she saw her own still, composed face
in the glass.
Emily came to her in the same room
the front parlor ut school, where they
had met first--came in joyful with
welcome, but started back appalled, by
the white, still face she met. Miss
Barclay went up to her and said drear.
lily:
Emily, am all you have now. He
is gone"
The girl to whom tic iii news came
with such fell suddenness, burst int,
passion of grief, then trying to com
fort her, her friend wept also, and the
tears were strange solacc. She
took Emily home with her, her sister
from hcnceforth. She might go back
to school another year, at present they
had need of each other.
How drcary the months we're which
followed +! Emily was the first to
learn resignation for the loss Of the
dead, who died SO gloriously. Kate
was haunted forever as she feared she
would he, by the idea that she hat
sent him to his death and not ever
the memory of his own assurances
those generous last words of hi.
could give her comfort
The summer came-thc summer OF
'G2--bringing bird, song and blossom
The lonely, salt-scented sea-brecze rip
pied the waves, and shook the pine
trees into melody. From afar, Miss
Barclay seemed to catch scent ant
sound. 1t reused her to wish TO tread
the seaside rocks, and press her care.
less footsteps in the white sands OF
the beach. They went to pleasant
quiet nook, which as yet not enough
people had found to spoil. And there
the roses began to come back to Miss
Barclays cheek, aud the light in her
eyes. She might grow cheerful again
in time, if her fancy would cease to
picture one awful scene,-a battle
field where the setting sun searched
with red beams for the slain, and found
one face, a face she knew, with clear
honest eyes aud mouth that would ne.
YER smile more. Did they wound him
--mutilate him, after he was dead
, She had heard such things--shc wish.
cd she could forget them.
Walking alone one day, she heard
on the path behind her, voices Emf
ly's and anothcr's. She turned sud.
denly Were her senses dazcd ! Did
she dream! Do the dead walk
She saw a face over which Southern
turf must have grown long ago, un-
less il blcached white, unburied on the
CHASTITY battlefield. Sight and sense
failed her. For the first time in her
life she tainted When she recovered
she saw only Emily. The child spoke
eagerly:
ut was my brother, alive, himself
He was wounded, not dead. They
took him prisoner, and last week he
was exchanged. When he camo to
New York he found that we were
here, and followed us.n
She had poured out the words into
katc's ear with might and main, bent
on making her understand the truth
lest she might faint again. But such
swoons do not happen twice in one
day. Miss Barclay comprehend all
now, and was herself again ready,
with courteous greeting, for him who
came down the path-the returned
warrior, with the scar scanning his
broad brow, and showing how near
he had come to the fate she had fear
cd.
He had furlough to get we'll in,
he said, and then he was going back
OF course he staid with them there
at Sea View for a while and of course
they nursed and petted him, as women
always do their returned braves. II
was strange how soon all the sadness
went out of katc's heart, the melan.
choly out Of her manner. One day
he said to her:
"You are too kind to me-"
do not feel as if could be-" she
answered, when remember what you
have suffered and who, sent you forth
to fight"
He did not speak again for few
momcnts,and then he asked strange
question
Miss Barclay, what should you
think Of man. an honest man, who
loved woman dearly. but did not
ask her to marry him because she was
rich and he was poor, and he knew
the world would brand him fortune.
hunter"
Miss Barclay blushed but she an
swcred bravely:
IL should think poorly of mans
courage whom the worlds opinion
could sway in the most sacred mat
tiers Of his heart and his life and If
lie believed the lady would ever re.
member on which side the fortune was
] should wonder at him for thinkitg
her mortby of his love-"
His eyes-those honest, earnest
ovos- Ionki nnr a bac .rith v,no.,l,;,,o y.