The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-08-13

Very thoughtfully she walked up stairs
to Lizzie. her brothers pretty little wife, who
was lying among . heap Of laced pillows,
lost in admiration ofanother heap of flannel
and embroidery, which Miriam addressed as
"Auntie's precious baby" and which seem.
ed to be regarded generally as very novel
and striking production. Miriam's brother
and that brothers wife and child, were to
her objects of the warmest affection; and
the pretty Lizzie. who was two or three
years her Junior, clung to her with sort of
adoring love that seemed to be Miriam's
due.
After talking an immense amount of non.
sense to the baby, and kissing and petting
the childish mother, Miriam went to her
own room, and thought great deal more
about Gilbert than that modest lover would
ever have imagined. She did not wish to
marry him-they were not suited to each
other; she thought him too young, in the
first place, and too tinid- there was moth.
ing to lean upon; in short. he was not at all
her beau ideal, and she felt provoked that
her thoughts turned upon 80 unprofiHble a
subject. n s.
DR.. Moynton, who, by sort Of instinct,
had looked upon Gilbert as powerful rival,
now had the field 70 himself, and improved
bis opportunities to the best of his ability.
Herbert Lacy smiled app,ovingly upon his
suit-Lizzie thought him '.just the hus-
band for Miram''--and the doctor finally
committed himself by regular proposal.
Someht W it troubled her to see this lofty
man humhled and she said. as gently as
she could, "If ever love, it will be one who
has shown himself willing to sacrifice every
thing for his country
Even to enlisting as private ?" asked
the doctor bitterly.
A roseate color mounted to Miram's FORE
head but she answered steadily 'Yes, if
that was clearly his duty"
What do you wish me to do ?" said the
lover dispairingiy. Must advertise my
self as the celebrated and original able bod.
led man between the ages Of eighteen and
forty Eve years ~
Miriam smiled in spite Of herself, as she
mumured: whatsoever thy hand finds to
do, do it with thy might. and doctor Moyn-
ton retired discounted.
A fearful battle was raging in which Gil.
bert Fletcher's regiment had lost more than
half its men. Bravely following the flash.
ing sword that waved them up the hill,
they pressed forward to victory, Gilbert's
gray eyes dilating into strange beauty with
the excitement of battle When suddenly
came missile Of death. dealing carnage and
destruction on every side. Gilbert fell with
several Of his comrades, but
"---a private or two now and then
Will not count in the news of the battle
Miriam read the name of "private Gilbert
Fletcher" among the list of killed. and
strange feeling took possession other. She
neither cried nor tainted but all the sun
shine had died out of her life, and she felt
that she loved the dead private. With her
usual prompt energy, she took an instant
resolution to devote herself to hospital work
among the sick and wounded; and quietly
made her preparations in spite ofall oppos-
ition.
The stars came out and shed their soft
light over the field of battle, and on pale
face that looked dead among the dead-but
it was just waking up to life. An obscure
private lay there, with shattered daguer-
reotype resting on his heart, and in imsgin
alton vision Of Miriam bending over him
as his guardian angel. He smiled a. he
lay there; for something whispered confident
" that Miriam would one day rest her
bright head on that very place, and then he
fell wesrily asleep.
When Gilbert Fletcher returned to North
ern soil, it was with the rank Of captain
honorobly earned by tried bravery, not
bought with money but he seemed to value
shattered daguerreotype more highly
even than this commission; and Miri m
probably changed her opinion of him, or.
perhaps. as the lady said of her pertina-
cious lover, she married him to get rid of
him.
DR.. MoySton takes his luxurious dinners
at the Clarendon, and pronounces Mrs.