Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1863-07-15

darling suffering there. Many of my COM
rades, lads of eighteen or twenty, who had
never been night from home until they join
ed the army spoiled pets Of fortune, manly
enough at heart but children in years and con-
stitution, who had been used to have every
little ache and scratch compassionated with
an almost extravagant sympathy-there they
lay, crippled, and gasbed, and bleeding, crush
ed and dying, huddled together-some, where
they had fallen, some, where they had weak
ly crawled upon their hands and knees-and
never a woman's touch to bind up their
wounds, or a womans voice to whisper gen
tie consolation.
It was pitchy dark and cold, miserable
rain was falling upon us. The very heavens
seemed weeping over our miscries Then
through the darkness and the drizzling rain,
through the groaus and prayers of the fallen
men about me, heard familiar voice close
by my side:
Water waterl water am dying with
thirst-if it be but mouthful-waterI For
Gods sake give me waterl'
recoiled in dismay. 1t was the voice Of
my enemy, the voice Of Richard Withers.
They were once very dear to me, those mel
lew tones once, the pleasantest music I cared
to hear. Do you think they softened me now ?
You are mistaken. am candid about it.
My blood boiled in my veins when I heard
him; when I knew that he lay so close to
me, and l. powerless to withdraw from his
detested neighborhood. There was water in
my canteen. had filed it before that last
ball came. By stretching out my hand could
have given him to drink; but did not raise
finger. Vengeance was sweet. I smiled
grimly to myself, and said down in my secret
heart Not a drop ..uall cross his lips,
though he perish. shall have my revenge. ,.
Do you recoil with horror? Listen, how
merciful God was to me.
There was a poor l,de drummer on the
other side. a merry. nrrly hoy of twelve
or thirteen, the pet j iug 6 the reg
imeut There was sol ot,ii.e IF the German
in him; he had been with us from the first,
and was reckoned one Of the ablest drummers
in the army But we would never march to
the tap OF CharIcy's drum again. He had got
ball in his lungs; and the exposure and Gp-
Jigue, together with the wound. had made
him lght-headed. Poor little clild he crept
close to me in the darkness and laid his check
npon my breast Maybe he thonght it was
his own little pillow at home; maybe he
thought it, poor darlingl his mothers bosom.
God alone knows what he thought; but with
MS hot arms about my neck and his curly
head pressed close to my wicked heart, even
then swelling with the bitter hatred OF my
enemy, he began, in his deiriu1n, to murmur
the " Our FatLer ,rho art in hearcn."
was a rough bearded man. I had been
an orphan for many long year; but not too
many or too long to forget the simple-heart-
ed prayer Of my childhood-the dim vision Of
that mothers face over which the grass had
grown for twenty changing summers. Some
thing tender stirred within my hardened heart.
It was too dark to see the little face, but the
young lips went on brokenly:
"And Jorgire us our t'e4passes as are Joygire
them ,rEo trespass against US"
1t went through me like a knife-sharper
than the sabre-cut keener than the ball. God
was merciful to me-and this young child was
the channel of His mercy
FoTgire as our trespasses as are forgire them
,cbo trespass against US l'
had never understood the words before.
II an angel had spoken it could scarcely have
been more Of revelation. For the first time
the thought that might be mortally wound
ed, that death might be closer than dream
cd, struck me with awe and horror. The text
of long-forgotten sermon wasin my ears
1t is appointed for all men once to die: and
after DEATH judgment"
Worse and worse. What measure of mer-
cy could expect, if the same was to be me-
ted to me that had meted unto my enemy ?
The tears weled into my eyes and trickled
down my cheeks; the first had shed since
boyhood. felt subdued and strangely mov-
ed.
The rain was falling still; but the little head
upon my breast was gone He had crept
away silently in the darkness. His uncon-
scious mission was fulfilled; he would not re-
turn at my call
Then lifted myself with great effort The
old bitterness was crushed, but not altogether
dead.
Water-water moaned Richard With
ers in his agony.
dragged myself close to him.
"God be praisedI" I said with a solemn
heart "Dick, old boy, enemy no longer
God be praisedl I am able and willing to
help you Drink and be friends"
1t had been growing lighter and lighter in
the east, and now it was day. Day within
and without. In the first gray glimmer o.
dawn we lookedifto each others ghastly face;
for moment, and then the canteen was al
Richards mouth, and he drank as the fevcrel
only can drink. I watched him with mois
eyes, leaning upon my elbow and forgetting
the bandaged shoulder. He grasped me with
both hands.
Blood-stained and pallid as it was, his face
was ingenious and beautiful as a childs.
Now let me speak," he said painting
" You have misjudged me, Rufus. 1t was al
q mistake; found it out after we parted.
meant to have spoken this morning when
grasped your rein, but-but-"
IL. -....o.nr;A-r rr,nrnl M, Al, r.,rt I'll,