Winchester journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1862-1863, 1863-05-22

wound q lJJlc above MS htdIl.
from which the Efe-blood was
slowly oozing.
Not better than you did yours.
replied the other, with grim
smile, and he pointed to another a
little higher up. larger and more
ragged-a deadly wound.
And then the two men @azed at
each other again in the dim light
OF the moon, which came over the
hill now, and stood among the
stars like pearl of great price
And as they looked softer feel
ing stole over the heart OF each
towards his fallen foe, 4 feeling
Of pity for the strong, manly life
laid low. 2 feeling of regret for
that ineXorable necessity of war
which made each man the SLAYER
OF the other: and ~ last one spoke:
There ; some folks in the world
that will feel worse. s'posc, be
cause you've cone out Of it."
4 spasm Of pain was on the
bronzed. ehastly features.
"Yes. said the man. in thick
tones, there is Que woman, with 4
little boy and girl, away up among
the New Hampshire mountains,
that it will well NIGH kill to hear
Of this" and then the man groaned
in bitter anguish. 20 God, have
pity on my wife and children.
And the other drew closer to
him.
And away down among the
cotton fields OF Georeia there's 4
woman and n little girl whose
hearts viii break when they hear
what this day has done and then
the cry wrung itself sharply out of
his heart, 30 God, have p:ty up
on them,
And from that moment the
Northcrncr and Southerner ceased
to be foes. The thought Of those
distant homes on whom the
anguish was soon to fall. drew
them closer together in that last
hour, and the two wept like
children. At last the Northerner
spoke. talking more - himself
than anything else. and he did not
know that the other was listening
ercedily to every word:
she used to come-my little
@irl-blcss her heart. every night
to meet ne when I came home
from the fields, and she would
stand under the great plum tree.
that's Just beyond the back door
at home. with the sunlight making
yellow crown IN her Golden curls,
and the laugh dancing in her eyes
when she beard the click OF the
cate. | see her there now. and
I'd take her I'm my arms; and she d
put up her little red lips for 4 kiss.
bat my little girl viii never watcf
under the old plum tree by tho
we'll for her father again | shall
never hear the cry Of JOY rs She
catches n glimpse Of me at the
cate. shall never see her little
feet running over the grass tC
spring into my arms again"
And. said the Southener
There's little brown-eyed
brown-haired girl that used tC
watch i'm the cool afternoon for hci
father when he rode home from
his visit to the plautations-I caI
see her sweet little face shining
out now from the roses that coy
ercd the pillars. end the shout %
ioy IS | bounded from NY hors,
and chased the little flying fec
and the loud laugh up and dow
the ycr9adah. But. my darling
YOU will never watch again among
the roses for your father. and yol
and he will never 60 laughing an,
romping up and down the ole
yerandah again
And tie Northorncr drew nea'
to the S0utherner and the hot tear
stood on his cod chcel>s, ~ h'
said.
~Fricnd. may God have pity ol
our fatacrlc~S children. >
Amen, said the Southene
teryrutly
And the Northcrncr speak
now. in husky Whisper. Tor th
eve, Of the dying men were fas
glazing
We have fought like brave mel
together. We are going bcfor
God in q little while. Let uS Tor
rive each other
The Scutherner tried 10 speak
Int the -ound died away in
eurgle from his white lips. but n
took the hand Of bis fallen foe. an'
the stifrenine fingers closed tigh
over il. and his last look was on
Of forgiveness and peace Ans
when the next morning sU
walked up the gray stairs OF daNl
touched with pink. it looked dow
and saw two foes lying dead. wit
their hands claspel in each Other
hy the stream which ran close I