Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1863-02-05

of hopeless devices for many day. They
were sure that when the list of the prisoners
should be received from Richmond he would
be reported among them, but | gave up from
the first and when that came with no news
from him it was almost relief, for they let me
alone with my trouble.
You take up the papers day after day, and
read those dreadful lists without thought
Those names are no more to you than a col.
umn OF directory or a list of advertised let
ters You have kind heart, and you sigh,
and say Poor fellows !" as you lay them
sickening anxiety, the appalling shock, which
those very columns carry to thousand house
holds How eager eyes dilate with horror
aud unbelef as fearing, and hoping, and pray
ing, they come upon the name they seek for
staring them in the face with such persistent
reality-staring them into blindness.
So read it, leaning over my uncle's shoul-
der, and following his finger with dizzy
| brain
Misang-ARTHUR l.. GRANT.
| The first on the list followed by the name
of company and regiment that had marched
proudest of ali through our street thirteen
months before, since they had lett wealth, and
ease, and luxury, to go out for our countryS
Sake-a pure enthusiasm in which they bellev-
ed to be a noble cause.
Again aud again he had been in the thick
est of the fight aud come out unharmed. |
! impionsy believed it was my unCeasng selfish
prayers that protected him how mpous and
how selfish | had never known till now for
had come to believe the angels h2d special
charge concerning him Bat that vail Of self
delu>ion fell from my eyes like mist my
presumption in thanking Con would exempt
me from the trials common to all ! | dare say
you know every phase of mind passed through
with, if you have ever been visited with sud.
den shock Of loss how, from what | concciv-
ed to be loving trust in my heavenly Father
and a glowing gratitude found myself mad
ly rebcIionS, suIlenly faithIeSS, wholly unbe-
Iieyng What were ali his promises worth
since it had come to this OuIy that morn
ing, before | left my room, had read with
such boaStiuI conf ,euce in the Bible which
had been his earliest gift to NE
He shall deliver thee il six troubles; yea,
in seven shall DO evil touch thee.
In famine be shall redeem thee from
death, aud in war from the power OF the
sword"
But now he had put forth his hand and
touched all that had" and the temptation
to curse him to his face" swept over me,
as it had through the soul Of the patient
Chadean
Daring the slow decline which had takes
my father from me, and exhausted my mo-
therS little strength in long continued care
and watchfuneSS, we had sailed on long
voyage, in the hope that it might stay the
crueI disease which worked out its end with
such deceptive QuietneSS. | was wrctchedIy
feverish and i'll for long, long time, unable
to leave my berth or to take any nourlshment;
yet, strange TO say, | lever slept without
such heavenly dreams An unaccountabe
happiness stole over me as | sank to sleep
the fever and the thirst were Stacked on de
licouS fruits or at sparkling fountains of the
ccarest water The dull m0notony OF sight
and sound which almost maddened me when
awake, was exchanged for the landscapes and
the music of Paradise
SO it was with me now for a time when
awake, despair, and Gcsolaton, ANA eternal
isolation close around me but when | saak
into an uncouciouSn SIS that was not sleep,
such bright, mocking visions of the past, with
every precious hour that memory held III store
was lived over with minptcncSs and viVidneSs
hood
Every half expressed thought or glance of
tenderness-the perfect repoSe OF the 1ulI
knowledge OF his love-the bitter bliss OF our
first parting, when the call to arms sounded
through the laEd-the unspoken longing to be
called his--to bear his name, at last, II hlS lie
should be laid down for his country-the long
cIinging, passionate farewell, when first felt
all the intensity of his love-and his sudden,
unlocked for return.
That day came up before me continually
| heard the sound of clear, ringing footsteps
in the hall when | thought him hundreds OF
miles away, and started to be caught to his
heart, and find that my quick recognition OF
that familiar tread was indeed blessed real
ity How tenderIy he smoothed back my
hair as | clung to him-afraid he would van
ish as strangely as he had come-and pressed
my cheek closer and closer to his breast, till
| could hear the strong throbbing Cf his heart;
and then he whispered " You must be my
wife Agnes, before | leave you again this
separation will be intolerable if | cannot pour
out my whole heart to you and think OF you as
all mine ~
Yet he was to return the next day for his
| sad errand of escort to deceased comraGe,
one Of the first to baptize the soil of Virginia
with heroic blood, was already accomplished
1t was all so strange, so hurried, so drcamIlke,
when | stood up between my kind uncle and
aunt the next morning, and my uncle LAID my
hand in Arthur's and, trembling from head
to foot, made those solemn VOWS that bound
me to him for life and death.
Once-ony once-I heard his dear voice
utter the sacred name of wife," and then 1t
was all over my clasping arms were unlock
ed from his neck with tender and gentle force,
my husbands first and last kisses were show
cred upon my face-and he was gone
NNnc rhiS tho nnd Of my fni hful MatchinG