Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-06-19

almost boyish single heartedness. But one
day changed all. We arose in the morning
dear friends, and lay down at night bitter
foes. l was man Of extremes; either
loved or hated with the whole strength of my
heart The past was forgotten in the pres
ent The ten years Of kindness, of congen-
iality, Of almost womanly tenderness, were
erased as with sponge. We looked each
other in the face with angry, searching eyes ;
said but very few low words (our rage was
to deep to be dcmonstrative), and parted
Then, in my solitude, dashed my clenchcd
hand upon the Bible, and vowed passionate
ly: a- -
II may wait ten years, Richard With
ers may wait twenty, thirty, if you will,
but sooner or later, swear shall have my
revenge!" " s'
And this was the way we met. vs.. +.
wonder if he thought OF that day when
he laid his hand on my bridle-rein and look
cd up at me with his treachcrous blue eyes
scarcely think he did or he could not have
given me that look. He was beautiful as a
girl; indeed, the contrast of his fair, aristo.
cratic face, with its regular outline and red
curving lips, to my own rough, dark cxteri
or, might have been partly the secret Of my
former attachment to him. But the lowell
ness of an angel, if it had been his would
not have saved him from me then. There
was pistol in his hand, but before he had
time to discharge it, | cut at him with my
sword, and, as the line swept on, like gath
ering wave, saw him stagger under the
blow, throw up his arms, and go down in the
press. Bitterly as hated him, the vision
of his CHASTITY face haunted me the long day
through. ......- -.
You all remember how it was at Freder
icksburg--how we crossed the river at the
wrong point, and under that rakng fire o
the enemy, were SO disastrously repulsed.
1t was sad mistake, and fatal to many q
brave heart. When night fell, lay upon
the field among the dead and wounded.
was comparatively helpless. A ball had
shivered the cap Of my right knee, and my
shoulder was laid open with sabre cut
The latter bled proi'usely; but by dint o.
knotting my handkerchief tightly about it
managed to staunch it in measure
For my knee I could 90 nothing. Con
sciousness did not forsake me- and the pain
was intense; but from the means and wall:
Of the men about me, judge that Others
had Jared worse than l. Poor fellows
there was many mothers darling suffering
there. Many of my comrades, lads Of eight
cen or twenty, who had never been night
from home until they joined the army; spoil
ed pets of fortune, manly enough at heart
but children in years and constitution, wht
had been used to have every little ache ant
scratch compassioned with an almost extray
agant sympathy-there they lay, crippled
and gashed, and bleeding, huddled togethe
some, where they had fallen, some wher,
they had weakly crawled upon their hand
. and knees--and never womans touch t,
: bind up their wounds, or woman's voice t,
whisper gentle consolation. ...-... a.
1t was pitchy dark; 4 cold miserable rail
was falling upon us. The very heavens wep
over our lniseries. Then through the dark
r ness and the drizzling rain, through tn,
groans and prayers of the fallen men abou
me. | heard familiar voice close by IN,
side;
"Water water water I am dying will
thirst--if it be but mouthful-water Fo,
Gods sake, give me water?" I....t 81.
l rccoiled in dismay. 1t was the voice O
my enemy, the voice Of Richard Withers.-
, They were once dear to me, those mellow
tones; once the pleasant tones cared t
hear. Do you think they SO softened -mt
now? You are mistaken. am candle
about it. My blood boiled in my veins her
heard him; when | knew that he lay st
close to me, and I, powerless TO withdraw
from his detested neighborhood. There
was water in my canteen, had filled it be-
fore the last bali came. BY stretching ou
my hand could have given him drink
but did not raise finger. Vengeance wa.
sweet. Ismiled gri,nly to myself, and said
down in my secret heart: "Not dror
shall cross his lips, though he perish.
shall have my vengeance.
Do you recol with horror? Listen, how
mcrciful God was to me?
There was poor little drummer on tho
other side, merry, manly boy Of twelve o,
thirteen. the pet and plaything of the regi
mcnt. There was something of the German
in him; he had been with US from the first
and vas rcckoned one Of tho ablest drum
ners in the army. But we would neve,
march to the tap Of Charley's drum again
He had got ball in his lungs and the ex
posure and fatigue, together with the wound
had made him light headed Poor little
child he crept close to ME in the darkness
and laid his cheek upon my breast May be
he thought it was his own pillow at home
may be he thought it, poor darling, his moth.
er's bosom. God alone knows what he
thought; but with his hot arms about my
neck, and his curly head pressed close to my
wicked heart, even swelling with the bitter
hatred Of my enemy, he began in his deliri
um to murmur the Our Father pAo art Il,
4 Heauen." -u., .-....a, -..r ..-.....r
Twas rough bearded, man. had been
an orphan for many long year; but not toe
many or too long to forget the simple hearted
prayer Of my childhood--the dim vision Of
that mothers face over which the grass had
grown for twenty changing SUMMERS
Something tender stirred within my harden.
ed heart. 1t was too dark to see the little
face, but the young lips went on brokenly:
And torgius US our trespasses as zoe for.
gire those who trespass against as as.
! It went through ME like knfe---sharpel
than the sabre cut, keener than the ball.
God was merciful to me-and this young
child was the channel of his mercy
! and Jorgirs us cur trespasses, az vs, for.
gre those uho trsspnss against us!"
| had nevcr 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 ba NOR.
tally wounded, that death might be neare,
| fhon droo,nad otr,,c1 ,