Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1863-11-07
A SEALED TEAR.

| look OF paSSionatS Nei1fii'iiS v" Ut NV
face: sat there for hours, with strange
dream-Iight in her mournful'eye COZ
scious of nothing external; sat there
statue.like, frozen, apathetic. apparently
while dire conflict ragged within her,
At last. there stole over her face paiior
of terrible anguish, her head dropped
slowly. until her forehead pressed the
the sharp edge of the marble table; the
hattie was at its height-on the one side,
love. forgiveness, happiness; on the 9th
err. pride, doubt, and parental reproaches.
For p few moments the heart beats IN
the girls bosom convulsed her whole
slight form, then there came from some
unsounded depth of her being great,
aoonizinp sob, and then she lay there SO
still. so nearly breaihless, that she seem
ed as one dead. But the battle was
over. and pride had won the victory !!
Won could see that, when she life her
head once more, for the very movement
was queen like. With deliberate, icy
calmness, she rose, crossed the room,
brought back little ebony writing desk,
and sat down before it; then she smooth
ed out the crumped letter, AMI read 1t
over carefully, slowly, critically; then she
wrote
"Rick, you do not love me to-day
more than YOU did year ago, when you
decided that we were not fitted to be
life comnarions. / have prayed God TO
enable me to crush and conquer my love
| for YOU. and believe lie Las dono it. /
cannot SEQ YOU, AMI the ring You took
from nv finger then must not be placed
thereon again. am glad that you are
going to light-it is noJle--it is honor
ablc-and Lean ask our Father, with
sincere heart, TO watch over and protect
vou. / shall think of YOU, for [ shall
always Try TO be real friend to you
"MAUD."
There was no trembling in the hand
that wrote-no shadow of relenting in
that calm, pale face, as tho perfumed
note was inclosed AMI supcrscribed-on-
Is oace, as the tiny seal was descending.
a single tear dropped from tho long,
curved Iashes, and Lecamo a part--tho
soul-of that plain initial, +" NJ" All!
Captain Rick, when, with nervous fin
gers vou tear open this letter to morrow,
be tender with that seal; don't br1ise it;
don't break it--for the heart Of TIE only
woman you ever loved, ever will lore, is
imprisoned in it.
Poor Captain Rick tho night hours
are fleeing away, The soft haze and pur-
ping shadows of yesterday are gone;
there are black shre,is of clouds painting
the SKY with long iuky s!reaks, and the
| sad autumn wind walls desolately; there
is storm 10 the air, and storm in that sol
dier's heart, as he PAGES with quick
strides up and down the narrow limits of
his tent. No battle here, no opposing
forces, only fierce, hot, scathing storm;
and the proud, strong man bends before
it like a broken reed. "Hero is a 6alt
doar for YOU, old fcllo," his Lieutenant
said, laden with all the spicy odors of
'Araby the BEST Love and war al
WAYS. You're lucky dog" And then
he left him with laugh. Rick sprang
up from his couch lounge, threw his
meerschaum across the teat, and seized
the little delicate note with flush Of i'm
patient Joy on his manly face. Her wri-
ting her seal He pressed it 10 his
lips, opened, and read. Do you think
men have no feeling, no heart ! You
should have seen this proud, young Off
Ger, then; you should have soon hi
cheeks pale, his lips CULVER, his hand
drop nerveless to bis side; you should
have seen those appealing eyes raised To
Heaven, while the broken voice cried pit
eously 8 God be merciful to me p
Then Tho storm burst upon Linn, and
the gray of the early morning was filing
his tent with its melancholy light, when
he wrapped his cloak around Linn, and
sank weafly upon his barrow couch.
lie had sinned, and this was his pun
ish,nent ! and yet, when onc year be-
fore he bad said to Maud Hilton that
they two were unified for life conipan-
ions, he had been honest, he had be-
licycd HAT he WAS doing sad duty to
her and to himself. For months, ma
lure naturally noble and true had resist.
cd tie stirring appeals that came with
every breath for more men tonight in a
cause than which there could not be n
nob!er or better. lie shrank from tho
trials and hardships Of soldiers life,
from the horror aud uncertainty of bat
tie, as every man, born and reared in
luxurious peace, lGust shrink. But, at
last, the true nobility Of his soul mad ris
en- above all this, and he enrolled him
self as one Of his country's defenders.
Ii WAS the last evening he was 10 stay
at home, before he led the company he
recruited to the camp; everything was
settled, no business nffairs troubled him;
if he was killed why, that would be
all-would il not lie sat before tho
fire dreaming lily; suddenly there came
light gust of wind; the gas-light flick
cred; he started, and rose to shut tho
creakng door. Then lie saw glittering
on his finger plain gold band, and sit
ting down again, he drew it Off slowly,
and read the craven life history inside
"Dick to Maid"
All was everything settled was