The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1863-12-31

usual serenity, as if, in that brief
eclipse, he had acknowledged the cx-
istencc of some hard impossibility,
and, asking nothing, yet hoping all
things, left the issue in Gods hands,
with that submission which is true
piety. ...,
The next night, as I wcntm rounds
with Dr. P, l happened to ask
which man in the room probably suf-
fered most, and to my great surprise
he glanced at'John.
Every breath he draws is like a.
stab; for the ball pierced the left lung,
broke a rib, and did no end of damage
here and there; so the poor lad can
find neither forgetfulness nor case, be-
cause he must lie on his wounded back
or sutfocate. 1t will be hard strug-
gle, and long one, for he possesses
great vitality, but cven'his temperate
life can't save him. ] wish it could"
You don't mean he must die, doc
toplr. r.1'. -H'p-0. 'e.. '.'r-'.'. =
"Bless you, there's not the slightest
hope for him, and you had better tell
him so before long-women have q
way ofdoing such things comfortably
so leave it to you. He won't last
moro than day or two, at farthest." "
1 could have sat down on the spot
and cried heartily, ifIhad not learned
the propricty of bottling up ones tears
for leisure moments. Such an end
seemed very hard for such man,
when halfa dozen worn out, worthless
bodies round him were gathering up
the remnants of wasted lives to linger
on forycars, perhaps burdens to others,
daily reproachcs to themselves. The
army needed men like John, earnest,
bravo and faithful, fighting for liberty,
and justice with both heart and hand,
true soldier of the lord. | could
not give him up so soon, or think with
any patience of so excellent a natuYe
robbed of its fuIfilmcrt, and blundercd
into eternity by the rashncss or stu
pidity Of those at whose hands so many
lives may be required. 1t was I'M easy
thing for DR.. P to say, "Tcll him
he must die bat y cruelty hard thing
to do, and by no means as " comf0rta>
bic" as he politely suggested. Ihad not
the heart to do it then, and privately
indulgcd the hope that some change
for the better might take place, in
spite Of gloomy prophesies SO render-
ding my task unnecessary. ,f .....
... A SHORT AND sIMpLE STORY. ,
After that night, an hour Of each
evening that remained to him was de-
voted to his ease or pleasure. He
could not talk much for breath was
precious and he spoke in whispers, but
from occasional conversations ] cleaned
scraps Of private history which only
added to the affection and respect |
felt for him. Oncc he asked me to
write u letter, and as I settled with
pen and paper, i said with an irropres-
sible glimmcr Of female curiosity,
" Shall it. be addressed to mother Or
wife, John?'
" Neither ma'amj I've got no wife,
and will write TO mother myself when
| got better. Did you think | was
married because Of this?' he asked,
touching q plain gold ring he wore,
and often turned thoughtfnily on his
finger when he lay alone. 'Wr..
Partly that, but moro from a set
tied sort Of look you havc-a look
young men seldom have until they
marry"
al don't know that, but I'm not so
very young ma'am-thirty in May,
and have been what you might call
settled these ten years, for mothers 4
widow. Tn the oldest child she has,
and it wouldn't do for mo to marry till
Lizzie has n home of her own, and
Laurie has learned his trade; for we're
not rich, and | must be father to the
children, and husband to the dear old
woman, if can"
"No doubt you are both, John; yet
how came you to go to the war, if you
felt so? Wasn't enlisting us bad as
marrying ?" .,.. n....
"No ma'am, not as | see it; for one
is helping my noighbor, the other
pleasing myself. / went because |
couldn't help it. l didn't want the
glory or the pay, / wanted the right
thing done, and the people said the
mon who were in earnest fought to fight
I was in earnest, the Lord knows, but
| held off as long as could, net know
ing what was my duty. Mother saw
the case and give me her ring to keep
me steady, and said go SO | went. ,
A short story, and simple one, but
the man and the mother were portray
cd bettor than pages of fine writing
could have done it. "'."
' A SOLDIERS PRIDE.
"Do you ever regret that you came
whenyou lie here suffering so much ?
Never ma'am, / hav'nt helped &
great deal, but I've shown was will
ing to give my lifo, and perhaps I've
got to; but | don't blame anybody
: and ifit was to do over again, I'd dc
it. I'm littlo sorry | wasn't wounded
in front, 1t looks cowardly to be hi
in the back, but | obeyed orders, ant
it don't matter much in the end,
know. .'-". '..'.'' aa ':.a'"
} Poor John! it did not matter now
except that shotin front might hav'
spared tho long agony in, store fol
' him. Ho seemed to read the though