Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1863-08-07
A SHORT SIMPLE STORY.

y
SHORT SIMPLE STORY.
After that night, an hour of each evenin
that remained to him was devoted to his eas
or pleasure. He could not talk much. fc
breath was precious, and he spoke in whi-
pers, but from occasional conversations [
cleaned scraps of private history which onl'
added TO the affection and respect / felt 10
him. Once he asked me to write lettel
and as / settled pen and paper said, witt
an irrepressible glimmer of female curiosity
Shall it be addressed to wife or molhe,
John ?"
Neither, ma'am; I've got no wife, anl
will write TO mother myself when get be-
ter. Did you think was married becaue
of this p he asked, touching a plain ring
he wore, and often turned thoughtfully N
his finger when he lay alone.
PARTLY that, but more from settld
sort of look you have-a look which young
men seldom have until they marry
& didn't know that, but Pm not so very
young, ma'am-thirty in May-and have
been what you might call settled this wn
years, for mothers widow. I'm the old,st
child she has, and it wouldn't do for me TO
marry till Lizzy has n home ef her own,
and Laurie's learned his trade; for we'ls
not rich, and | must be father to the chil
dren, and husband TO the dear old woman,
if / can p
"No doubt you are both, John, yet hoy
came you TO 60 to the war if you felt SO?
Wasn't enisting as hard as marrying" ?"
No ma'am, not as | see it; for one S
helping my neighbor, the other pleasing my
self. | went because Couldn't help it. |
didn't want the glory or the pay, wanted
the light thing done, and people kept saying
| the men who were in earnest ought to fight.
| was in. earnest, the Lord knows, but he'd
off as long as | could, not knowing which
was my duty. Mother saw the case, gave
me her ring to keep me steady, and said
go;' and SO l went"
A short story and a simple one, but the
man and the mother were portrayed better
than pages of fine writing could have done i
A SOLDIERS PRIDE.
! Do you ever regret that you came when
| you lie here suffering so much 2"
"Never, ma'am. 1 haven't helped gresi
deal, but have shown was willing 10 give
my life, and perhaps I've get to, but | don't
blame anybody, and if it was TO do oveI
again. I'd do it. Pm little sorry wasn't
wounded in front. 1t looks cowardly to be
hit in the back, but / obeyed orders, and il
don't matter in the end, know" a
Poor John it did not matter now, except
that shot in front might have spared the
long agony in store for him. He seemed
TO read the thought that troubled me, as he
spoke SO hopefully, when there was no hope
/ for he suddenly added:
This is my first battle-do they thinl
it's going TO be my last ?"
"Pm afraid they do, john"
1t was the hardest question l had evel
been called upon to answer; doubly hare
with those clear eyes fixed on mine, forcing
truthful answer by their own truth. liz
seemed little startled at first, pondereC
over the fateful fact moment, then shook
his head with glance at the broad ehes
and muscular limbs stretched out befor,
him.
'1'm not afraid, but it's difficult to beliey,
all at once. I'm SO strong. 1t don't seen
! possible for such little wound to kill me-
H. THE LAST LETTER.
i" Shall ! write to your mother now ?''
asked thinking that these sudden thing
might change all plans and purposes bu
they did not; for the man received the or
der of the Divine Commander to marcl
with the same unquestioning obedience will
which the soldier had received that of tn,
human one, doubtless remembering that tn,
first led him to life, the last to death.
No ma'am to Laurie just the same
he'll break it TO her best, and Ill add lin
to her myself when you get dcne."
1 So i wrote the letter which he dictated
finding it better than any / had sent, foi