The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1863-12-24

L. 4 u Il - IL - - A'-h
half doubling, they removed him to their
house, and impaIicu,ly awaited the re.
suits OF skillful medical attention and OF
constan, examinations by iri nds of Lieut..
NJ. But he persisted in spite ofthc mos,
careful watch, in tearing ofl the applica-
tions made TO his sores, and seemed to
lose r0thur than gain in health, continu.
ally. And the visitors could reach no
conclusion whatever as to his identity.-
on, on the me arm of VI. In his -avings
he referred to occurrences In the l.icu-
tenants life at home, which it was thought
none but NJ. himself or most intimate
friend could have known. But other aud
aud somewhat more definite titings from
the army had meanwhile arrived. all to
the effect that NJ was dead and bur ed.
Drowning men catch at straws,' aud the
slight uncertainty OF the accounts Lett u
little room for hope to the distressed re-
lutives. II should have been mentioned
before that Gen. NJ. was n man Of con.
siderable means, of which his son had
been reputed the destined rosscssor in
the main, and his daughter was lady of
youth and unusual aitroctivcncss.
pricc was concluded about this time,
and the thinncd, wctthcr-bcaten army
" as On It's way home. As the Regiment,
of which NJ had been an tflicer, must
pass u. on its way home, il was de-
tcrmincd to bring some OF the members
to the bedside of the sick man, aud thus
reach the truth II possible. lie had
appeared calmer than usual for some days
after this arrangement, had been talked
of in his presence, and he was therefore
less closely watched by the exhausted al.
PENDANTS. Oae night, all were startled
on discovering that his couch was empty
But word soon came that he was back in
his old quarters. wilder and worse seem.
Iingly than ever. His act was n, cribct
to the disease, though suspicion Of i'm
position that had been felt by some, lee
the relatives to leave him at the hotel
after icpcated efforts to get him back tC
the house cheerlully, which were vain.
The writer will n,ver forget the scene
presented at d, as boat after boat, bear
ing the heroes of the Mexican war round.
ed the wharf. Pale faces, lunguid looks
emaciatcd bodies, wrecked constitutions
met the eye, glancing over that noble
group, aud gave evidence that the pco
pes salutations, universal and boistorou;
to the last degree os they were, wcrC
dearly, fully won. At each port alons
the river, they landed to bury some com
rade who had expired almost in sight 0
home. And surely never were saddle
scenes and sounds, than those when will
mufilcd drums and funeral notes, thI
weeping survivors of battle fields an,
storms and diseases, tottcrcd after th,
bier which contained all that was mortu
OF dead companion.
But for The finale Of my story. Gen
NJ. lost no time in seeking cut some nc
qunintanccs of his son, and with then
: proceeded, " ith feelings of anxiety tina
, could not be Expressed, to the bedside u
the sickman. These men had fully be
: lievcd the young man dead, as they hn
r left his side only when life appeared ex
J tinct and committed the task of buIia! 4
! other hands, themselves afterwards plaC
: ing a mark over what was said TO b. hi
: grave. A ray ofhope therefore rename
r to his friends even yet. That howeverdis
3 appeared, us the sickman was instantl
: recognized by the soldiers as dcsertc
: rom tho company, to which Lieut.. NJ
was first attached. An intimate con
j panion of his for time, the deceiycr hu
: possessed himself of q full Knowledge c
{ Ms life, connections and prospects
y and this knowledge he used, utter seein
d his friend inferred, with unsurpassed du
: ing, In an attempt TO palm himself upo
0 the afflicted family as the lost relativ,
0 The recognition was mutual; insanit
: and weakness disappeared, though III
: wounds proved no ieigned ones, and
y was with difficulty tbtt the enraged 80
y dicrs could be restrained from inGictin
d personal injury upon the artfuI wretch.