Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-08-10
No. 81
An Incident of thew FAR.


There is soldiers WIFE" Ihe.rd' some one
remark as was standing at the bedside of one Of
the patients in the Hospital at Cumberland Gap. |
looked and saw aslady, with babe folded. to her
bosom enter the door. Immediately / advanced to
meet her, and inquired could be OF any assistance.
She asked me ie her husband, William Morris, was
in tho hospital. answered that he was, and led her
to his bedside. As soon she saw the sunken.
cheek AID parched lips of her husband and his wild
t~eazical gaze, she uttereda moan of anguish and
STOPPING over him she kissed his brow and called his
name tendery trying by every fond endearment to
recall him 10 consciousness. But the sufferer,
though he fixed his eyes upon her face and seemed to
be trying to recall those features to his memory yet
noword escaped his lips to tell of recognition.
Then the pentup grief of the wife broke forth:k s
sOh, William, William, my poor dear husband, hayo
spare my husbandl' lifted her little frett:ng babe
from her arms and wrapping it in my blanket nalked
out from this scene of sorrow into the open sir where
l could force back my sympathetic tca}s. hen / S
returned ith my sleeping charge, Euna the wife
composed, bathing the fevcred brow and in
Ills fixed gaze fanced could detect faint gfeam
OF recognition. Ispoke cheerfully of her husbands
situation told her of similar that had recovered;
snd ere left the hospital saw her quietly seated.
partaking of some refreshments had ordered for
Weeks afterwards, as she was about 10 return with
her husband to her mountain home, she came to
thank me for little attentions bestowed upon
he, and then LEARNED of womans devotion that
may not soon forget. She told me OF her ho:re
the slope of the Uneca Mountain; of the happy hors
spent there till her husband was called 10 oi9 ais
conntrymen in defence OF his country. Toes she
toid Of long weary days, weeks and months shc lad !
spent IN his absence thinking the past an: asn
ing Of the future. How,ias she sat ngs rocag
her infant to sleep returning soldier had ifdugnI
her news of her husbands illness. At first s.e was
t overcome, checkiagh her grief she ministe,, the
! want Of her guest. after which she spent = night
IN preparing Tor her journey, as she determined to
start at early dawn for her husbands bed side.
elias
door OF her cabin, She with her baby casped to her
bos starts toot TO the nearest depot OF the East
\ go tssslsh Y = teists
house where kind hearts and loyng friends received
her, for they were unnindful Of strangers and
the morning found her refreshed and again .ller
Journey The third day she reached the depot. After
resting some hours here, she found herself on the
traln where she carried to MorriStown.
There she left the cars, and unaded and alone she
starts on her way h1vng yet journey of fifty miles
TO accomplish on foot EDWARDS she pods her wear
~ way unnindfu OF swollen and miry roads,
for IN imagination she hears the voice Of xfction
calling her name, A thousand fears gather around
her what should She be too late--the thought
gives her unnatural energy, and the fourth day
find her vending her way through the swarming
soldiery, guided by the yellow flag that waves in
the distance till at hast she stands with aching,
ious heart, at the entrance of the Hospital where
iirst met her. "And sir,' said she ''Nshen l re-
turn TO my mountain home, l carry with me the re-
metnbcrance of your Kindness and in the silence Of
the Uneca, will talk to our Father in Heaven of
you, and ask him to reward you as never cam"
Oh what unutterable horrors crowd round the
fearful thought. drunkards DEATH! Dying drunk
f parting with earth, drunk-closing the eyes on
} time dsunk-entering eternity drunk-facing holy
and angels, drunE-meeting the Holy Spirit that
was sighted for the bottle, drunk encounter
ing the blessed child JESUS whose sacred and precious
blood was forsakcn for the adulterated blood of the
z grape DRUNK-and staggering up to the Judgment
seat to meet the Judge of all the earth the Eternal
God DRUNK Horror of horrors
Yet Gentle reader, whose young fancy has tainted
over this idea this is no fancy sketch Horrible
thougEt-it is atrue picture of many. Read the ac-
counts Of the few nonths that have just past The
dreadful accidents to incorporate peope7the sudden
death Of rum bloaed victims of hrutazing Lcence
q Law. Think over h-weep over it-howl over it;
Q and pray Col not to visit silent Church and tenn
porting state with just and scorchnS retrbutive
Sengeance ...
ADyEBs1rY THE TEST FoRTITUDE-fhe rcve'ses
brought upon rs should be accepted as the test of our