North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-11-25

1t was after the siege of Wick sburg, and
Mildred Brown with pale face full Of suffer.
ing, stood at the window, softly singing:
Whs1 this cruel war is over
Praying that We meet again"
There was pIaintive undertone to the
sweet melody of her volce, for that morning
her eyes had rtiii anxinuslt over the list of
killed and wounded; and then atopped sud
denly, and dlmmed with anxious fear as they
rested on the name of " Captain Logan, Iniss-
ing. Hopes, doubts, aud fears were written
on the fair young face, but they oil gave way
to sudden lighting up, rs she eagerly d.rted
forward and met the postman with two let
ters-both from the Army, but neither bear
irg the familiar whiting If the loved hand !
Oh, the fearfulnesS of that m nnent when but
a word stands between uspenss. and certain
y! How the heart will cling TO the old,
fearful reali,y7 And Mildred Brown, SO
young and unused to l'fe's rough ways, it was
'tiful TO see the hands that had rested on
her lovers head 40 tenderly, shake with fear
as she undid the seals that stood between
hope and despair il was pi,ifu 20 see the
eyes, all unused to weeping, gather up the
terrible truth, as they glanced over the page,
and pi,iful, to hear the cry of anguish that
went up from Mildred, smitten aud attic ted !;
for the door had closed over futile hopes, and
her soul groped blIndly in the darkness and
utter pitilessness Of certainty. The letter
was from Colonel Bates, gently and tenderly
written, but containing the sad news Of Cap
tain Logan's death. The ether letter was
from Lieutenant, who had promised his
Captain to write to Mildred, if augat occur
red disabling him. He wrote of the exposed
situation which his Captain held in obedience
60 their Colonel's command, and of his fall in
noblest discharge of most fearful duty.
The same sad tale that has come to o. ma.
ny homes during this ctdel war! No last
words or looks for fu'ure remembrance, no
loving ministration of tender hands to comfort
the heart in after days! Death, cruel death
in all its terribleness, with none Of the alleti-
ations that take sway it's sting In such an
hour, when earthly comforts fail, thrice bless
ed they who, like Mildred, can turn for con-
ISOLATION 20 tha: Holy Volume which declal ed ::
Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall
be comforted.n
Turning the sacred pages, she opened to
the story of David and Uriah, and rs she
read David's command, Set ye Uriah in the
forefront Of the hottest battle. and retire ye
ffein him that he may be snitteD and die" :;
she involnntariy shuddered and thought of
Colonel Bates.
The summer passed with ito mingled good
and i'll, and the earth put on its autumnal
glories, robes Of fame, &nd gold, and russet-
brown, and, few days since Colonel Bates
was pleading again with the fair Mildred, sad
dened and subdued by the memories of her
summer sorrow: Colonel Bates was skillful
id his reading of the human heart, and knew
that to his gentle sympathy and perseverins
devotion Mildred, could not be totsNy indiff-
erent, and now be urged no forgetfulness of
the lost love, only her acceptance Of his life.
long devotion. And Mildred lonely and DESC
lats, uss thinking Of her life 81 valusless to
herself, and wondering if she had right to
withhold il froR one to whom it seemed so
precious, when, in rhs mingled thoaghts that
cr3wded ON her mind, came ins;inctivsly the
story of David and Uriah, and she turned
away weArily, saying, abe must think !; she
could not decide until the morrow. cal @. fI