Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-11-26

face on the bank of the stream the
strife and the anger had all gone now,
and they sat still, dying men, who few
hours before had been deadly foes, sat
still and looked at each other. AT last
one OF them spoke:
"We haven't either chance tc hold
out much longer ] Judge"
No." said the other with mixture
of sadness and recklessness. "You did
that Job Of yours very well, as that bears
Witness" and he pointed to a wound a
little above his heart, from which the
life blood was slowly oozing.
mot better than you did yours" re-
piled the other with a grim smile and
he pointed to wound little higher up
larger, more ragged-a deadly one.
And the two gazed at each other again
in the bright light, for the moon had
come over the hills now, aad stood
among the stars like pearl of great
price. AS they looked, a softer feeling
stole over the heart of each toward his
fallen foe; feeling of pity for the strong
manly life laid low, feeling Of regret
for that inexorable necessity of war that
made each man the slayer Of each other !;
and at last one of them spoke :
"There are some folks in the world
that'll feel worse, Is'pose, because you
have gone out Of it?"
a spasm of pain was on the bronzed
features.
EYes," said the maa in thick tones,
"there's one woman with a little boy and
girl away up among the New Hampshire
mountains, it'll kill her to hear of this"
And then he groaned out in bitter an
guish, ooh God, have pity on my wife
and children"
And the othe, drew closer to him.
"And away am ong the cotton fields ot
Georgia, there's woman and CIR
whose heart will break when they heal
what this day has done" And then {
cry wrung itself out of his heart: i" OIL
God, have pity on them"
And from that moment the Northerne
and the Southerner ceased to be foes.-
The thoughts of these distant homes oil
which the anguish was soon to fall, drew
them closer together in this las. hour
> and the two wept like children.
And at last the Northern man spoke
talking more to himself than anything
else, and he did not know that the othe
was listening greedily to every word
She used to come-my little girl
bless her heart-cvery night to meet IN
when | came home fr' m the fields an
she would stand under the great plur
tree, that's just beyond the back door q
home. with the sunlight making yello,
crown in her golden curls and the laug
dancing in her eyes, when she heard tn
click of the gate-I see her there now
and | take her in. my arms, and She
~ put up her little red lips for kiss br
my little girl will never watch under tn
old plum tree by the we'll again. 1 sha
never hear the cry of JOY as she catches
glimpse of me at the gate-1 shall neve
see her little feet running over the gras
l. to spring into my arms again.
And" said the Southerner, "there'
Drowned eyed, brown haired girl tha
used to watch in the cool afternoons 70
,, her father. when he rode in from his vis
= it to the plantations--I can see her swee
s. little face shining out now from the rose
that covered the pillars, and her shout c
joy as l bounded from my horse an
chased the little flying feet and loud lang
up and down the varandah; but my dar
:, ling, you will never watch again anon
the roses for your father, and you an
: he will never go laughing up and dow
the old varandah again"
And the Northerner drew near tn
Southerner, and the hot tears stood O.
: his cold cheeks as he said:
"Friend, may God have pity on on
fatherless children"
"Amenr' said the Southerner ferven
ly.
And the Northerner spoke now in
u u husky whisper, for the eyes Of the dyin
10 man were glazing fast
10 eve have fought like brave men t.
gether. We are going before God in
J. little while. Let us forgive each other.
= The Southerner tried to speak, but I'll
sound died away in the gurgle from h
I, white lips but he took the hand OF IL
~ fallen foe, and the stiffening fingers clio
. ed tight over it, and his last look was
~ smile of forgiveness and peace.
70 And when the next mornings ST
ie N walked up the gray stairs of the dav
N touched with pink. it looked down al
$, saw the foes lying dead with their han
clasped in each others. by the stres
es which ran close to the battle field.
nl And the little girl that watched und
m the plum tree among the hills of Ne
], Ham pshire, and the little girl wit
of bright brown hair that waited by Il
a roses among the green plains of Georg
a were fatherless.
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