Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-05-14

never wounded Nothing happened to disable
him from hls duty. He had refused wel-earned
promotion, and once, when true comrade, who
marched always at his eide, had asked him the
reason why, he sadly answered: Because
shall be here such little while"
I i thought you volunteered for three Jears.
Ihsd heard that you came 10 The place Of o
nine months man, but that you chose to en-
list for the longer time and join an old regi-
ment.n
There was no answer to the iIquiriug tone
which made question Of his remarks, and
Stephen Chase, who 0nderstood bic comrsde
too well to press the point, vas as much puzzled
as ever
He comprehended 1t all better the night be-
fore Fredericksburg They sat together on
stone little way from their tent. For q while
tbey both had been thinking silently of what
the dawning was to bring.
1t will be Tough fght," Chase said at
length /
III" You may we'll cay ao," Ash ThoInyo Oft
Eanswered. :" |, ia a terrible responsibility 10
Aaanme, that OF leading men TO such certain de-
atruction; and yet, If we can but win the VIC
tory! There Ia hardly maa hu. would be
willing TO sell hls life for that. it Is tho only
regret | have in going iu, that I shall povsr
know which eide c0nquers." a
Nonsense, man; dont ~ blue after seeing
60 much blood split as you have, and comiog out
OF go many hard bouts scsrless
"ls Was not my time, hitherto Il 10 nov.
shall goinso tho fight more jOyfnlly than ever
tired children went home. | have only one
wish. II You gull through alive, take care of
my body. | want TO be buried at home, beside
grave that was made lass March, 10 the Wet.
Vile churohyard. You must send INC my
fa.her--David ThornyeFofs. WestVlle, Connec.
tieut. Here Il is, written down for you Papers
that left at home, explaining my wishes, will
be sufficient for the rest"
! His manner carried conviction at least of his
own faith In his forsvarning, but Stephen Chase
tried to shake it off.
81 never knew preseniimeus to come truo In
my life" he esid, sturdily. "You will talk
over the battle field twenty -fours hours from
| now"
Thornycroft only smiled as he said:
=" Do you promise what asked. Stepheu2---
win you send my body to nv father, II IL ia
within your power to proteo! it7'
"Yes; for your satisfaction promise. shall
not bid you goodbye, though."
They were toilng up the hill, that fatal af-
ternoon of the next day, side by side, when sud
denly Thornycroft looked round with kiudlina
eyes to hia comrade. He stretched ont his hand
| With smile which the other will never forget
If he lves till his hair is whlse.
" Goodbye, Stephen )"
The next instant he fell heavily. A rehel
shot had given him his mortal wound @
With exerti0ns which would seem half in
credible If would relate them, Stephen Chase
succeeded 10 getting him of the field z He was
not dead, and hope still lurked In his COM
rades heart that he might ye. live to toll at
home the story Of the war. Hs did not speak
or move, but faithful Stephen could feel the
faint beating of hls heart. t-.
He did not die till the tfoops had gone back
across the Rappahannock. He belonged TO d
vision which went into the fight elk thousand
strong, and went back at nigh! With only fifteen
hundred He lay there with the wounded round
him--ihe thin ranks out Of which 90 many brave
feet had marched forever Just at dagninp he
looked up and met his friends eyes He ial-
tered, feebly: ....
! "A defeat, Stephen. lived to knoW--victims,
not conquerors."
Then his face frightened with strange rs-
dance, and he whispered 80 softly that his friend
could scarcely cstcI the words-whiepsred as
to some invisible auditor:
"Yes, my darling, yes."
The next instant the feint heart-belt under
Stephen Chase'a hand Was allll = sf
| They have buried him since then, beside the
grave where ne knels in the moonlight the light
before he went away. Only foo. OF earth
between the two who loved each other 80 dear.
4 ly. Is there go much7 Surely our dreams OF
the future arc not 10 vain. Surely somewhasa
In tho heaven which is anchored off this
WORLD" where sickness and sorrow nsyep c,me
and there are neither wars nor rumors Of wars,
somewhere in that still L,nd of Peace they ore
tisting ihe cup Of Joy which earth denied
them,
| John Morgan, and John Morgan's wife and
children, will speak she name OF Ash Thorny-
croft all their lives with such reverons tender
ness as bshtI tho memory OF one who is en-
shrined in their hearts as saint snj 40 deliyerer
We know nos for what good end he aud ,hoss
who fell with him laid down thelr lives---G God
grant tha. We may know herestter-shst the
seed sown in tears We may reap with exceeding
greAsjoy.