The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-01-07

OarkneSS Tell through the SWaylng tree
upon his bowed head.
At length he had gone. May mcchan
cally drew her shawl about her shiverin
form she was very cold, yet the nigi,
was warm.
She knew little Of romances, and di,
not care that sho was playing q part il
Life's drama, that Charlotte Bronte nigh
have woven into the pain heated glow o
her passionate tales.
May only knew that she loved this man
and he had gone from her, she felt, to die
She walked up to the house with low
wall on her lips; the dreary night and tn,
| coming storm closed around her.
The mantle Of midnight fell upon the
rebel camps. The glmmering tent lights
soldiers, had disappeared, and lcr: only
the white outlines Of the ghostly camp
looming up into the night The regula,
tramp-tramp OF the distant scntinels
broke monotonously upon the air -othe,
| sound there Vas none, and the Thousand.
whom o-morrow's drum would call into
the glare and din of battle, the thosand.
who were sleeping this their last sleep, the
thousands of anxious home longing hearts
were set at rest Strange-that the SOU
| on the eve Of an untried eternity can bt
left unconscious Of the terrible change
awaitingit. Why do those goddess mcr
dream so Of their goddess lives, thinking
caring for no other ? and yet this strug
Cling starlight as it falls through the mist
| will be the last that shall smile upon them
Is there no voice--no sign to tell them
that the death they have looked on from
afar. is upon their trick?
A man sitting alone at the door Of his
tent, as he watched his sleeping comrades
dimly wondering thus, sparing time from
his own forbod.ngs of horror. Tasting.
knew that some grand rovement was in
preparation, but that was all. If he could
have foresecn the terror which shortly afte,
fell upon the sorrowing North, if he could
have known Of the days of carnage ant
defeat, when second Manassas crushed in
| to everlasting silence the battle cries O
thousands Of the soldiers to whom his hear
| reached biindly through the distance if he
had known all this, a heavier weight wouic
have rested upon his heart. But he knew
enough to feel that his hour had come tt
go into the coming conflict and refuse t.
obey the orders OF the Confederate cap
tain would be certain death; escape was
the only chance. In the daylight this wa.
impossible, for he was never allowed t.
leave the immediate vicinity Of the camp
he was never trusted on picket duty, bu
was watched carefully and constl ntly. fo
his oppressors knew that no uniform
though it bore the marks of the Confeier
acy, and was marched under Southern co
lorS, could stop the beating of the loya
heart beneath, until death should still it
and the cause of freedom count anothe
martyr. The scntinels passed to and fr,
ceasclessly, and their dread Knocked the mar
as he stood out alone and feariully in tn
darkness. The stars had pity upon him
and hid their bright faces under fast risipl
clouds Of dense mist, and wrapped in it
folds he made his way along the silen
camp. Down by the nearest boundry o
the lines he knew a swamp-a dark, for
bidding place it was, with deep pools O
luggish water, and black, yielding turf
His keen eye had marked all this, when h
had been sent once with squad Of men t,
get water at a spring near by. This wa
q point seldom guarded, the swanE
was held as impossible. Perhaps it was
to Northcrners bat he had been farmer
boy among just such, all his life, and foun,
his way many times through their dangers
when he went to cut wood in the grea
forests. The clinging mist gathered clos
around him as he reached the spot he saw
no sentinel, he heard no sound. A bright
ness was in his eye; his color came ant
went feveriahly. He could see the brav
boys who followed Mcclellan, could Sc
himself among them, with his face turne'
toward the traitors, and this same muSkc
in his hand-how it grew hot in his grasI
at this thought he felt already free --ha
voice from the night-'IIalt" The maj
was for an instant paralyzcd; the fear Q
death griped him with iron hold--he listen
ed for the click of the gun--should he e,
on-on to Freedom and the Flag9 but
May, no, she would rather he would dl
nobly-it was dark, the shot might miss
All this dashed through his mind with tn
rapidity with which men will think, wher
life struck sharp on death makes awfu
lightning He darted with great leap
through the mist, he reached The edge o
the moraSS-thcre was fiash--a shar
cry, and the sentinel turned away with al
oath as Hastings fell.
! The night wore away, it must have bccl
hours before he died, and he lay alone il
the damp grass which was bathed with hi
blood. Awaking from his stupor, he woul,
vaguely picture the sunhright curls of May
his heart was too full to feel the warmth
of the soft hair which lay next to it; thcu
nc thought Of his mother and home. II
heard the far off chime Of Sabbath bells
he said again his prayers at his mother
knee. lie was going fast-alone, all alon,
in this dampness. lie wished May wcr,
there to lead him into the unknown heave,
she loved so poor little May He fumblet
weakly for his Bible, and felt the tiny flag
he was glad he had never killed Federal
He prayed dimly that the country's caus
would conquer; he died for it, and So
for God.
| A low wind sighed through the darl
swamps, and kissed the pale forehead
which Mays lips should never touch, ant
| s"bbinG rain bathed the manly face eI
which Nays tears should never fall.
The setting sun fingers with half sad
| ness around the spot where May stand
alone. Her blue eyes have caught deeI
shadows from their unanswered question
ings, and her cheeks are blanched Will
tears. TO every mornings flush, and eve
ry evenings stiffness. she sues despairing
ly for knowledge; but the deaf blue SKY
will not tell her anythng-anything NJ
word comes to let her know that he live,
and breathes the sparkling autumn air--nt
voice from the floating clouds whispers t,
! her who lies dead in tho damp swayins
grasses; waiting and watching, the child
ish face is stamped with this mystery o
| sorrow.
Nobody but Yankee deserter,' said tn
rebel sentinel; the worlds better of with
out him.
;F Senator Fesscnden's political friend
| do not all like the same view of the arbi
trary arrests that he expresses. Cincinnati
q