The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-08-27


your place. 1t is place in which shall new
er stand. am going to enlist John 1t is my
duty, for have nothing to keep me at home
I am ready to give all that | have to my coun-
try If fall, | shall only go the sooner where
ali my longings tend. What is to hinder my
sparing you to your happy Preside? Icame
to propose myself as your substitute"
ut is not-are you sure it is MOTTO spare
me? Would you go in any case 2" John Nor
gan asked, with little doubt in his voice.
''Do not fear that am going for your sake.
| made up my mind as soon as the call came
for volunteers. [ only waited for this very
thing-the chance if | should not be drafted
myself Of saving some man who was, to the
woman who loved him. am glad it is you.
john my good old friend, to whom can rem
der this service
John Morgan was a man of few words-of
feelings which lay so deep that they seldom
rose to the surface but there was something
which Ash Thornycroft needed no language
to interpret in the look Of his eyes, aud the
grasp of his hand as he hurried out Of the
room
IhornycrOtt was one of those men with a
vein Oftendcrness in the midst of their strength
which always allies them more nearly to Wo-
men than to men, Left alone with Mrs Nor
| gan, he said what he never would have said
| to her husband. 1t was when she thanked
! him, with earnest words, and sobs and tears of
Joy yet more eloquent.
''Ihere was one Mrs Morgan; who loved
me as well as you love John. You did not
need to thank me All that | ever could do
for any other woman, | would do for her sake
You have seen her e; you know how fair and
! sweet she was; but think no one save me
knows all her purity, her saint-lille goodness.
have had only one hope since she died
that might be fit to go to her If l die in
this good cause, think of me as happy with an
unspeakable happiness. 1t will be but open
ing the golden gates the sooner. shall not
see you again. so will bid yo,r Good -o nav
Her tears fell upon his hand-hcrlips touch |
ed it. She whispered brokenly her blessing, |
the blessing of one who owed to him more
than her life; and So annointed for his work, |
as it were, by those holy tears and prayers, |
went away.
The girls at the door saw his face in the |
moonlight, whieye radiant and tender. They
ran i'll to their mother, asking their childish
quest ions
''What made Mr. Thornycroft look SO /
What was he here for?"
Father is not going away; Mr.. Thorny
Nl'llt $5OIll!9 III illS SlCdO w Z SIl0li hCCp
father at home"
And then womanIike she fell to hugging |
them and crying over them and Just then
John came back, and took the threee altogeth-
er in his strong arms.
1t was one OF the supreme moments Of life
which, whether Of JOY Or grief picture them
selves clearly to our minds and need no de-
s,ription.
Ash Thornycroft walked away with a firm
tread. lie turned aside when he came to the |
church, with the old burying ground in the
rear full OF grass-g grown mounds He went
in there, and Eneit beside grave on whose
head stone the name of Constance Ireton
CLEANED white and clearly out in the bright |
moonlight. r.
''Omy darIingmy darling" he cried, with |
his lips pressed to the stone.
If the dead could hear, that still heart be-
meath should have throbbed again to the ac-
cents Of such love. Many night had he |
talked to her there,a now, with strange sense
Of nearness-a full belief i'll the communion |
Of their souls.
''You are not here know, and yet know
you hear me. am going away tomorrow,
Gods soldier and yours. Giveme your bless
ing, Constance and pray for me you who have |
already seen the Fathers face, that | may do !
my work without faltering, and the end may
come SOON"
1t was but dream of his own overwrought |
fancy; but he seemed to see a cloud draw
near, from which a face looked white |
sweet face, sad with waiting yet glorihed with
immortal hope. And he seemed to hear
voice. which said:
go forth, my beloved, and do your work.
Soon will the struggle be over and the re-
ward is long and sure"
For an instant he seemed to see the smile !
upon her face the look of faithful love in the |
immortal eyes. Then, when he stretched out |
his arms towards it, the cloud seemed to melt |
into the white moonlight not even an echo |
Of the voice thrilled the September air-he |
was alone with the night
He went away next day to Join his regi- /
ment-one which had already seen hard ser
vice. There was in him the true mettle of a true
soldier His day might be short-he would |
be busy while it lasted. Besides think he |
liked his grim work. He was always to be
found among the volunteers for any desper-
ate service. In many fierce charge he led |
the van, with his bright, fair hair glittering
goldenly in the sunlight, and blue CLINT in
ms eyes He was never wounded. Nothing |
happened to disable him from his duty. He |
had refused well earned promotion, and once,
when a true coInrade'who marched always at
his side, had asked him why, he sadly answer
/ ed:
Because | shall be here such little while.
4 thought you volunteered for three years.
had heard that you came in the place of
nine months man, but that you chose to enlist
for the longer time and join an old regiment"
| There was no answer to the inquiring tone
which made question of this remark, and
Stephen Chase, who understood his conrade
too well to press the point was as much puz
| zled as ever.
He comprehended it all better the night be-
fore Fredericksburg. They sat together on a /
stone,a little way from their tent. For a
while both had been thinking silently Of what
the dawning was to bring
1t will be tough fight" Chase said at
length.
You may well say so" Ash Thornycroft
answered. 1T is a terrible responsibility to /
assume, that of leading men to such certain
destruction and yet,if we can but win the
victory! There is hardly a man but would be I
willing to sell his life for that 1t is the only
regret l have in going in, that l shall never
! know which side conquers."
I Nonsense, man, don't get blue after seeing !
so r,o11cb blood C41it Nnr1 bovya