The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-01-23
T9e statp GeIIer.
AFTER THE BATTLE.
nY VIRGINIA T. TOWNSEND.

IL was over at last. The sun, which had
walked slow an d calm through the long hours
of that terrible day, had gone down in a
column of firc beyond the western hills, and
now the stars were coming out swiftly, like
golden petals scattered all over an azure sky.
And the stars looked down on the battle
field, as they had come out and looked down
FOR scores Of years on the far young land
which had arisen in her strength and beauty,
until amid all the nations there was none to
compare with heron the great cities that
were hung like jewels on her green bosom
ON the broad harvest fields that waved their
tresses tor JOY through her golden summers
ON the house where the dwellers thereof
sat peaceful and happy under their own vine
and fig tree-on all this had the stars which
came up night by night looked, until at last
there came change; aud now, where the
harvests had waved their locks in the sum
mcr winds, was the most terrible sight which
the sun and the stars ever beheld-the sight
of a battlefield. The conflict had ragged
hot and terrible that day.
The hearts Of the distant mountains had
shuddered with the thunder OF cannon, and
the earth had drank in blood as in autumn
she drinks in equinOctial rains; but at last
the days awful work was done, and the
night winds lifted the gray banners Of smoke
from the battlefield.
The air was full of heat and smell OF pow
der; the dead lay thick together, with stark,
CHASTITY faces, on the ,rampled grass; the
wounded lay thicker. filling the air with
moans-riderless horses rushed terrified over
the field; and the dying daylight and the
solemn stars watched over all. A little way
from the battle field ran small stream, max
ing blue fold in the dark grass, and two
wounded men had crawled to its banks to
slake their thirst.
And when the two men crawling along
the banks looked up and met each others
faces, they knew they were enemies, and
they knew, too, that few hours ago each
had aimed his rifle at the other, and that
aim had made the CHASTITY wound little
way from the heart which had drunk the
life blood Of each, and each glared Desperate
ly ON his adversary moment before he fell.
gBut there was no ferceuess in the eyes OF
those men now , rs they sat face to face on
the bank of the stream; the strife and the
anger had all gone now, and they sat still,
diving men, who fow hours before had been
deadly foes-sat still and looked at each
other. At last one OF them spoke:
"we haven't either Of us chance to hold
out much longer, | judge"
"No," said the other, with little mixture
of sadness and recklessness. "You did that
last job of yours we'll, as that bears witness"
aud ho pointed to wound little above his
heart, from which the life blood was slowly
oozing.
"Not better than you did yours" replied
the other. with grim smile, aud he pointed
to another little higher up, larger aud more
ngged-a deadly one.
And then the two men gazed on each other
again in the dim light. for the moon had
come over the hills now, and stood among
the stars like a pearl OF great price. And us
they looked softer feeling stole over the
heart Of each toward his fallen foe; a feel
ing oil pity for the strong. manly life laid low,
n feeling Of regret for that incxorable neces-
sity of war which made each man the slayer
of the other; and at last one spoke;
There's some folks in the world that will
feel worse. 'spose, because you've gone out
of it?"
A spasm of pain was on the bronrod,
ghsstly features.
"Yes." said the man in thick tones, there's
one woman. with little boy and girl, away
up among the New England mountains, that
II will well nigh kill to hear Of this" and
then the man groaned in bitter anguish,
"oh God, have pity on my vile and chill
drcn!"