The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1863-01-13

by VIRGINIA r. rowssEsD.

walked SLOW huu cdltn tutouSu euo ion6
OF that terrible day, had gone down in 2 col
umn of Gre beyond the western hills, ard now n
the stars wero coming nGlftly, Ike golden
petals scattered all over an azu.;-Sky. ,r6,g int
And the stars looked down on the 0s..te-
field, as they bad come out and looked down :
for scores of years on the fair young land
which had arisen in her strength and beauty, Z,
until amid all the nations there was none to I
compare with heron the great cities that
were hung like jewels on her green BOSOM,
on The broad harvest fields that waved their
tresses for JOY through her golden summers j.,
on the house where the dwellers thereof sat >
peaceful and harpy under their own vine and h
! fg. .tree-on all had the stars which came up
night BY night looked until at last there came
a change; and now, where the harvests had
waved their locks 10 the summer winds, wac ~
the most terrible sight which the sun and the 4
stars ever beheld.-lbe sight Of a battlefield.
The conflict had ragged hot and terrbl. that }
day. ett ter4r a311iTj
The hearts of the distant mountains bad ~
shuddered with the thunder of cannon, and .oi
the earth had drank 10 blood as in autumpSsi
she drinks 10 tho equinoctal iains; but at last (
The days awful work Was done, and the nisLs.o
winds lifted the gray banner OF smoke f'omsol
tho battle field. .If.eo. 900.rrts
The air was full of heat and smell Of pow j
der; the dead lay thick together, with stark, p,
CHASTITY faces, on the tramped grass; the !
wounded lay thicker. filling the air with moanp
--,idercss horses rushed terrified over the field -
and the dying daylight aud the solemn stars
watched over all. A little way from the bait q
tie field ran a small, stream, making blue fod-u
| 10 the dark grass, and Two wounded men had 20
crawcd to its banks to sake their thirst. fsidH
! And when the two men crawling alongthe0s
! banks looked up and met each others iace,eQ
they knew they were enemies, and they kncw,ot
too, that a few hours ago each had aimed Lis, Z
rifle at the other, and that aim had made the
ghasty wound little way from the heart
which had drunk the life. blood Of each, and {,
each glared desperately on his adversary .
moment before he fell. b.s.lf as,l
But there was no ferceness in the eyes Of
those men now, as they sat face to face on the
bank of the stream; the strife and the anger
had all gone now, and they sat still, dying ,o
men, who few hours before had been deadly
foos-sat still and looked at each other. AT 10
last one Of them spoke: I,6
ave haven't either of us a chance to hold 10
out much longer, Judge" ~ ,,.a .asr on
No." said the other. with little mixture, d
Of sadness and recklessncss. "Y9u did that
last job of yours well, as that beafs witness
and he pointed to wound a little above his
heart, from which the life blood was slowly
oozing. e.., -si-.sy
Not better than you did yours" replied
tho other, with grim smile, and he pointed
to another little higher up, larger and more
ragged "a deadly one. .i.. ss .ylta
, And then the two gazcd on each other.
again in the dim light, TOR the moon mad come
over the hills now, and stood among the stars
like pearl of great price. And as they look
ed softer feeling stole over the heart Of each
toward his fallen foe, feeling of pity for tho,
strong, manly lfo laid low, feeling Of regret
for that inexorable necessity of war which had
made each man the slayer Of the other; and
at last one spoke. t.s.a -sros
"There's sore folks in the world that will
feel worse, l s'posc, Secause you've gone eu.v
of itw Ip ~ ..s I1l
A spasm Of pain was on the bronzed, ghasts'
ly features. 'e'1 .' 20 sa iA~
"Yes" said the man, 10 thick tones,
there's ono woman, with a little boy and
girl, away up among tho New Hampshire
mountains, that it will well nigh kilLto hear
of this" and then the man groaned in bitter.
anguish, 90, CID, have pity on my wife and
childrenw ra 9 a aoa5a Oh - q,
And the other drew closer TO him. .g'ia7o-
'Anl away down among the c,tton fielda
of Georgi' there's woman and a little girl
whose heart will break when they hear what
this day has DONE" And then the cry wiung
itself sharply out Of his heart, I" Oh, God, have
pity upon them!' ,.......,..... ...i -
And from that momcn, the Northerner and.
Soutteruer ceased to be foes. The thought Of
those distant homes on whom tho anguish
was soon 10 fall, drew them close together in.
that last hour, and the two wept like children.
And at last the Northener spoke, talking ore
to himself than anything else, and he did not
know that the other was listening grecdiy to,
every word. IA sn..f, ,,s,1 ~ !;
"She used to come-my little grl-blessl
her heart! every night 10 meet me wbenI.
came home from the fields; and she would,
stand under the great plum tree, that's just
beyond the back door at home, with the SUM
light making a yellow crown, in her golden.
cu'ls. and the laugh dancing in her eyes, when
she heard the click Of th" gate. l see her
there now 1, and III take hor in my arms, aud
she'd pu, up ber little red lips for kiss; but
my little girl will never watch under the old
plum tree for her father again. l shall never
| near tnc CTy VI Joy "s o"c SoeShoS" SitppoN
Of me at the gate--I shall never ste her little
feet running over the grass 10 string into my
arms, again" & s,,!gl-o s q ssssl
sand" said the Southorner, "there's lit.
tie brown eyed, browu-hared girl that used TO
watch in the cool afternoon for her father
when be rode home from his visit to th. plan
tations-I can see her sweet little faco shining
out now from the roses that covered the pill.
lars, aud hear the shout of joy as bounded
from my horse and chased the little flying feet
and the loud laugh up aud down the veran-
da. But, my darling, you will never watch
again among the roses for your father. and
you and he will never 90 laughing and romp.
ing up and down the old veranda, again!iDdi
Aud the Northoncr drew near to the South.
erner, and the hot tears stood on bis cold
checks as he said f,....i ~
T "F,eud, may God have pity on our father.
less children! ,s .fi .srgb