The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-12-17
q Sealed Tear.

slOHdLG yCdI I'LL ~ lCl WHO law oNO ~ |
for hours with a strange dream-light in her
mournful eyes, conscious of nothing external
sat there, statute-Iike, frozen, apathetic, APP
parently, while a dire conflict ragged within
her. At last, there stole over her her face a
palor Of terrible anguish, her head dropped
slowly, until her forehead pressed on the sharp
edge Of the marble table; the battle was at
it's leighton the one side, love, forgiveness,
happiness on the othe other, pride, doubt
and parental reproaches. For a few moments
the heart beats in the girls bosom convulsed
her whole slight form, then there came from
some unsounded depth Of her being a great,
agonizing sob, and then she lay there so still,
so nearly breathless, that she seemed as one
dead. But the battle was over, and pride
had won the victory! You could see that,
when she lifted her head once more, for the
very movement WIS queen like. With DELHI
crate, icy calmness, she rose, crossed the room,
brought back a little ebony writing desk, and
sat down before it; then she smoothed out
the ~crumpled letter, and read it over careful
ly, slowly, critically; then she wrote:
'FRick, you do not love me more to-day
than you did a year ago, when you decided
that we were not fitted to be life companions,
| have prayed God to enable me to crush and
conquer my love for you, and [ believe he has
done it. l cannot see you, and the ring you
took from my finger then must not be placed
thereon again. [ am glad that you are go
ing to fight-it is noble-it is honorable-and
l can ask our Father, with a sincere heart,
to watch over and protect you. shall think
of you, for | shall always try to be a real
friend to you. MAUD.
There was no trembling in the hand that
wrote-no shadow of r%elenting III that calm
pale face as the perfumed note was inclosed
and superscribed-only one, as the tiny seal
was descending, a single tear dropped from
the long, curved lashes, and became a part
the soul-of that plain initial, ON" All
Captain Rick, when, with nervous fingers you
tear open this letter tomorrow, be tender OF
that seal don't bruise it don't break it
for the heart Of the only woman you ever
loved, ever will love, is imprisoned i'll it.
Poor Captain Rick! The night hours are
heeting away, the soft haze and purpling
shadows Of yesterday are gone; there are
black shreds of clouds painting the sky with
long inky streaka, and the sad autumn wind
walls desolately there is storm i'll the air,
and storm in that soldiers heart, as he PAGES
with quick strides up and down the narrow
limits of his tent. No battle here, no oppo-
sing forces, only fierce, hot scathing storm
and the proud, strong man bends before it lke
a broken reed. "Here is a billet doug for you,
old fellow" his Lieutenant said, GLADDEN. with
all the spicy odors of Araby the Blest.' Love
and war always. Your a lucky dog" And
then he left him with a light laugh. Rick
sprang up from his couch-lounge, threw his
meerschaum across the tent, and seized the
little delicate note with a flush OF impatient
JOY on his manly face. Her writing! Her
seal! He pressed it to his lips, opened aad
read. Do you think men have no feeling, nc
heart? You should have seen this proud
young officer, then; you should have seen
his cheeks pale, his lips culver, his band drop
nerveless to his side you should nave seen
those appealing eyes riSed to Heaven, while
the broken voice cried piteously: 'Fdod be
merciful to mel"
Then the storm burst upon him, and the
gray of the early morning was filing his tent
with its melancholy light, when he wrapped
his cloak around him, and sank wearily upon
his narrow couch.
He had sinned, and this was his punish
ment! and yet, when one year before he had
S aid to Maud Hilton that they two were un-
fitted for life companions, he had been hon
est, he had believed that he was doing a sad
duty to her and to himself. For months, a
nature naturally noble and true had resisted
the stirring appeals that came with every
breath for more men to fight in a cause than
which there could not be a nobler or q better.
lie shrank from the trials and hardships Of a
soldiers life, from the horror and uncertainty
of battle, as every man, born and reared IN
luxurious peace, must shrink. But, at last,
the true nobility of his soul had risen above
all this, and he enrolled himself as one of his
country's defenders.
1t was the last evening he was to spend
at home, before he led the company he re-
cruited TO the camp everything was settled,
no business affairs troubled him if he was
killed why, that would be all-wOuld it not ?
He sat before the fire dreaming idly sudden
ly there came, a light gust Of wind the gas
light flickered he started, and rose to shut
the creaking door. Then he saw glittering
on his finger a plain gold band, aud sitting
down again, he drew it off slowly, and read
the craven ~lfe-history inside; Rick to
Maud
All! was everything settled? was there
nothing more to be done before he went away
from these familiar scenes, perhaps--never
to come back again? Again he relapsed in
to his thoughtful mood, but it was no idle
dreaming now; he reviewed the past year,
he remembered that he had been gay'and hap
py, "a that he had been Aattered and petted
by many fair women and yet, through it
all, a pale, quiet face, with glossy dark hair
waving back from the white forehead, had
haunted him-through it all he had known
that only one woman in the wide world
could fill the vacant place in his heart, and
that one he had cast off! Now he was GER
tain that he still loved that pale-brOwed girl,
that he always had loved her, and with him to
decide was to act. eyes, it shall be DONE
he said aloud, and then he wrote, telling her
all-how he had been mistaken, rash, wrong
how he still loved her, begging her to see
him, and let him plead his own cause, beg
ging her to wear again the ring that had no
right on his finger. When he had finished
he was proudly happy, for he felt sure Of sue
cess, and was conscious that he had done his
duty. How that letter was received, how it
was answered, we have seen.
One day there was a sharp, fierce battle
The-Massachusetts regiment was in it, and
came out decimated Company A was a mere
fragment, and its Captain, it was fear ed, had
received a mortal wound. He had fought
with o splendid reckless bravery, where the
fray was thickest and hottest, there he was al
ways in the van; at last, with his clenched
hand pressed canvulsively to his heart, he fell,
aad was borne away s~enseless, tenderly and
reverently, as men bear heroes. When he
awoke from what seemed /. long, troubled
dream, he found himself III a rude hospital,
with a surgeon by his side, holding in one
hand a bullet, and in the other a little moroc-
co letter case, gazing at them alternately, with
a quizzical smile. Captain Rick Randall look
ed at him with questioning eyes, and feebly
reached out his hand. "a pretty narrow es-
cape for you, my dear fellow" said the sur
geon; 'here is a bullet which was evidently
intent on exploring your heart-fortunately
on its way it met an obstacle IN the shape OF
this pocket book, and lost SO much Of its en-,
ergy in penetrating it, that it was turned
aside a little, and stopped short of its destina-
ton the result is, that your pocket-book has