Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-06-10
MY REVENGE.

rebel, l. Eederailst; he, on foot, 1,
mounted. 1t matters not DOW why Ia
ted him with the tiercest wrath OF my
nature. 1.-The heart knoweth Its own bit
terness - and the details, while most pain
tul TO me, would be of trifilng interest to
YOU Suffice it that our feud was not
political one. For ten years we were the
closest inmates that the same studies, the
same tastes and the same aims could make
Us. / was the elder OF the two and The
stronger, physically; comparatively friend
less, as the world takes it, and Lad no near
relatives. Young, solitary and visionary,
as we were, it Is hard TO make you under
stand what we were to each other. Up
TO the period OF our enlargement, work
ing together, eating together, sleeping to-
gether, can safely say that we had not
Joy or GRIEF, not pleasure OF Il vezauon,
that We did not share with al almost boy
ieh single heartedness. But one day
changed all. We arose II the morning
de;.r friends, and lay down at night bitter
foes. | was a man of extremes; l either
loved or hated with the whole strength OF
my heart. Tie past was forgotten ia the
present. The ten years IF kindness, OF
congeniality, OF almost womanly tender
ness, were erased, as with spoI &c. We
looked each other IN the lace with angry,
searching eyes; said but very few
words (our rage was too deep 10 be de
monstrative.) and parted. Then, IN my
solitude, dashed my cienched hand upon
the Bible, and vowed passionately:
:" may wait ten Years, Richard With
ers | may wait twenty, thirty, il you
will, but sooner or later | swear | shall
have my revenge!"
And this was the way We met.
| wonder II he tLOughJ OF that day
when be laid his hand on my bride rein
and looked up to LIE with EIs treacherous
blue eyes. | scarcely gIlnk he did, or he
could not have given me that look. He
war as beautiful as girl indeed, the con
trast OF his fair, arlstUcratic face, with its
regular outline ana red, curvlng lips, To
my own rough, dark exterior, might have
been part the secret Of my former attrac-
ton 70 him. But the LONELINESS OF an 81
gel, If il had been his, would not have
saved him from me then. There was Ii
pistol in his hand, but before he had time
to discharge it, | cot at him with my SWORD
and, as the line swept on, like gathering
wave 1 saw him stagger under the blow,
throw up his arms, and go down in the
press. Bitterly as l hated him, the vision
of his CHASTITY lace haunted ne the long
You all remember how it was al Fred
ericksburg- how we crossed the river at
the wrong point, and, under that rakiug
fire OF The enemy, Were dIsastTously re
pulsed.
1t was sad mistake, and fatal to many
a brave heart. When night ieli, lay up
on the field among the dead and wounded
| was comparatively helpless. a ball had
shivered the cap of my right knee, end
ny shoulder " as laid open with d sabre
cut. The latter bleG protuseiy LuC by
Clint OF knotting my handkerchief tightly
about it, | managed TO staunch it IN II
measure. For my knee | could DO Doth-
ing. Consciousness did not lUrsake me,
and the pain was intense; but from the
means and walls OF the zen about me,
JUDGED that others had Jared worse than |.
Poo. fellows there was many mothers
darling suffering there. Many OF my COM
rades, lads of eighteen or twenty, who
had never been night rom home until
they joined the army spoiled pets OF for
tune, manly enough al heart, but children
IN Years and constitution, who had been
used TO have every little ache and scratch
compassionate with an almost extravagant
sympathy-there they lay, crippled and
gashed, and bleeding, crushed and dying
hudGIed together--some. where they haO
fallen, some where they had weakly crawl
ell upon their hands and knees-and never
a woman's touch 10 bind up their wounds,
or woman's voice 10 whisper gentle
consolation.
1t was pitcby dark; and cold misera-
bic rain Was falling upon u he very
heavens wept over our miseres. Then,
through the darkness and the drilling
-
the lailen men about me. | heard familiar
voice close by my side:
" Water water. water. [ am dying
with thirst-lt it be but muuthiul-
water. For Gods sake, give NE waterI"
| recolled IN dismay. 1t was the voice
of my enemy, the voice Of Richard With
ers. They were once dear TO me. these
mellow tones once the pieasa1test music
| cared to hear Do you think they So
sottened me now? Iou are mistaken.
am candid about it. My blood boiled in
my veins when | heard him; when l
know that he lay so close te me, and /
powerless TO withdraw from his detesteO
neigh borhood. There was water IN my
Canteen had flied II before the last
ball came. BY stretching ont my hand /
could have given him 10 drink; but | did
not raise finger. Vengeance was sweet
| smiled grlmly 10 myself, aHdsaid down
II my secre, heart: Not drop shall
cross his lips. though he perish. [ shall
have my vengeance"
DO You recuil with horror? Listen.
how merclinl God was to me:
There was a poor little drummer ON tie
other side, merry, manly boy OF twelve
or thirteen, the pet and playtLiug of the
regimen. There was sometI ing OF the
German IN hun; he had been with Us
from the first, and was reckoned one OF
the sbest drummers In the army Butbe
would never march 10 the tap OF Chariey's
drum again. He had got ball IN his
lungs, and the exposure and fatigue, to-
eetner with the wo1nd, had made him
light headed. Poor little child he creDt
close to me in the darkness and laid his F..
cheek uron my breast. Maybe he thought |
it was Ills own pillow at home; maybe he |
thought it, poor darling, his mothers