The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-04-08
ANer the Battle.
BY VIRGINIA r. TOWNSEND.

1t was over ut last. The sun, whic
had walked slow and calm through til
long hours of that terrible day, had gon
down in = column Of fire beyond the wesl
ern hills, and now the stars were comm
out swiftly like golden petals, scattering a
over an azure sky.
And the stars looked down on the bat
tlefield, as they had come out and locke,
down for scores Of years on the fair youn,
land which had risen in her strength an,
beauty, until amid all the nations, Their
was none to compare with heron tn
great cities that were hung like jewels upor
her green bosom-on the broad harvest
fields that waved their tresses for JOY
through the 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 come ur
night by night to the watch. towers Of tht
sky looked, until at last there came Z
change; and now where the harvests had
waved their locks in the summer winds
was that most terrible sight which the sun
or stars ever beheld-the sight of . battle.
field. The conflict had ragged hot and ter
rible that day.
The hearts Of the distant mountains had
shuddered with the thunder of the cannon,
and the earth had drank in blood as in
Autumn she drinks in the equinoctial
rains but at last the days awful work was
done, and the night winds lifted the gray
banners Of smoke from the battle field.
The air was full Of the heat and smell
of powder; the dead lay thick together,
with stark, CHASTITY fances, on the cramped
grass; and the wounded lay thicker, filling
the air with moans-riderless horses rushed
terrified over the field and the dying day
light and the solemn stars watched over all.
A little way from the battle field ran a
small stream making blue field in the
dark grass, and two wounded men had
crawled to its banks to slake their thirst.
And when the two men crawling along
its banks looked up and met each other 5
faces, they knew they enemies, and they
knew, too, that few hours ago each had
aimed his rifle at the other, and that aim
had made the ghastly wound a little from
the heart, which had drunk the life. blood
of each, and each had glared desperately
on his adversary moment before he fell
But there was no fiercencss 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 men, who few short hours be-
fore had been deadly foes sat still and look
ed at each other. At last one Of them
spoke:
ave hav'nt either chance to hold out
much longer, judge"
NO." said the other, with little mix.
ture of sadness and recklessness. "You
did that JOB IF yours well, as that bears
witness" and he pointed to wound little
above his heart, from which the life. blood
was slowly oozing.
mot better than you did yours" an
swered the other with grim smile, and he
pointed to another little higher up, larger
and more ragged-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 her stars like pearl Of great price
Aud As they looked, softer feeling came
over the heart Of each toward his fallen
foe; a feeling Of pity for the strong, manly
life laid low, feeling Of regret for that in.
exorable necessity Of war which made each
man the slayer of the other and at last one
spoke:
"There's some folks in the world that'll
feel worse, l suppose, because you've gone
out Of ?''
A spasm Of pain was on the broad ghast-
ly features.
"Yes," said the man in thick tones ;
there's one woman with little boy and
girl way up among the New Hampshire
mountains, and it'll we'll nigh kill them to
hear Of this" and then the man groaned
out in bitter anguish, "Oh, God, have pity
on my wife and children !"
And the other drew closer to him.
And away down among the cotton. fields
Of Georgia, there's woman and little
girl, whose heart will break when they hear
what this day has done," and then the cry
wruns itself sharper out of his heart, "Oh
God, have pity upon them!'
And from that moment the Northerner
thought Of those distant homes on whom
the anguish was soon to fall, drew them
close together in that last hour, and the
two wept like children. And at last the
Northerner, spoke, talking more to himself
than anything else, and he did not know
the other was listening greedily to every
word
"She used to come-my little girl
bless her heart !-every night to meet me
when come home from the fields; and
she would stand under the the great plum
tree, that's just beyond the back door at
home, with sunlight making yellow crown
on her golden curls, and the laugh dancing
in her eyes, when she heard the click OF
the gate. see her tiere now, and I'd
take her in my arms, and she'd put up her
little red lips for kiss but my little girl
will never watch under the old plum tree
by the well, for her father again. shall
never hear the cry Of joy as she catches a
glimpse Of me at the gate-I shall never
see her little feet running over the grass to
spring into my arms, again."
"And,' said the Southerncr, "there's
little brown.eyed, brown-haired girl that
used to watch in tie cool afternoons for
her father when he rode in from his visit
to the plantations-I can see her sweet
little face shining out now from the roses
that covered the pillars, and her shout
Of joy as bounded Gom my horse and
chased the little flying feet, and the loud
laugh up and down the vcrsndah. But.
my darling, you will never watch again
among the roses for your father, an6 you
and he will never 60 laughing and romping
up and down the old verandah again !"
And the Northerner drew nearer to the
Southerner, and the hot tears stood on his
cold checks, as he said
''Friend, may God have pity on our faith.
erless children y
''Amen p said the other, fervently.
And the Northcrner spoke now in .
husky whisper, for the eyes Of the dying
men were gazing fast .a
1--WE have fought like brave men togeth.
er. We are going before God in little
while. Let US forgive each other"
The Southerner tried to speak, but the
sound died away in gurgle from his white