The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1863-12-09
MY REvENeE =.

hercest wrath of my nature. "The hear
r kaoweth lis own bitterness,n and the de-
tails, while most painful TO me, would be
OF iriflng interest to you. Suffice it tha
our send was not political one. For ter
} years we were closest inmates that the
same studies, The same tastes and the same
, aims could make Us. | was the elder OF the
two, and stronger physically comparative
ly friendless as the world takes it, and had
no near relatives. Young, solitary and Wis
ionary as we were, il is hard 10 make you
understand what we were to each other.-
| Up to this period of our ensirangement,
working together, eating together, sleeping
together, can safely say that we had not
grief, not a pleasure or vexation that
we did not share with almost boyish sin
fgls heartedness. But one single day chang
ed all. We rose in the morning dear friends
and lay down arnight bitter foes was a
man OF extremes; either loved or hated
with the whole strength of my hear. The
pas, was ioTgouen in the present. The ten
years OF kindness, of congeniali,y, OF almost
woHanly Kindness were erased as with a
sponge We looked each other in the face
with angry, searching eyes-sad but a
/ few words (our rage was too deep 10 be de-
moustrative5 and pared. Then in my soh-
tude dashed my clenched hand upon the
BiNe and vowed passiouaiely; 81 may
war Ten years, Richard Wnhers may
wall twenty, thirty, il you will, but sooner
OF later | swear |. shall have my revenge y
And this was The way we met.
] wonder il he ihough Of that day when
he laid his hand upon my bride rein and
looked up al me with his. ireacherous blue
eyes. scarcely think be did, or he could
/ not have given me that look. He was beau
iitul as girl indeed, the contrast of lis
fair, aristocralic face with the regnlar OUT
line and red carving lips, 10 my own rough,
dark exterior, might have been partly the
secret OF my iormer attraction to him. But
the loveliness of an angel il il had been
his would not have saved him from me
then There was pistol in mis- hand, but
before he had lime TO discharge il, cot at
him with my sword, and as he tiae swept
on like gathering wave, saw him stag
ser under The blow. throw up his arms aud
go down with the press. Bitterly as hated
him The ghas.ly face haunted me The long
day through.
You all remember how il was at Ffeder-
icksburg. How we crossed The river at the
wrong point, and under the rakiag FIRE OF
the enemy, were so disastrously repulsed
1t was sad mistake. and fatal TO many a
brave heart. When night fell, lay upon
the field among dead and wounded l was
com paratively helpless. ball had shiv
cred he cap of my righ, knee, and my
shoulder was laid open with a sabre cut =
The latter bled profusels but by din; of
knoiling my handkerchief tightly around il,
! managed 20 siaunch in measure For
my knee could do nothing. Conscious
ness did not forsake me but from the
means and walls of Inc men about me, /
judged that others had Jared worse than l
Poor fellows there mas many a mothers
darling suffering there. Many OF my COM
rades, lads OF eighteen or twenty, who had
never seen a night from home until they
joined the army, spoiled pets 10 fortune,
manly enough al heart, but children in
years and constitution, who had been used
10 have every little ache or scratch com
passioned with an almost extravagani sym
paihy-th ere they lag crippled and gushed
and bleeding. crushed and dying, hudiied
together-some where they had fallen ,some
where they had weakly crawled on their
hands and knees-and never a womau's
touch to bind up their wounds, or woman's
voice 10 whisper gentle consolation. II was
pitchy dark, and cold miserable rain was
falling upon as, the very heavens weeping
over our miseries. Then through the dark
ness and drizzing rain, through the groans
and prayers of the fallen men about me,
heard familiar voice close 10 my side
"Water wafer lwaler am dying with
thirst-if il be but swallox-waler For
Gods sake give me water !"
recoiled with dismay Il was the voice
of my enemy; the voice OF Richard Wi!hers.
They were once dear 10 me, those mellow
tones once the pleasantest music cared
10 hear. Do yon think they SO sofened me
now You are mistaken ] am candid
about it. My blood boiled in my veins
when heard, when 1 knew he. lay SO close
TO me, and was powerless TO Withdraw
from his delesisd ueighborhood. There !
vas water in my cauteen. | had filed it
before The last bail came. BY stretching
my hand could give him drink, bus |
did not raise finger. Vengeance was
sweet. smised grimly 10 myself, and said
down in my secrei heart:
'sNot drop shall cross bis lips though he
perish. shall have my revenge"
Do you recoii with horror Listen, how
meTci!ul God was TO me.
There was poor liiiIe drummer on the
olheI side, merry, manly boy OF twelve or