The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-12-28
Only One Killed.

1
killed and sixteen wounded,
Only one killed Every day we see
this little sentence in the columns of the
newspapers. Every day the sunlight ei
some happy home,is forever extinguished
a breach made in some family circle, a
bright jewel stolen from the treasury OF
some fond mothers leve. All, yes, every
hour some sentinel falls at his post OF
duty, and is thrown from the ramparts
OF time into the surgins waters o! eterni-
ty.
Only one The careless reader scans
the words without a pang.
Only one Who was that one? Per-
haps boy in years, a mothers darling
a youth whose happy laugh was but yes
terday as the gush of a summer r-rill in a
bower of roses; whose yeung life was the
crowning happiness of an aged mothers
declining years. Or it was one just enter
ing manhood's years, hopeful and gen
erous, whose brew was crowned with fresh
laurels, whose path was strewn with flow
srs where No serpent lurked, one whose
great soul painted to do brave and noble
deeds in his ceuntry's defence and went
forth early in the strsggle, very vetran
in bravery and daring. But that lionheat
s still now Victory will never light
that bright eye or fash the bronzed cheek
with joy again.
"Only one. A bridegroom, with the
image of his girl-wife imprinted on his
noble heart, as she stood enc short week
before at lis side The orange blossom,
not yet faded from her pure brow must be
replaced by the sable of widowhood. -
Was her loss small
A tall strong man, high in his csuntry's
favor, girt with the halo of victory won
in the many hard fought battles, has fall
len in little skirmish, when our loss was
''only one" Who mourns for that noble
hero. All his noble self sacrificing: hero
ism is forgot by the careless reader, who
rejoiees that "our loss was snail. 49,
| An aged patriot, Bowed down with care
and old age, whe shouldsred a musket and
went forth in the defence Of his country,
when the young and streng needed not
her call. has fallen at his post of duty
All old man, your generous sacrifice is
not thought Of when "our loss is only
one, = eas sassi.ess ~ s4,
Daily eur brave soldiers, who risk life
and happiness fer eur defence, are passing
away, hourly in ssne far distant battle
field the soil is flung upen the unknown
hero. AS often in the morn we fnd seme
sweet flower that blushed at sunset has
withsred up forever, SO, daily, when the
soldier rises from the bivsune to stand
again at his post, he misses ssme brother
soldier whose CHEEKY cry in the siege and
struggle of yesterday SO encouraged the
faint hearted. sssatE saEaaa a1o1
Let Us, then, when we read 'tonly enc
Killed" give tear Of regret to the fallen
and a thsught sfsympathy to the stricken
mothers, wivss and sisters, the JOY q
whose lives has been SO rudely quench
ed. nhsfs e - ''.s
j IF the peal that has dropped from thu
ljewelsalors Of happiness is not your
or the music that is forever hushed cause,
: no gloen at our 6reside, return thank
that you have been spared; sorrew will
the ssrrswing, grisve with the afflicted
5 and remember that sonly one" is a los
to deplere, if small to our country, it i
great to some poor bleeding heart.