Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-02-10

| effect-informing her uncle that Herbert had
/ been wounded severely, the paper stated,
| but that she had received a telegraphic dis
patch from friend who was with him, assur-
| ing her that his wound was, in reality, very
| slight, and not in the least dangerous.
You are S1ye of it, Esther" said the old
man in a pleading voice; +" oh, if l could on
ply 90 and see for myself that it is So"
but you know, my dear uncle, itwould be
madness in your state of health, TO attempt
| it. Yet YOU will feel so anxious-what if |
| were TO 20 in your stead =
Bless YOU, my dear Father, how soon can
you set out. And Rose, she shall go with
| ygu-the sight of her will do him more good
| than all the surgeons in the army"
| 4 CLEAN OF fierce passion shot from Es
lsther's eyes but with an effort she restrained
| herself, and said calmly, My dear uncle, you
surely forget Yourself. Would it be right for
Rose to leave her invalid mother, who de
| ponds entirely upon her, to 90 TO Herbert,
| when by the zine we reach there, he Will in
all probability be well enough to rejoin his
regiment? Would Herbert himself wish it,"
= You are right, Esther, my affection for
| the dear boy renders me selfish"
NO, uncle not selfish, only little forget
| full. But | must make my preparations I'M
| medately, and have Thomas drive me to the
depot in time to take the first train. And
you viii see Rose to-day aud explain 1t all TO
| her, viii YOU not, uncle And on no account
| ALLOW her to start at least until you hear from
me"
The next evening found Esther III safety at
| her iournev's end Her hardest task was now
| before her-to meet the cousin whom she
| loved 50 passiOnately, and yet whom she had
wronged so cruelty in such manner that he
should suspect nothing of either. At the
| first glance her heart almost failed. He lay
| with closed eyes, and the paleness seemingly
| of death on cheek and brow. As she APP
preached the bedside, he lifted his lids Ian
guishlv and then a glad look OF recognition
! flashed over his pallId face, followed by one
| of eager expectancy as he turned his eyes to
| the door bv which she had entered. Esther
saw it all and hardened her heart against it.
| His lips moved, and she bent down TO catch
| the accents almost inaudible:
This is kind Esther, but where is Rose ?"
Her mother is sick, Herbert, and we did
think YOU so perg i'll, :" she answered soothing
". parting back with her soft hands the neg
lected curis that Swallowed his brow. He
lifted his dark ewes to hers with look be
fore which her own fell Perhaps with that
keener intuition which the approach of death
sometimes gives he realized the whole truth,
but he was silent Esther thrilled through
ali he frame with nameless terror, but she
forced herself 10 speak lightly.
= viii take such good care Of you, and
YOU will soon be well enough so that | can
take YOU home"
Again that strange look in his eyes checked
her He closed them and seemed to sleep.
As Esther stood gazing fearfully upon him,
the surgeon entered, In answer to her in
tcntly wistful he whispered softly" His arm
was amputated this morning and he has been
sinking ever since. We hoped he might en-
dure it, but he had lost so much blood before
poor fellow"
As he was going out, Esther touched his
arm. She tried TO speak, but could only
frame the words with her lips. How long:"
he answered, If she had Spoken till
midnight, perhaps, not longer" And then
Esther was left alone with her dying cousin
4 lifetime of agony seemed condensed into
that hour, as she sat straning her car to
catch the faint irregular breathing that, it
seemed to her, grew lower and fainter every
moment. Her head was burning and throb-
bling with pain, and at times cold, deatllly
chIlIS crept over her. until IL seemed as if
her blood was curdling and ling in her
veins. And still Herbert lay, seemingly un-
coucious OF her presence. At length she
heard the sound OF wheels without her tent,
and the hustle which announced a new arrival
Of friends and nurses for the wounded sol
dIcrs She listened to it IN dream, but
presently there light footstcp at the
door of the tent. Her gaze was resting on
| !Ierbert's face, and She felt as if she had no
power TO remove 1t. Again she saw the
white lids lifted, and the yoarning look in
those eyes now dim and glaring-then
fash Of unutterable JOY broke over his face,
and Esther felt rather than saw, that Rose
stood by the bedside. My God l thank
thee" mur1uured from Hcrbert's bloodless
lips, rs with one last effort he raised his right
arm and drew the slight form 10 his breast.
There was not even a sob. Rose hUshed her
very breath TO listen to the last words of
tenderness from those dear lips, upon which,
when utterauce failed, she pressed her own as
if she might thus impart the warmth and life
that wcrc vanishing away forever
And then Esther, still sitting speechless and
mOtoulcsS, saw a change pass over the be
loved face. and the arm fall relaxed upon the
pillow. With one Wild shrek she sprang for
ward, and fell scHscless upon the floor.
And Rosc-geutlc, Seli-sacrlficing Rose
pressing one last kiss on the lifeless brow,
crushed down her sorrow into her heart, and
with christian meekncss took up the next
heavy cross that lay in her pathway-the care
and nursing Of the wrctchcd Esther through
the dangerous illness which her own uucOu-
Jrolled passions had brought upon her Al
though well aware Of the manner in which
Esther had sought to wrong her, vet Roses
voice was none the less tender. or her vigils
less constant and devoted. At length the
crisis was passed, and health slowly returned
one day when Esther had been living for a
long time, apparently in "a halfdoze, but in
reality Watching lurtiyely the sweet coun-
tcnauce that bore the traces of care and
watching, as well as the impress Of heart
consuming grief she broke out suddenly with
these words:
"Rose, | have often thought during my Ill
ness that my sins were too great to be for
given, even 10y mercitul and long-suifering
God But if YOU, whom I have wronged 50
deeply, can not only forgive me, but seal
your forgiveness with acts of such unparalel-
led kindness and devotioH, surely l have no
reason to despair of Gods forgiveness. l
VIII put my trust in Him for time and eter-
nity."
Amen" said Rose solemnly, and her pale
face seemed TRANSPORTED with a kind of glory
The surgeon who had paused at the door as
If to enter looked at her moment, anG then
walked softly away, saving to himself Give
heard Of angels, bul never saw one before.
She'll be one in reality, I'm thinking, before
long.
And SO L proved.
Esther Allen is now the wife of Henry HIr-
din, but 81" still sheds bitter tears over the
graves Of Rose and Herbert, In the village