The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-04-15

whole, should think she was signing
for some of them fellows that strut
about with shoulder strips like turkey
J cocks, and know about as much of war.
2 I'll be bound You ought to have
seen our captain in ~, and"
: II was thinking father" replied Jes-
sic, lnterrupting him, for she knew bv
experience what the length of his story
would be, when he began fighting his
2 battles over again 81 was thinking of
5 what dreadful thing war was, and
and"
Jessie, said young man, dressed
in the garb of common soldier-one
IN the ranks--as he entered the open
door without ceremony, though with a
, diffident, almost confused manner:
Jessie, / came to ask a favor Of YOU. "
Favor Walt, broke in the old man.
; while his daughter sat with downcast
eyes and crimson checks. Favor? If
: she dosn't grant it, it will be the first
time she ever refused, for my Jess is
} just as kind-hearted as she is pretty"
'Father !" was all the girl could re-
ply to this wholesale praise.
T what is it, Walter ?" asked the
mother, kindly, aud to cover the con-
/ fusion of her child, for her womanly
feelings taught her intuition-by the
remembrance of her own girlish days,
: that new love had sprung up in her
daughters heart, more potent and
strong than that she bore to home or
parents; love for which she would
( 'forsake father or mother" for which
her heart would follow to the battle
field, and for which she would ever be
bowed down in prayer.
II came to ask Jessie to go with me
to my mothers for an hour or two
Poor mother, she feels very badly about
my going"
"To be sure she does" again inter
rupted the old man. "To be sure she
does. If my Jess was a boy, it would
be mighty hard-like tearing out the
strings of my heart to let her go. And
yet 1t is duty, Walt, a duty that we
owe both to God and our country.
Your father, boy, fought by my side
brave and good soldier he was, and
-"
q trust I shall never disgrace his
memory, sir.
30 be sure you won't If Roger
Elmer ever had coward for son
there must have been fraud in the mat
ter. But get your things, Jess and go
along. Walt will see you safe home.
And / say, boy, when YOU are gone.
when you art doing your duty for the
blessed old stars and stripes, wife and
l. as well as Jess, will take your old
mother under our wings, and see that
she don't want for anything
How much l thank YOU sir"
well, well, go along. Bless my old
heart, these war times almost make me
young again, though we didn't wear
such little gimcrack looking caps in
my day, / can tell you
1t was late--near midnight-when
jessie Avery started to return home,
accompanied by the gallant young sol
der. The moon shed but semi-light
through the thick and leafy branches
of the trees that overhung their path.
In silence they wandered on until they
reached the little, cherry bordered lane
that led up to the old homestead of
the Ayerys. They nearly passed
through it without word being spok-
en- when suddenly the voice Of her COM
paaion fell upon the ear of the girl
startling her ike a pistol shot:
Jessie"
"Walter -
"Jessie. but few short hours and
am going away--going to take my
place on the battlefield. Do you know
why | am going?"
For your country's honor, and the
holy cause of liberty and right" she
answered, in trembling voice
Eyes, that in itself would have forbid
me to stay but | had and have another
incentive fully as strong. Can you not
guess it 2"
"I-I-no-no."
1T was that l might pluck from the
wreath of glory at least one leaf to lay
at your feet. Jessie, dear Jessie, not
until / had won a name-perchance
wealth, did / mean that these words
should have been spoken. Not until
then did | intend to have told you how
deeply, truthfully love you. But now
on the very verge, as it were, of eterni-
ty cannot keep them back. Jessie,
darling, should / return safe and sound
God forbid that /, even as / love you,
should ask you to fetter yourself to one
crippled or maimed-may not hope
to call you by the dearer, holier title
wife ?"
The moon hid itself behind a cloud
for an instant, and as it again flashed
its silver light through the riffs, Jessie
Avery escaped from imprisoning arms,
and with flushed brow, happy heart
and the first kiss of love lingering on
her lips, ran into the house and hid
her face in her mothers bosom.
Jessie, my dear child" questioned
the good woman who had been waiting
for her.
"Mother-I-am-his---" came in
reply through sobs of great Joy.
"Walter's p
"For life or death And, mother"
she had almost added kiss me-" but
anothers lips had already placed one
upon her own that must lnger there
| foravar