The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-05-11
MY REVENGE.

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the fercest wrath of nature; ''the heart
knoweth its own bitterness" and the de-
tails, while most painful to me, would be
of trihing interest to you. Suffice it to
Esay that our feud was not a political one.
For ten years we were the closest inti-
mates that the same studies, the same
tastes, and the same aims could make u.s.
was the elder of the two, and stronger
physically; comparatively friendless, as
the world takes it, and had no near rela-
tives. Young, solitary and visionary as
we were, it is hard to make you under
stand what we we're to each other. Up to
this period of our enlargement, work
ing together, eating together, can safe
y say we had not grief, not pleasure
or vexation that we did not share with
almost boyish sing heartedness. But
one single day changed all: We rose in
the morning dear friends; and lay down
at night bitter foes. / was man of ex-
tremes; 1 either loved or hated with the
whole strength of my heart. Tho past
was forgotten in the present. The ten
years of kindness, of congeniality, of al
most womanly kindness, were erased as
with a sponge We looked each other
in the face with angry searching eyes
said but few words (our rage was too
deep to be demonstrative) and parted.
Then in my solitude dashed my clench-
ed hand upon the Bible and vowed pas
sionately
Ct may wait ten years, Richard With
ers; 1 may wait twenty, thirty, if you
will, but | swear, that sooner or later |
will have my revenge
And this was the way we met
1 wonder if he thought of that when
he laid his hand upon my bride rein, and
looked up at me with his treacherous blue
eyesl l scarcely thiuk he did, or he could
not have given me that look. He was
beautiful as girl; indeed, the contrast of
his fair, aristecratic face, with the regu-
lar outline and red curving lips, to my
own rough, dark exterior, might have been
partly the secret of my attraction to him,
but the loveliness of an angel if it had
been his, would not have saved him from
me then. There was pistol ar his hand
but before he had time to discharge it, |
cut at him with my sword, and as the line
swept on like gathering wave, | saw him
stagser under the blow, throw up his arms
and 90 down with the press. Bitterly as
l hated him, the CHASTITY face haunted me
the long day through.
You all remember how it was at Fred
ericksburg-how we crossed the river at
the wrong point, and under the raking
fire of the enemy, were so disastrously
trepalsed.,, 1t was a sad mistake and fatal
to many brave heart
When night fell, lay upon the field
among the dead and wounded. was
com paratively helpless. A ball had shiv-
cred my right knee, and my shoulder was
laid open with sabre cut The latter
bled profusely; but by dint OF knotting
my handk erchief tightly aroundit, Imam
aged to staunch it in measure. For my
knee could do nothing. Consciousness
did not forsake me, and the pain was in-
tense; but from the means and walls of
the men about me, | Judged that others
/ had Jared worse than |. Poor fellows
there was many mothers darling suffer
ing there Many OF my comrades lads
of eighteen or twenty, who had never
seen nightirom home until they joined
the army. spoiled pets Of fortune, manly
enough at heart but children in years AID
constitution, who had been used to have
every little ache and scratch compassionate
with an almost extravagant sympathy
there they lay, crippled and !~ashed and
bley ding, crushed and dying, huddiel to
tgriher-seme where they had fallen. SEINE
where they had crawled upon their hands
and knees and never woman's touch t.
bind up their wounds, or a woman's voice
to whisper consolation. 1t was pitchy
dark, and cold miserable rain was falling
upon us, the very Heavens weeping eve
our miseries. Then through the dark
ness and drizzling rain through the groan
and prayers of the men fallen around M
: I heard a familiar voice close to my side
/ "Water! water! water! [ am dyin;
with thirst-if it be but swallow, water
For Gods sake give me water!'
1 recoiled with dismay. 1t was tn
: voice of nv enemy-the voice Of Richar
Withers. They were once very dear t
n me, those mellow tones, once the mos
$ pleasant music cared to hear. Do ye
u think they SO softeued me now? You ar
J: mistake l am candid about it. NJ
S blood boiled in my veins when [ SearG
+ when / knew that he lay so near to me
IS and was powerless to withdraw from hi
! detested neighborhood. There was waite
e in my canteen. / had filed it before tn
It last ball came. By stretching my hand
e could give him a drink, but did nc
o raise finger. Vengeance was sweet.
1t smiled grimly to myself, and said dow
It in my secret heart
h g Nota drop shall cross his lips thoug
P he perish. l shall have my revenge"
4 Do you recoil with horror? Liste
e how merciful God was to me.
/ There was poor little drummer G
~ the other side, merry manly boy of twel'
. or thirteen, the pet and plaything of tt
regiment There was something of Il
German in him. He was reckoned one
IS, the best drummers in the army. But v
I'd would never march to the tap of Charlie
of drum again. He had got ball in b
y lungs, and the exposure and fatigue, t
gether with the wound, had made hi
light headed Poor child! he crept clio
,e to me in the darkness and laid his chez
- on my breast. May be he thought tn
&c it was his own pillow at home, may be
thought it-poor darling-his mother