St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-11-10
DEAD!

DEAD!
"Astrea, have you read this after.
Moons psper?" asked Mrs. Heartily, IS
she came suddenly into her daughter
in.law'a chamber. The young lady
vas stsadiog upon, 4 chair, one fair
baud so>sd to adjust the rich folds
OF the - c1rt.ins she bad been put
ting oFss ~ windows, aud her face
WAS alaA esasssled BY them At the
"Ns, netAss; i there anything par
tisshr ia i Z tsrning pair Of gent'e
eyes upos ~ sssd face, With sweet
earnestnseA
: "Yes; a auisl battle has been
fought, asd one ef our br.vest gener-
als h.a fallen. / thought I'd come up
ssd tell yos, for l have heard you
speak Of him a. = friend Of yours and
homer's % often: Poor General Amis
l wonder he had mother living ~
"Gencral Amis ! Oh, mother!'
She stepped down to the floor and
sank upon a stool, with blanched lips,
both hands closely locked under the
fold, Of her black-silk apron. That
was all. No further outcry betrayed
the depth Of the sudden wound, and
she sat there witk her deep eyes up
lifted to Mrs. Heartly's tear. wet face,
~ the old lady recouuted the p.rt,cu-
lars Of the engagement in which the
general had fallen. Then she quietly
took the paper from her hands aud
scanned the columns herself, the soft
shadows Of twilight creeping in the
while. and in their friendliness hiding
the growing paIlor Of her cheeks as she
read. At length she folded the sheet
upon her knee with sadly wearied ex-
preston, aud sighed heavily.
"Ah, me ! when will it end When
will this fearful destruction of life
cease? You have said truly that be
was one Of the best and bravest; and
now he is gone! Who, Of those 1 love
will be the next victim p! Homer? Oh,
no! God forbid!"
She caugh: her breath quickly, rose
up aud tossed the loose masses Of CLOS
81 brown hair back from her face. The
movement disclosed a pallid brow to
the mother, whose anxious eyes follow
ed this favoritc child in every action.
Instantly her fears were aroused.
'.Don't think Of such . thing, dear.
I can't bear the idea, and to contem-
plate 1t would drive me crasy. We
win try to hope that our darling will
come back to US safely, and then We
shall ali be 50 happy. But, how pale
you are, Astreal You have overdone
yourself. Do sit down and keep quiet,
my daughter" ~. -z..s.:. -.
"Oh, no. 1t is not that" with a
strong effort to be cheerful. II am on
y just little excited, I presume, and
that makes INC. appear tired. must
brush my hair, and dress for tes.-
There, don't worry, precious seeing
the anxious gaze still fixed upon her ;
and turning round she took the with.
cred face between those little hands
and kissed it tenderly. II am not
tired Or sick-nor going to be. This
death has saddened me. Perhaps it
will all pass away soon.",,
She spoke the words bravely, and
With thrill of tenderness in the tones
that TO others might have seemed h.
den with meaning; but the mother
thought only how natural it was to be
sad on such an occasion, and with i
warm embrace and whispered "God
bless my daughter!" left her alone.
IT, The moment, the door had closed and
the steps descended till heard 10 more
upon the stairs, Astrea turned the key
in the lock, and sank upon the floor,
With 9 = moan, 60 Wild: 50 bitter, 50 full
Of anguish, Clotho herself might have
been.noved TO pity. The, white face
buried. itself in the cushions of a large
chair, and the brewn. hair Aoated !
ehadowy veil sround the slender form