The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-06-11
BURLINGTON WEEKLY HAWK-EYE
Is PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY MORNING,
BY g. DU Ham.
TERMS:


One copy one year 90
Twenty-one copies 80 %
Shot In the War--A Tale OF 10y.
atty versus Love.
Twas a school teacher; he was clerk
There was nothing to hinder us from being
married, so the .ay was fixed. An early
day. a short engagement, only two months
to wait. You may think that ! was un-
maidenly to consent to be wooed and won
in go short time. but then ! was tired ];
tired of teaching all day and sewing all the
evening. tired Of being alone in the world
and belonging to nobody, tired of having
the responsibility Of my own life and soul
to bear all alone. God took away my ia
ther and mother. and when he brought
me in their stead noble, loving husband,
was it my place to tnrn away and say.
..wait for few years let US both be un-
happy a while longer, and then will ac-
cept this compensation No, when John
Richings said to me, Eleanor, love you !;
will you be my wife 7" l said yes" Ahd
early marriage, saying that needed some
one to take care of me, l felt that it was
true.
when he asked me what was the shortest
possible time in which could be ready,
told two months. In five weeks my quar-
ter at school would beup, and then Iwould
have three weeks to get ready in. A short
has no friends, there is not much to get
ready, at least found it so. So when he
asked me, Itold him two months; I had to
tell the truth. you know. All this happened
= the spring time.
Three weeks had already passed away,
~
John. He was late that night. The tall
clock on the stairway had struck eight
some time before he came up the steps.
He looked tired and sad / wondered why,
for be had just been promoted at the store
to the place of a man who had gone to the
war. felt happy for him, and wanted
him to feel happy for himself; but he did
after q few moments Of silence, he rose,
aud pacing the room said, "Nellie, they
want more men for the army"
'DO they ?' answered drearily.
Eyes and Nellie, my little wife. think
ought to CO."
"Youv'
"Yes; It's hard I know, harder for you
than for me, but il is for our country, Nell
lie; besides, it is Gods work, and it don't
seem right TO shrink it,
''Our country!' l repeated confusedly,
"what is it, John, but big patch of pink
on the map of North American"
20 Nellie, our country is the grandest,
noblest nation on Gods blessed earth. It
is mans last hope in the success of self
government; il it fails, because we are un.
true. then fails the worlds great hope of
freedom
"But what of that, John? There are
plenty of other men to 60. Indeed, I cam
not spare you; you are everything to me.
Icannot live without you, indeed cannot.
"Poor Nellie, poor child" said he, caress-
iDgly. shave not other men hearts that love
them?"
..They have no one to love them as love
you. I have no one else, and then II you
should be shot"
s.God forbid! then what would become of
ling, and could not bear to think Of your
marrying any one else"
20, John, just as we were going to be so
happy; never was happy before in my
life, must we give it upf' and laid my
head down on his shoulder and cried.
II don't KNOW" said he in troubled
tone. II would have to go as a private,
and my pay would not keep us both;
shall lose my situation just as I am getting
along nicely. If / could bear your share
Of the sorrow, too, would go; but it don't
seem right to leave You here alone"
Cant we work for the soldiers at home,
John? Some will haye to stay at home; al
you stay at home with me, and wewill both
work for the soldiers
He answered wearily, ''perhaps you are
right. hope so, but let us think no more
about it. will stay for the present"
So the matter was settled. You blame
us! All, well, perhaps we were selfish; but
We were young, we were orphans, and had
both struggled on through life alone; this
was our first draught of happiness, and its
taste was too sweet for us to put 1t aside for
the bitter cup of sacrifice; but never mind,
We have drank them both now, we have
suffered for our fault, God has forgiven us,
80 you must.
our wedding day came, and we were mar
ried In all those five weeks that inter-
vened never had John once mentioned the
war, and never had done il, for we both
felt that it was an unwelcome subject. We
did not speak of it, but there it lay in our
pathway. We might close our eyes and
turn aside IL we would, but it was there still
nretching forth its fleshless arms ina dumb
appeal for vengeance; we paid the debt at
lAet, and il has gone.
We went to room-keeping and tried to
Be happy. John received high salary,
and many wondered that We did not rent
awhole house; but made no remark when
10 an account of expenditures there was q
large amount placed opposite the word
'soldiers;" we were paying our part Of the
price. YOU know. but our mistake was this:
iAere Was no life laid upon our altar of sa-
oifce; like Cain, We brought the fruit of
he ground, but God was not satisfied. and
.e felt it; there was no lamb ior the burnt
odering. Yet it was the happiest part Of
/ our lives. although the shadow never lifted
from our hearts. We read of the soldiers.
worked for the soldiers, and prayed for the
soldiers. In those eighteen months learn:
d to love my country and feel interested
q the war, but still could not give up my
husband,
At last when our baby was two months
Old the draft took place. When John came
home from the store that evening had no
need to ask for the paper, for read the
news in his face; and yet read over the
Ut Of the drafted men with unw0nted In
crest; yes. there it was, John Richings.