The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1864-04-14

letter to her heart and weeping over il
in the bitterness of her disappointment
and regret. eff he had only told me
that l might have written, telling him
how my heart was well nigh breaking
while l danced and laughed, and pre-
tended to be so carelessly happy. I
could have asked him to forgive me,
and promised to be his whenever this
dreadful war is over and he claimed me.
And 1 think ought to write now. and
not let him go on feeling that / have
been flirting and playing with his heart.
At any rate, will ask him to forgive
me-" .3.fs y-si d
What pretty penitent letter it was
--demure and proper in every hue, and
oh, SO carefully worded, yet every
where betraying the secret that was to
be securely hidden. How Moulton
would have clasped it to his heart and
lips, and what strange, absurd acts he
would have committed. none can tell.
Bertha carried it herself to the post
office, and her heart was lightened
somewhat of its heavy burden when it
was on its way.
For days past there had been fire.
quent skirmishes along the lines.
Scarcely had Moulton alighted at head
quarters and reported for duty, before
he was ordered to proceed, with por-
tion of his company, to certain post
among the hills, where a small force of
the enemy was said to be lying. ~
How lovely looked the Virginia hills
that brilliant winter morning, their dark
topmost line cutting clear against the
deep blue of the horison, their lofty un-
dulating sides cleaning Whitley with
the new fallen snow of yesterday. Cap
tain Moulton drew a long breath of the
clear crisp air. He had not felt SO
much man for weeks. How plain
and poor seemed the cmployments and
triumphs of that artificial life he had
been leading. .
"This is manly work." he said, half.
aloud, as he rode, at the head of his
men, "and l am glad to be at it once
more, if it were not for leaving little
Bertha. I think she does care for me
a little, bless her, though she tried to
brave it out when l was going. Bless
her again must write to her TO-
night and tell her what she is to me.".l
J And then he fell into deep smiling
reverie that lasted long time, as the
troops wound in and out among the de-
files of the hilly region. Lasted till,
crack! crack! score of muskets
reused the rocks to mocking echoes,
and tumbled more than one man dead
or wounded from his saddle, and awoke
their commander to the rage of the
conflict.
''Letters boys!'' cried the gay Lieu
tenant in his cheeriest voice. 81 came
in from the town. We should not had
them, else, till morning. Two for you
Myers, and one for your humble servant
from the best mother in the world,
one for Moulton. By-the-by, where is
he? l heard he had got back to
camp
"Aye, Alvord, and for the last time"
"Dead ?'
"Killed to-day in that skirmish with
the bushwhackers among the hills.
What pretty hand writing it is; some
dear girls heart will break when she
hears of this days work. '
Aye; but perhaps its from sister.
But no-he had none; he was quite
alone in the world. He'll never read
this letter, now, but will lay it in his
coffin, and bury it with him.''
And he did. When the sods fell on
Hugh Moulton's form, they covered
the letter, that living, would quicker al
most to bursting the heart now still for
ever.
Perhaps he knows now that Bertha
loved him, and forgives her. Alas, the
young life saddened by its great sor-
row; Bertha will never forgive herself;
her grief and her penltence ere alike
unavailing. .
rw Quilp is a great admlrcr of