The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1865-11-30

| tried to still those whispers or
smile them down, but did not al. |
was succeed. spring, iremulous
with beauty, frightened into sum.
mer' Bud after bad unclasped its !
green calyx, aud opening, revealed
the W ndrous wealth of loyeliness
that had been uursed SO long in 81. |
lcncc AMI darkness. worked in
my sorden--tlat little garden that
Fred and had planned aud cult |
vatod together 1t seemed so much |
dealer to me now that ho was not
there. | expected him home the
last of June for a short visit. He
had written:
| am coming home, dear Hope,
for a few days only, must not be
away from my duty long, hut those
days arc all to be spent with you"
How glad | wasl arranged |
everything about his room Just US
| knew he would like 1t best. | put
all Melly's toys ami dresses, and /
and everything that had been hers
away, that the sight OF them might
not trouble Fred and make him
sal. Everything was ready for
his coming, and iow mere DAYS
would brinL him.
One morning | was in the gar.
den. l was trying 10 train up a
cypress vine that had got entan.
lied with amorning glory was
very earnest about it, for did not
wish to injurc any OF the blossoms.
| had not heard the gate open, and
d.d not know that any one was ap.
Iproaching until heard my name
spoken. turned with startled
quickncss, and bcheld sober
looking gentleman holding ap en-
vclope toward me. \ rcmbledl
from head to foot. dill not reach
out my hand to take it, and felt
rs thungh never wished to open
it. | knew too well what might
read from an envelope bearing the
stamp ofa telegraph company. |
know | removed my garden gloves
slowly, but with an unstrad" hand.
turned my heal away, looking at
my garden. remembered my
diamond shaped verbcna, with its
wealth OF scarlet blossoms appear
cd to me at the time a great pool
of blood. Then | took the note,
paid the man, who went quietly
away, and with gathering faint.
ucss entered the house--pas5ed
through fred's room, and opening
| it, read the last line: :" Shot
through the head by u bullet"
What can helpless woman do
when grim death reveals himself
standing firmly between her and
all she had to lean on 2 Can she
stand up alone and face life, smi
ling in the face of the terrible foe
that has rent her warm heart with
his unerring blow and robbed her
of all Can she bear alone and
unaided that which man has COW
ed before, and wept, and sat down
helpless aud crushed : Ahl che
can weepl but for those blessed
tears the dear Father sends to sof.
ten the rigid heart, ont Of which
pain has driven all warmth and
| pliancy, she might 20 mad.
And | wept, sitting there in
fred's arm chair | wept Il flood OF
tears, and through al their blind
flow | could sec but one thing, and
that was the worn spot on the car
pet under Frcd's study table where
his slipperod feet had made marks
How some little thing MIN hold
our vision when in deep grief, and
be remembered so distinctly ever
after! | think | could TIL how
many threads of warp were bar,
/. and worn. /" | know" " / thought
i" Halt these tears ] am shedding
now would have held Fred bacl
from enlisting, and this day nigh
have been happy in his presence
+ and love" What thought /! ano
how it shamed me aud checked my
tears
Woe be to the woman who with
her softening tears holds a bray,
man back from duty. Let her us,
them to turn mans heart from
aorOag-let her plead with him iol
his return to honor and truth, but
never weaken the brave or with
hold the loyal from duty.
The heart is weak enough a
best, and rather let woman's smiles
and cheerful God speed p" p I'M
him onward and encourage him in
his toilsome path, that he shrink
not ffom tho right.
They had embalmcd my Fred,
and SO they sent his body back to
me. | wiped the death mold away
with my own hand, but it was We
ry steady, and no tears fell ON the
damp hair or rigid face. | even
smiled as | noticed the brave ex-
preston Of those death, stamped
features. They sent his sword a
| gift from his nien-to me, and with
1t there came a flas with its silken
folds torn and bedaubed with blood.
The sight Of these things did not
move me, | took them in my
hands calmly, and looked on that
flag with more reverence and love
than ever before. My Fred had
died Cor that. lie had been Free
mason, so they buried him with
masonic and military honors. |
remember there was a great crowd
and many tear'wet faces. l know