The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-08-11

r.~>u.n9
nor boys, only something cold and
clammy under the muddy ground
yonder. l1i
"Ours had been damp house on
the lake Shore" Ellen said, "and we
kept fire always, Winter or Summer,
| had always seen warm fire in the
CRATE; but the morning I left Cold
water they put it out; and in all my
travel, when I'll think of home, I'd
go back to the thought of that crate,
with q few wet ashes seattereFover
the hearth, and 20 body to,sweer them
ny. end the, cold. sun shining sdowni
Ihe chimney, on them N When Id
tliink of That, q say, '1es all. alt
oveif It began TO Seem 70 me as If
there waslno more Ellen and no more
y oe.ssa .besdrag4aJ as bsyitQ . -
She, had come, too, Into border
region where the war was breaking
ground, with all its dull, gross real
! ity of horrors, to which the farther
South and North were strangers; the
broken talk in the cars was even more
terrifying to her, because half under
stood, ,-of quiet farmers murdered
in cold blood Of pillaging and out
rage, of anticipated Instructions
among the slaves, and vengence for
their wrongs.
"I thought Of the Lord Jesus and
Joe, but they did not seem to he alive
here, she said. Il would peep into my
basket and look at the Testiment and
the spoons and Joe's collars, and that
made things seem real to me- Ell.
lens basket by the way, was another
example Of the singular habit which
we lind in persons Of unsound intel
lect, the clinging TO some one mani
mate object rs If it formed tangible
link TO hold time and place together. J
When the train stopped at Little.
ton, the conductor, an old, gray
headed man, came up TO Ellen as she
sat alone.
"Simeon Myers told me your sto
lry," he said gruvely. "Re crossed
the river to tell me. TIL take the
matter into consideration myself |
photographed before leaving Benwood,
in advance. The Twenty Fourth
Ohio, they say there, Have gone on
to camp at Piedmont; But the move
lments of the troops are so uncertain,
we will wait until the answer comes
to my dispatch at the next station, -
You 90 to sleep, Ellen"
"Yes, Sir .humbly, ..l
She sat with her hand over her
eyes, until the name of the next sta
ton was called, then rose, and re
maincd standing. The old conductor
came in. b. r. au-H.
"Slt down" he said, gently. 'Why
you shiver, and are as cold as if your
blood was frozenr'
"My brother, Sir ?"
Tut tut Yes Good news this
time, Ellen. The Twenty Fourth is
ut Fetterman,-has stopped there, |
don't know why,-and"-pulling out
his watch, but speaking slowly, and
controlling her with his eye-''in two
hours we will be there
At this time (JunG, 1861 Govern.
ment, striking at the rebellion wildly
as a blind man learning TO fence, was
throwing bodies of raw, undisciplined
troops into the Border States, wherev
er there was foothold, TO their Certain
:, fllastr ction, tIioh ghowitlio an 'nlterioi
,iGood eGects as ii provsdlss 'Garnpso
-ifthese men were stationed along th,
sllroad as Ellen passed, broad backeI
and brawny limbed Iowans and In
b |rdianians, clothed in every variety o
Imilitia military gear, riding sad
dleless horses, with -a-rope often To-
Il bride, sleeping on the ground will
! neither tents norblankets. Near on,
Of these straggliug encampments th'
long train stopped, with trumpet
like shrek form the engine. "Here'
tetterman, and here's Joe, Ellen,
said the conductor, his old face il
almost as bright glow rs hers, as h
hustled her of on the platform.
sit was just a few low houses, no
so large as Coldwater, and soldier
everywhere, on the hills and on tin
fields and strolling along the road
and it was clear, blue summers day
and-oh, it did seem as if the sol
diers and the town and sky were gla'
because L had got there at last, an,
were saying Joe! joel" plg ,
She went into the nearest house.
wide, wooden building; two womeI
sat shelling peas Ellen propoundeC
her usual question. The oldest wo
: man took off her spectacles, and look
|, , ed at her kcenly. . #.ssa
"rhe Twenty Fourth Ohio2 How
far did you say you had comc?-
Michigan? Forgive nc, jimmy, bring
: a chair, il l look AT you cnriously =
but | really fancied the people ou
> there were savages.N l.' ..I.
Ellen laughed neryously a -
"And you are VirginimS Yos!--
But my brother'-- 9I.E9 9mI'.
TIic old lady's scrutiny grew gra
!, yer. 1..'. u |uV .G.a aoarl.a
e "We are Virginians, in every sens
4 of the word. SO know but littl
e of the movements of the troops Bu
: Captain Williams, tho Commandan
: of the post, occupies two OF on
!, rooms, and his vile is gentle littl
IA body. Jimmy, call Mrs. Williams. Z"
s SO jimmy, u shy, kindly faced littl
@ girl, disappeared, and speedily re
r turned with the officers wife. VIII