The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-08-18
& L L E N =.
A TRUE STORY.

"I es, yes; oil course you ii sec Joe.
Hold the baby, please, jimmy. Now
let me take of your bonnet. But you
won't mind, if there's little delay
q very little. 1 am not sure, but I'm
afraid. Well send for Captain Will
liams, and know at once. But some
detached companies went on to Graf
ton for special orders this morning,
and l thought part of the Twenty
Fourth was with them. There !!
there lie down bit on my bed, or
stay here with Mrs. Ford. Very
well l., it will all be right; only keep
up heart"
So chattering, the little woman and
the old one iussed about Ellen, sooth-
ing, patting her, administering tea,
comfort, and hope, all in breath,
as women do to the healing of soul
and body,-while jimmy, baby in
arms, made off and brought in a
moustached young man, with q pleas
ant, cheerful face, not unlike his
wife's.
at is an unfortunate piece of work" ="
he said. "Yes, the detachment in
Guiding that company to which Car
rcl belonged. They are at Grafton
now; and 1 cannot send a message,
for official dispatches will be going
over the lines until night. In the
morning, though, it shall be the first
word to go. l know the colonel of
that regiment, and l do not doubt
we will have Joe here on fullough to
morrow"
"They were very careful of me"
said Ellen. "Mrs. Ford made me
sleep IN her spare room ; and Mrs.
Williams brought me in my supper
herself, and sat by me with baby all
the evening. I couldn't believe they
were all Virginians, and fighting
against each other too. The next
morning was clear and sunny. jim
ny came in, and opened the window,
and said, Isn't such clear day q
good omen z But I hadn't courage
to laugh with her, l was so tired l
had to lie still on settee there was
there. Captain Williams came in
and said:
"By nine o'clock we will have an
answer to my message, Ellen"
Il said then, When it comes, if
it is "No," will you just say mo,
Ellen" and no more,--not one word
more, please?
lie said, II understand" and
went out.
II heard him tell them not to dis
turb me; so l lay quite still, with my
hands over my eyes. He kept pacing
up and down as if he was. anxious;
then / heard man step coming to-
wards him. / knew he brought the
message. Captain Williams came to-
wards the door; his wife was there
waiting. I heard hm speak to her,
and then he said, 'you do it, Mary -
SO she came in, and kissed me, and
she said, 'He is gone, Ellen. no
more but that. 1 knew then should
never see my brother again. Mrs.
Williams cried, but l did not. She
told me, after while, that he had
gone by another road to the Kanawha
Salines, where they were fighting that
day. "You cannot GO" she said
1t is n wilderness of hills and
swamps. You must stay with us;
help me with baby, and presently Joe
will be back
II did not say anything. I lay
there and covered my face. She
thought I was asleep presently, SO
she rose softly and went away. lay
quiet all day. l could not speak nor
move. They brought me some wine,
and talked to me, but l did not un
derstand. 1 knew l must 60 on, go
on!"--with the wild look again in hel
eyes. "They would not disturb me,
but let me lie still all night there -
Early in the morning, before day,
got up softly, l was so afraid they
would hear me, and made light. ]
wanted to bid Joe farewell before
started"
"Where were you going, Ellen?'
"Oh, you know" with that grave
secretive look of the insane. 81 haC
to go. So made light. wanted
to write letter to my brother, but
my head was so tired | could not
then took my little Testament, anc
l marked the fourteenth chapter o
st. John. He knew that | liked tha
best, and l thought that would be my
letter / wrote alongside Of th'
printing, Good bye, joe Then
fastened it up and directed it to 10
seph Carol, Kanawha Salines."
That was wide direction, Ellen.
"Was it, Sir?" indifferently. "St
Joe has it now. l think all his lif
he'll look at that, and say, THAI wa
Sis's last word went gently on
of the door, and put my book in tn
post office, and then | went away"
She began, it appears, to retrac
her way on the railroad track on foot
leaving her money and clothes at Mrs
Ford's, but carrying the little baske
carefully. The Williamses, thinkin;
she had followed Joe, searched 70
her IN the direction of Grafton, an,
so failed to find her. There are N
villages between Fetterman and Fair
mount,-only scattered farm houses
and but few OF those,--the line Of til
railroad running between solitar
stretches of moorland, and in gloom
defiles of the mountains. Ellen fol
lowed the road, white, glaring, dus
ty line, all day. Nothing broke th
dreary silence but the whirr Of som
| unaaa, bird fbpnunh fha foraafc N