Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1865-02-15

subject to the approval of the command
ing general. whose headquarters were then
between so and 60 miles distant, through
perilous wilderness Infested with sava-
ges. There was little hope of pardon for
my poor friend, for his was the fourth
case in which the garrison had been en-
dangered by want of vigilance. and the
general had announced in late order
that any further dereliction of duty
would be punished with the utmost Sc
verify,
Henry bore himself through the brief
trial with manly frmness; aud when ask
ed if he had anything to say, replied that
he felt his sentence was just. though it
was hard for him to give up life in dis
grace. He stated. in extenuation of his
crime, that having heen over thirty hours
without sleep just previous to being placed
on guard and becoming toward the last
quite weak and faint, he had sat down
against the tree, intending TO rest himself
only for a minute or two, and that he
! supposed he must have been overpowered
with dro wsiness.
As soon as his trial was over. and he
had lie n r, turned to the guardhouse, he re
quested my presence. found him sit
thug on an old box, his elbows resting on
his knees and his face buried in his
hands When he looked up, his face was
very pale, ard his eyes were dim with
tears
"Ah, Lieutenant Goldy, this is hard r.
he sighed.
"Terrible!' said |, taking a seat be-
side him.
Little | thought, when | left home, y
he pursued, "that such a cruel fate
would be mine Against dying of disease
or being killed iu battle. had fortified
my mind--but not against military ex-
ecution. Well my doom is sealed, aud
have now only to prepare for death. You
know Mary Lawson, Walter p
Yes"
I'VE we're engaged, and were to have
been married on my return, he said in a
tremulous voice "Ah poor. sweet Mary
this will kill her, fear You will see
her, and break the news to her gently
will you not?'
"If live to return"
You at least have the hope of life, anc
the almost certainty of an honorable death
while T."
; He stopped as if the words were chok
ing him, and finally burst into tears.
. "Oh, my friend" he exclaimed, lit il
not the fear of death that SO unman's me
but the disgrace which will attend it. /
| could only be permitted to 60 to battle
to lead some forlorn hope, and fall among
the foremost-how eagerly would EN-
. brace the opportunity to leave behind IN
Ian honorable name Alas J"
He paused for few moments as
lost in the fearful contemplation. and
at length he raised his hand and separat
ed lock of his beautiful, glossy, chestnu
= hair.
i "Sever this, Walter" he said, ian
@ take it to Mary with, my blessing
# Tell her my last words and last thought
were of her and of my poor mother. All
e my mother Walter |" he continued. grasI
: ing my arm somewhat spasmodically
think what it will be for her, too,
It hear of my disgraceful death Anoth'
d lock for her. Walter; aud tell them bot
t. tina. the poor soldier-boy had nothing MOI
lt valuable to send them. Tell them to pra
7. for me, for somewhere | have read that
is good to pray for the dead. If IT wei
y NOT for them could die more like ina
ct but it is 30 hard to contemplate the la
" separation f.om all that we love For m
s. however, the pang will soon be over; b.
'e if it docs not destroy them, it may lea
10 them wears Of misery. Tell me, when u
u to die ?"
ut is not yet known" replied "yo
rs sentence must first be approved by Gener
nc Winchester.
IL And his headquarters arc nearly
miles from here"
on "And through dangerous wilderness
~ | rejoiued.
or There are two days then OF life
he iAtp Ia nu,anad ..for no messenp