Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1866-08-10
vi | - e r. I. l. a y Y.
COMING HOME.

lt uAs bitter cold night; one Of those
times. happily infrcqusni in this latitude.
When ever ghing. animate and inanlnatc.
seemed 70 shrink ard cower in The intense
cold. The very AR ~as sll Of iey parti.
eles. uhich one Vas forced 20 draw in with
every breath And when the moon rose.
round and clear. and bright. and The wind
came sp whh "a. penetrated every crack
and ercssoe. no matter how minste. The
Passengers BY the night express gathered
closer 10 The stove. ero-ding and jostling
each otber' As even veil bred people uill
sometimes DO. in their effort 10 keep warm.
AL bui one man Who saf IN a seat By
hinself by the door. A tall nan. wrapped
IN an osercoas Of army blue. tbe visor Of
bis cap drawn lov over his eves-deep.
dark eyes nth a strange expression IN
them-such eyes As a nan might have ubo
had been lated 10 stand for a time on the
borders Oi bell. and having .eeo. must bear
wiih him throsgh life The memory q is
horrors.
lie AT there quietly snosgh. taking Ettle
beed APParAatly Of -hat -as going on about
Ain- All the afternoon be had sat 80. sci
dom moving. not speaking. only once uben
be had given up his seat near the Gre %
P00r-lOoking -onan With a child IN her
arms. and himself taken this one hrsber
back and the pAsseagers. noticing the little
act of Polten ess. and observing his dress
A. ueh. decided that BE- ~as A soldier on
hs -ay home veteran. probably. and
then droPped ban out Of their thoughts.
i And -hiie the hours q early evening
~orc away. The train thundered oo. over
niies and miles Of level prairie past farm
houses. nestled do-a among tree. and
barns. and oOrn-ciibs; past halle groups Of
Dwellings. ~iih their home. lights shining
ohesFily oct.
The nsn BY the ~indow watched them a.
they slated BY. an eager. hasgry lock con-
ing INTO bs eyes. Was be thinking Of a
house a. The end Of hs josrney. where The
lamps ~ere lighted By this time. and three
faces sad enough nov. ~ould grow sudden
y bnght At his coming DO not know.
The condscior cane ia prc-entiy. bring
ing httle a the keen outer ar 18th hin.
he paused with BIS hands on the back Of
the sat IN -hioh the soldier sat. smiling
do~n INTO the gloomy eyes lifted 70 his face
g. be sad. chcerislly:
We shall bc a. 81. in eleven minutes
Aoa'rc almost home. sir.~
Yes. thsnk Godi~
Home Dad conductor Hines knou al
tbst vord meant % che nan sitting there %
quietiyf lie thought be d,d; tbosghi b.
oouid under,tand his feelings. 90 be- BIN.
sell bad served thrce wears a. soldier. and
eel remembered the Lomesickness. the
weary -artng. tbe longing that grc- al
most insupportable sometimes for one
gl'aPse of dear faces lefi behind
Something % Ills b. said IN be earnest
uay. sii.l standing there. his hand on the
back % tbe sat. The soldier grasped it
All ihe tuo looked steadily INTO each 9th
sr's eyes.
To faces so very unlike. One pleasant
20 iook Upon. though shaIosed iiftle by
cares and responublii.es of milIie DIE
The oiher shouiag warm ani white under
che lamp Hght. gray hair aioai ihe temples.
hnes uPon the forcbcsd. deep lines arouni
tbe mouth the face q en- oiI uan-and
yet he was but thirty. us vcr4 voice had
curious. uurataral tone iu it AZ o. said.
st'il keeping iasi bold q ths friendly hand.
riI boxing into le k.nliy eye.. " f's
+ thfee years since ] az ny hnily. tuo since
I ] beard from thcm. have been prisoner
eighteen months si siiisblry
I MAJ q story sas oauincd IN tbess fs-
uorls-oniy outined-the details uill new
er be knoun tiil che great dag of Remem-
bunoe uhsn the secrets Of ell prison booscs
shall be revealed. ani the black record 81
soatheru eraeIfy b. shorn op 10 ihe gaze
q ange.s ard men. Eighiesn months 1,
They bal done ihs ~ork oi sighieea years
on che once po~erial frame Of tis nan
sbose ~bsic bsari seslaci ccrfersi on tie
one ibougbi q gong bone.
Hone Wto car tell bo- bie..ed men
! ores oi it lad steadisd The soldiers brain