The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-11-22

SUSPENSE wrote to the Coroner Oh Siaf
ence' regiment Ere sufficient time had
elapsed 10 receive reply, the whole
country was ringing with the rumor OF
a terrific battle. and immense slaughter
in both Union and rebel armies ne
list of killed and wounded had not
vet been published, and over the whole
land hung the dark pail of suspense.
pressing like an iron weight on the iona
hearts at home, which scarce dared 70
hope, vet each praying that Its own ioFed
might be spared
/ | felt anxious for Margaret; | knew
how she must he suffering under the tors
ture of waiting to learn whether the cup
from which she must drink held death
OF life. / went TO see her. and found her
lust as I expected, seated by the window
gazing on the road by which the even
inc mail would arrive. She said little
but tried to appear interested in my fee
BILE attempts at cheerful conversation
All at once she sprang up.
There said she, Il hear the stage
horn the mail Is coming
She he&rd it quicker than /, Tor aaxie-
tv rendered her sense of hearing unnatu-
rally acute
She took up lier-little hat. which lay
all ready on the chair beside her
Stop, Maggie, said L; / will go Tor
your letters.
No, no; I can get them myself, thank
you
There was no eletaining her, 50 walk
/ ed with her to the Office; and oh how
/ long the brief lime seemed whiic tie
mail was looked over and DISTRIBUTED.
and we stood there among tie crowd OF
/ others as eager and trembling as our
/ selves, and waited
There was one letter for Mrs Howard,
/ and some papers for her father
4 Come said she 10 me, n a quick
tone, as soon as her trembling fingers
/ had clasped her mail, and without ahotl-
! er word, we left the Office
4 How well i read her feelings, as We
flew, rather than walked to her home =
her questioning agony 10 learn the con
tents OF that letter. l could not see her
face. for it was quite dark, but could
hear her breath come short and quick |
was Glad to see that Laura had lit the
lamp in the parlor
Margaret paused not until she entered
the room and stood by the centre table
She tore off the envelope, and throw It
from her 10 the floor, and SO excited was
she that she shook like an aspen as sue
leaned over the page deTourinG 1t WlIh
her eyes.
Laura aud | watched her the while,
our hearts beating till they sounded IN
our own ears like drums. One moment
of racking suspense avid sn:lek. Mag
ole Law scnsele5s at our feet.
The letter was from Clarence ; colonel
It stated that he was severely, 1T was
feared MORALLY, wounded in the breast
by bAyonet The officer said that lie
had found him, when the battle and car
mage were over. on the field. almost cN
haUsted from loss of blood. He had
done all for him that lay in his power,
and only left him when he was placed III
an ambulance to be taken to the hospital.
He advised his wife, if she wished to see
him. to hasten on to Washington, ere 1t
was too late.
The next morning Maggie and her
father were on their way South.
We heard nothing from them for 3
week At the expiration OF that time
George received telegram requesting
him to meet them with the carriage a
the railroad depot He was also 20 have
a hearse in attendance To convey home
the body Of Clarence Howard.
II would be impossible for me TO lie
scribe the effect Of his news on the Peo-
ple Of our village. 4 mouTniuI wall
burst from every heart fhc shops were
closed, and the inhabitants turned out
the tlay they were expected. MOI one
: team, but many were waiting the arrival
of the afflicted and the dead, and the
sad cortege was received by Us Oh their
return, with sohs and tears.
This was she shock Of the first death
in our little community by the hands OF
the enemy. l. was a surprise that shook
and crieved us. Since then We have had,
alas many. many such sorrows to hear:
but, as The soldier, after the first battle,
becomes accustomed TO danger, 50 We
have learned to endure sccA bereavncntS
with composure
The funeral Of private Howard took
Mace the dav after the body was brought
home, and an immense ccncoHrse 1t
tended his remains to their last resting
place il. the village graveyard
. A stranger who looked on the pale
features of his young wife, might have
supposed her too calm, too little demon
strative 10 ieei very deeply the loss OF
her husband But we who knew her
, well shutldered to observe her quiet, IN
natural manner 1t seemed as though
the warmth OF life had gone ont of her.
. Poor ADggie, she seemed like ma
chine wound up for certain time to per-
form certain duties, that. when the work
was done. would run down and stop. So
, she buried her dead, and then lay pros
trate on "a bed of sickness for weeks
When at length, she regained her
, bodily health We saw that the impulsive
laughing Maggie Brainard had given
| place to quiet, melancholy Widow How
ard. who seldom smiled and never more
, would be gay.
She appeared now TO have bat one
purpose in life, and that Was to render
aid and comfort to the sick and wounded
soldiers.
She left Clairville. and during the re
mainder of the war we often heard oil
her as one of the most tende. and atten-
, tive nurses in tie hospitals at Washing
ton.