Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-06-12

Courtney, Virginia's young brother,
who declared he would never forgive
her for not informing him of the in
tended ride.
"Never mind, Philip" she said,
"there will be plenty of time and OPP
for you to distinguish your
self.n
81 ought to have been called last
night when father came home. You
and mamma treat me as If 1 was q
child, and am almost fourteen.
"Weli Philip, you shall ride over
tomorrow and see if my signal is
gone," and so the matter was COM
The following day party Of Con-
federate soldiers passed Major Court
ney's house on their way to join the
the army at Richmond. A few I'm
ion prisoners were with them, among
the number, one severely wounded.
with exhaustion and loss of
blood, he begged them to lay him down
in the courtyard. They, thinking he
was dying, placed him there and went
on their way. Virginia brought him
wine, then, preparing lint and band
ages, besought Dina, an old negress,
who was looked upon as surgeon to
the establishment, to go and attend
to his wounds. Dinah pronounced
her patients case to be hopeless, but
had bed prepared for him in the
where she could visit him
with greater convenience. She was
never so happy as when attending to
the sick; and the more desperate the
case, the more satisfaction Aunt Di-
nah appeared to receive.
The next morning Major Courtney
would leave his home, and endeavor
to rejoin the troops from which he and
his comrades had been separated. 1t
might be long before he returned
Before parting from his family, he
visited his prisoner to inquire his
name and regiment. He found him
dressed and lying on the bed, and
scarcely recognized in the handsome
young man before him the pallid, al
most lifeless one of the previous day.
81 am glad to hear from your nurse
that you are in less pain this morn
ing" said the Southerner.
81 thank you, Major Courtney, as
that to be your name
A comfortable bed i'm place of the
damp ground, with the fresh, cool
bandages have greatly restored me-
The wound in my right arm is, fear,
beyond Dinah's skill, as the ball will
have to be extracted. ! was 30 un-
fortunate as to lose my horse; then
not being able to keep up with my
party, fell, as you saw, into the enc
my's hands, and they gave me too
warm reception"
GLOW came you to lose your horse;
was he killed ?"
"No, Major, I had secured him, rs
I thought to tree, two of my COM
rades brought off theirs. I was de-
tanned on business with the sergeant
then, when I went in search of mine,
he was gone"
"a shadow crossed the MAJORS
brow. "What color is your horse ~
"a dark gray"
"He is safe in my stable. Some
other time I will tell you how he
found his way here; at present, sir,
consider yourself not my prisoner,
but my guest. I shall have orders
that you are supplied with everything
you wish. In the meantime, sur
geon shall attend to your wounded
arm" A little timid knock sounded
at the door.
"Papa, will you give the gentleman
this fruit ? It's fresh gathered"
"Ha is that you, my runaway ?"
A smile lighted up the stern fea-
lures of the father as he stopped to
kiss the fair brow of his child.
"Virginia, in my absence you will
see to the comforts Of"
Captain Osborne, sir, is my
name"
-"To Captain Osborne being pro-
voided with all he may require
Most probably he will be here when i
come again"
He saluted the Federal officer, and
taking his daughters hand, left the
apartment. The door closed; Osborne
fell back upon the bed from which he
had risen. 1t appeared to him as II,
with Virginia, the sunshine had van
ished from the room.
In few weeks Captain Osborne
was the favorite of the household
He played checkers with Mrs. Court
ney, every description of game with
Philip, and read poetry with Virgin
la. The young officer was remarka-
bly, handsome; she liked his society
perhaps too; q warmer feeling enter
ed her heart; but if 1t did she de-
termined to crush it. Her pride was
stronger than her love.
Osborne had now, by the successful
treatment Of the surgeon, and Aunt
Dinah, almost recovered from the in
juries he met with at the hands of the
Confederate soldiers; /; but while that
cure was effected, he received another
wound beyond the art of surgeon ol
nurse to heal. The daily intercours,
with Virginia had so fascinated him
that he looked forward with regret tc
the day that would part them-prob
ably forever. They had read the same
books, selected the same passages FOL
admiration, and on all subjects bui
one shared the same opinion: tho
one was not named by either. To win
so lovely a being was surely worth III
effort and fate at last assisted him II
the opportunity he had sought.
A letter arrived from Major Court
ney. Enclosed was note for Cap
tain OsbOrlie, relieving him from M
parole-eXplaining the cause OF hi
horse being missing on the night ol
the Majors escape, and regretting TN
inconvenience and danger to whicl
he had consequently been subjected
The young officer handed the lette
to Virginia. He watched her expres
sive countenance as she perused 1t
and mistoolI the tears that started u
her eyes for regret at his departure
They were i'm admiration OF her ia
heterogeneous andmanly sentiments
"Dear Virginia." he hastily ex
claimed, "since that day when In.
wounded well nigh unto death, tn
sweet ministcring angel l then behel'
has been the first one in my thoughts
will be the last while my heart throbs
| Home. friends. all alike uncared for