The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1868-01-16
sTRoUDsBURG, MONROE COUNTY, PA, JANUARY ls, 1868.

the black canopy of clouds which over
hung the ruined and eyer-to be historic
Gettysburg, when Lee, with cautious
movements, withdrew from his entrench-
ments, and prepared to pursue vigorous
retreat from the scene OF disaster. Hours
passed away ere General Meade received
the intelligence, and promptly as possible
! preparations were entered upon for 8
hasiy pursuit; but owing to the condition
of his army, and the delays necessarily
attendant on general movement, the en-
emy had time enough to evade any meas
ures that might be taken to frustrate his
designs. Dispatches were forwarded to
Major General French to intercept the
retreat at Williamsport, and to secure
with re-eDforcements Turner's Pass in
South Mountain, and re-occupy Harper's
Ferry Meade determined to push on to
Middletown = moved after some time be-
tween the Blue Ridge and the Potomac,
compelling Lee to retreat up the Shenan-
doah valley, and finally take up posi-
ton on the Rapidan.
An immense caravan, sick, wounded
and prisoners moved slowly up the valley,
and concentrated themselves by the beau
tiful waters The rude homeliuess Of the
hospitals scarcely afforded comfort to
those whose wounds were Of trhiug na-
ture; and those who pined away in ago
ny from the effects of amputation or sick
ness were still worse. In one of the
wards, and upon the damp grass, dying
soldier called aloud for help. He sat, or
leaned up, aud with terror looked upon
his fellow sufferers a youth with pale,
thin face sat by the pillow with his head
resting on his hands, and he, too, seemed
stricken by mental and bodily distress:
yet worn and attenuated as he was, We can
recognize him as the hero of our story.
Presently he raised himself from his mel
ancholy position, and seized the. hand of
the dying man. Gascomber, for it was
he, turned wild, despairing look upon
him, and sank down exhausted. Austin
held the hand firmly, and accosted in
low and tremulous tone:-
"Do, Arnold do not die without tell
ing me, do justice to the innocent, and
you can die calmly. Your secret, as you
call it, will haunt you even when dead,
and your remosc shall find 10 respite. =
Tell me of Camilla - Of her whom you
call my own? Who is she, Arnold?"
"She is Cameon, she is love itself =
she is yours = keep her, wed her, and
save her = aye saUe her,"
Austin bowed his head in pain. 1t
was the only answer Gascomber ever gave
him, and twas he, too, that first perplexed
the mind, that hoped for happiness in
his death. /" l shall tell you before
die" " he would say, and by such promises
he led Austin 10 confde his young thoughts
to his keeping = always, too, pretending
that some mysterious agency had frustra-
ted the real happiness of his life, and
darkened over his birth with deeds too
dark to mention. lie Eow suffered as in
tently as Gascomber, and watched the
last breathe compress heavily on his thin,
bloodless lips. lie had seen him fall at
Gettysburg, and regardless of his own
life, rushed forward and caught him faint
| ing 10 his arms and upon the CORY sward
he knelt over him, to catch the secret as
his life departed: but all was silent, al
though two hostile armies shocked to-
gother, and artillery Numbered from the
mountains with continued reyerberation
= the uproar and clash OF battle, served
not to awake him from the spell of the
life long mystery. He waited for the
revelation, bat it came not, aud in his
anxiety to possess it, eight heroes fell be-
meath his arm, as he sought shelter for
the sufferer Thus, it came that he was
a prisoner, and considered spy, aud his
captivity only terminated when the hum
/, blei secessionists hauled down their bel
ligerent flag, and piled their arms at the
feet of the Federal conquerors.
Gascomber remained quiet for some
time, and again he started from his pill
low with wild and terrified aspect. Aus
tin seized his hand, and the sufferer cried
10 tones half desparing:.-
No, no, [ will not die. | cannot =
blood is upon my hands = am not cit to
die - will tell all = She, she is - =
And Austin, trembling. strained his
senses to possess every word. They rang
in his ears
Who is she, Arnold?" lie said, tim
idly, have mercy aud tell mc?"
g" Not her, not her; you, Austin, your
father -" aud the dying man closed
his eyes.
Austin placed his hand upon his bo-
som, and observed that he breathed, tho
inaudibly.
( He murmered in his ear. The doom
! ed man again spoke more calmly
/ "The papers which you will find In
the chamber are his = -Silvio sigued them
only an hour before - | placed them in
the casket myself The.Lovers chamber
remember; but mind, the blood that is
upon them = he tried to blot out the
stain when first gave them to him, but
could not. | afterwards stole them, and
al \ l.