The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-12-15
THE WRONG TICKET.


One OF the many men who came and
went as patients in ward six of our hos
pital at Washington, was Bernard Heine,
handsome, stalwart German, fresh,
blonde, brave and merry. He was there
three months in all and being social
fellow, and q favorite of mine, told me
all his history, in general terms at first,
but gradually growing more confidential
as he knew me better and became more
assured Of my sympathy. I knew what
wild, adventurous youth he had been
in the dear old fatherland; by what hair
Drained scrapes he had angered his
friends; how, at nineteen years of age,
he had run away and come to this coun-
try: how hia parents had died during the
two years in which he had heard nothing
from home, md they nothing from him;
and how sore his heart was when he
thought of them, and knew what grief
he must have caused them. I knew about
the Van Dorms, with whom he had
boarded two years before he entered the
army and how the young people were
like brothers and sisters to him, and the
old people like father and mother, and
how Lizzie Van Dorm wrote to him every
week. And here I guessed somewhat
more than / knew. I guessed from the
slight embarrassment, the mingled cold
ness and Kindness with which he ac-
counted for his having entered the army,
the faint shade of annoyance which
sometimes crossed his face when he read
her letters. and his slowness in answer
ing them, that Miss Liza was fonder of
him than he of her. I have known cases
where nice young men had been cordial
ly received and fondly cherished in fami-
lies where there are marriageable daugh-
ters, and where, in spite Of themselves,
the force of circumstances had obliged
them to assume ties which they took re-
luctantly.
like to see men do their own wooing,
and always respect q man that flies from
a wooing woman. So many guesses
made me Like this young soldier all the
better. He had made his will before en-
tering the army, he told me, and left
everything he had, among the rest life
insurance Of $4,000, to the Van Dorms.
He exaggerated his causes of gratitude
to them. He had no one else in the
world who cared for him; and, besides
their general friendliness. they had nurs-
ed him through a severe sickness, and
refused to take any extra pay for it.
'They are the only ones in the world
who would mourn, If I should happen
to get a bullet through me-" he said,
with touch of bitterness in his voice,
which showed that there was something
yet untold in his story.
Later, one evening, when was sitting
by him to soothe and quiet him, after
the tormenting pain of having his
wounded foot dressed, got the rest of
the story. He was feeling unusually de-
pressed that night and seemed to wish
for confidant. It was then first heard
Helen Ayre's name. She was little
yellow-haired school mistress, who also
boarded at Mrs. Van Dorm's, had, indeed,
known them longer than he had. I could
zee how he had loved her from the tone
of unwilling, yearning, angry tender
ness with which he spoke her name. I
could see more than that, what he, like
fool, as men always are in such circum-
stances, could not see, the angry ieal-
ousy OF the Van Dorms, their insnua-
tions, the seeds of distrust which they
slowly sowed; how, while he had not
dared to speak of love to the girl, they
had made him believe that she had
boasted OF her power over him; how he
had been made to think her O coquette,
and mercenary, careful not to give him
too much encouragement till she should
know hog much money he had. When
he spoke of her capricious treatment
and growing coldness toward him, 1
could see that they were reflections Of
his own distrust of her, and the effect of
their misunderstanding 1 limited this to
him, but he could not hear to it. Oh,
the Van Dorms were the salt of the earth,
and his best friends, and they were inca.
pable of deceit.
"Bnt maybe they wanted you for Miss
Liza" ventured.
He dropped his eyes ''If they did,"
he said, 'they would not use dishonest
means to bring it about I ought to con-
slider that new proof of their friend
ship for and confidence in me, even
though l should be unwilling to crafty
their wishes"
I liked his reserve, and his trust.
They were honorable.
"At last, she left the house and wen,
somewhere else to board" he said. 81
think they had been little cool with
r.. II. III