The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-12-11
THE WRONG TICKET,

"But," the man persisted, still staring,
"his death was reported with his age,
place of birth, his regiment and cem'
pany, and we have been together the
whole year. We heard it and saw 1T In
the morning paper, and we come down
from Camp Distribution to his funeral"
By this time the other man had got
his Jaws together and looked at me.
"Did you get near enough TO the
chaplain at the funeral to hear the
names read 7" asked.
"No. we were late, and the names had
been read" was the reply. "But we
saw the paper with all the particulars
in it."
| could but smile at his persistence.
"Well, you can 60 and ask him if he IS
dead" | said, turning away to attend
to my business. -,
They crossed the ward warily with
their eyes still intehtly fixed on the OBJ
iect of their incredulous fear, and when
they were half way across, Heine look
ed up and saw them. A bright smile
broke over his face, and he held out
both hands.
Chow are you, Norman' Aud you,
MAUI L III Sldu w oSO sNN'
At the sound of his ringing voice and
the sight of his CHEEKY face, their last
doubt vanished, and they sprang for
ward to grasp his hand, and one hung
about his neck and kissed him and
burst into tears, while the other stood
silent, but with trimming eyes and
Guivering lip. 1t made my own eyes
fill.
At first Heine listened TO their story
with wondering incredulity, and sud
denly turned about and reached the
card above his head. He glanced over
it, then looked at me.
"Have you succeeded in convincing
YOUR friends that you are not dead !" l
asked, going to him.
He gave me the card.
THAT explains" he said. "You know
our beds were pushed along light before
last, and we forgot to move the cards,
suppose, in the hurry, when Thomas
died, the ward master took down the
card over his bed and sent 1T to the
Office without looking at it,"
Heine seemed moved, not so much at
the thought of death associated with
him, he had become too familiar with
it for that, but at the sight of his friends
unexpected devotion.
left them, and they sat long with
him, not going till the very last minute
that left them time to get to camp be.
fore their pass should be overstayed.
found that Heine's name had not
been read out at the funeral, the chap.
lain, who WAS acquainted with him, and
had seen him that day, perceiving that
there must be some mistake.
"Well, Helne," said, ''yOu see you
were wrong in one thing; there are
Others beside the Van Dorms who would
mourn You dead"
He looked up with Glistening eyes.
"Yes, GCd bless the poor fellows. l
didn't dream they cared so much about
me-"
Learn one thing by this" said
significantly. at is not the deepest
or truest affection that processes the
most"
He dropped his eyes, and for mo-
ment was silent. Then he said:
"They will all hear of my death. Ned
Trask who told these fellows, told them
he had written to Van Dorm and sent
the paper"
Such an unlucky mistake" l said,
and went in a fever of annoyance to
scold the wardmaster.
Later in the afternoon Heine beckon-
ed me to him. There was little I'M
usual color in his face, and light in his
eyes; and though he smiled, it was n
merry smile.
''pve been thinking that will wait
awhile before writing" he said, and see
how they all takeit"
agreed with him. Perhaps was
wreng, but i also would like to see how
they all would take it," so we prac-
ticed "masterly inactivity" and wait
ed.
Two days after, as quickly as the mail
could bring letter, came an eplstle
directed to the lady nurse OF Ward Six
New Jerusalem Hospital. lopened 1t,
and at the bottom of the second page,
Gertrude G. Van Dorm. 1t was pre-
cious epistle, written, as she assured me,
by a woman at deaths door, though the
writing was uncommonly firm, and the
language surprisingly fluent for per
son in that condition. She also assur-
red me that the deceased was unto her
like son, and, indeed, had he lived, he
would have been son, being engaged
to her eldest daughter. read it all, then
went and satby Heine, feeling angry
enough with him for this engagement,
and fully willing to tease him by telling
him the whole truth.
''Heine,' l said, hold up the letter be-
fore me, Mrs. Van Dorm is anxious
that your watch, and any papers and
money you may have died possessed of,
should be sent to her forthwith"
He colored, and looked intently at me,
but said nothing.
"She says that she has done great
deal for ysu," went or, land that You
are under great obligations to her."
II told you what they have DONE" he
said little hastily. "For the rest, /
have always paid my board, and never
counted the many presents have made.
1 tried to pay them tentold for all the
expense they have been for me, and
guess i have succeeded"
"She is very far gone" said showing
him the letter. "Sse how feeble the
writer is, 1t ia impossibla for them In