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

laaksd the. aht o. sies~-g .slseuvs.is
out Of the door che last time, I came
from tho parlor to bid l5er goodbye. and
she turned her head away" 'T
5"Did you ever have any talk, or at
tempt any explanation with her?"
s:No. We never had anything on the
subject, either understanding or mis-.
understanding"
"Master Heine," said, emphatically,
cit is my private opinion that you have
been made a dupe Of"
He smiled family as he shook his
head.
say So"
"Have you ever heard from her since
you came here?" asked.
'Not O word"
was silent moment, wondering if
the poor little yellow haired school mis-
tress might not have been breaking her
heart slowly during the last year, and if
she knew just where was ut that mo-
ment, if she would not consider me the
most enviable woman in NIL the world.
81 wonder none of the Van Dorms
come out to see you," said, presently.
''Oh, they wanted to come" was his
quick reply; ''but Mrs Van Dorm has
been sick, and there was no one else who
could leave. Liza had to take care of
her mother The boys and their father
are driven with business. Besides, I
wrote them that was only slightly hurt;
and you know am going to have fur
Tough in few weeks"
Our conversation was interrupted
here, for sick and wounded were brought
in, and had to attend to them. The
ward already seemed nearly full; but
many were cOnvalescent, and those we
wished banished to the convalescent's
room, and crowded all the beds we could
get into the ward. The next morning,
the man in the bed next to Heine's, died.
AS tho custom was, as soon rs he died,
the card containing his name, age, place
of birth, regiment, company, rank and
disease, was taken down from the wall at
the head of his bed, and carried to the
Office to be recorded and reported. The
weather was cool and his funeral was put
off till the next afternoon.
The next day, just after funeral time,
as sat in the ward taking few min
utes' rest after giving the three o'clock
medicines, I glanced toward the door,
and saw two spectres there. To be sure,
they were men, stout and tanned, but
their faces were, in spite ofAtan, of
sickly white, and their eyes were open
and fixed glaringly. They both were
staring at Heine, who sat up in bed
reading the Washington Star newspaper.
approached them, though half
afraid. If they were madmen. it would
be we'll to have them stopped on the
threshold; if they were clairvoyants, who
beheld some vision of horror to us un-
seen, felt safer to be near their piercing
eyes.
"You wish to see any one?" I asked
politely, much as in dream wo compli-
ment wolf or panther who we expect
will devour us the next moment.
One of the men never stirred nor
seemed to hear me; but the other, with
out turning his eyes from their terrified
gaze, pointed mutely, and with shak-
ing hand, to the man who sat so calmly
reading his newspaper.
"That is Bernard Heine," said "Did
you wish to see him?"
The man shuddered.
HE is dead!" he said. 1--WE have
just been to his funeral"
ooh, no! it is q mistake" I replied
soothingly, beginning to SEQ what was
the matter, though not knowing how the
mistake had occurred. "He is getting
along nicely. There is not the least like
lihood of his dying at present"
But, " the man persisted, still staring,
"his death was reported, with his age,
place of birth, his regiment and compa-
ny, and we have been together the whole
year. We heard tt, and saw it in the
mornings paper, and we came down from
Camp Distribution to his funeral"
BY this time tho other man had got his
jaws together and looked ut me.
"Did you get near enough to the chap
lain at the funeral to hear the names
read?" 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" I said. turning away to attend
to my business.
They crossed the ward warily, with
their eyes still intently fixed on the OBJ
ject of their incredulous fear, and when
they were half way across, Heine looked
up and saw them. A bright smile broke
over his face, and he held out both hands.
How are you, Herman? And you
Matt? I'm glad to see you"
At the sound of his ringing voice, and
| \ u