Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-11-11

Wv 'ot tuS " iuhiiN until LtLZN uts q
home Of her own, and Jacks learned
his trade for we're not rich. and
| must be a father 10 the children and
husband TO the dear old woman if
can"
NO doubt you are both. John yet
how came YOU TO 90 to the war, if YOU
felt So Wasn't enlisting a. bad as
marrying
"No, ma ma. not as see il, for one
is helping my neighbor, the other pleas
ing myself. went because couldn't
help it. ldidn't want the glory or the
pay; | wanted the right thing done.
and people kept saying the men who
were in earnest ought 10 fight. | wa,
in earnest, the Lord knows but held
Off AS long as could, not knowinl
which was nv duty Mother saw the
case. gave me her ring to keep me
steady. and said. go; :" SO went"
\ short story and a simple one. but
the man and the mother were portrayed
better than pages Of fine writing could
have done 1t.
! do YOU ever regret that yon came,
when you he here suffering SO much Z
Never. mama: | haven't helped a
/ great deal. but I've shown | was willing
to give up my life. aud perhaps I've
got 10 but don't blame anybody. and
/ # it was 10 do over again. Id do it.
/ I'm little sorry | wasn't wounded in
/ front. it looks cowarily 10 bc hit 10 tho
back. but obcyei orders. and it don,
matter to the end, know"
Poor John il did not matter aow
except that a shot in front might have
/ spared the Io'.g agony in store for him.
lie eemed to read the thought that
troubled me. as he spoke 50 hopefully
7 wncn there was no hope for he suddenly
! added:
This is my first battle 10 they
! think its 90 NJ 10 be ms last =
I'm afraid they do John"
1t was the hardest question had
ever been called upon 10 answer 1;
! douby hard with those clear eyes fixed
on mine, forcing truthful answer bv
| their own Truth. He seemed little
startled Mt first. pondered over the
fatcful fact moment. then shooS his
head, with a glance at the muscular
chest and broad limbs stretched out
before him:
lin not afraid. but its difficult TO
believe all al once. I'm 50 strong IL
don't seem pos-Ible for such little
wound 10 kill me"
Merry Mercut.o's dying words
glanced through my memory as he
spoke. IT'S not 40 deep as n we'll,
nor SO wide as a cuurch door, but 'tis
enough" And John would have said
the same could he have seen the ON
inous black holes between his should
ers /; he never hal, but seeing the ehast
ly sights about him, could not believe
his own wound more fatal than these,
for all the suffering il caused him.
''Shall | write u yoIr mother now:
I asked, thinking at these sudicn
tidings might change all plans and
purposes. But they did not; far
the man received the order of the
Divine Commander 10 march with the
same unquestionlng obedience with
which the soldier had received that oil
the human one , doubtless remember
IN. that the iilst led him To life, and
the last 10 death.
NO, ma am. To Jack just the same;
he'll break il 10 her best. and I'll add
line 10 her myself when YOU get done.
SO | wrote the letter which he die
tateG, finding it better than any had
sent for though here and there a lit
tie ungrammatical or inelegant, each
sentence came 10 Inc briefly worded.
but most expressIve-full Of excellent
council to The boy. tenderly bequeath-
ing 'mothcr and Lizzie" TO his care,
and bidding him good bye in words the
sadder for their simplicity. He added
few words with steady hand, and n
1 sealed it. said with patient sort Of
sigh, Il hope the answer will come III
time for me TO see it, then turning
away his face laid the flowers against
his lips as if to hide some qulver OF
emotion ut the thought OF such a sud
den sundering of all the dear home
ties. These things had happened two
days before now John was dying,
aud the letter had not come. | had
been summoned to many deathbeds in
my life, but to none that made my
heart ache AS it did then, since IN,
mother csfit6 me to watch the depart
ure of q spirit akin to this in its geu-
tleness and patient strength. As |
went in John stretched out both hands.
~ knew you'd come, | guess I'm
moving on ma'am."
He was; and so rapidly that, even
| while he spoke, over his face ! saw the
gray veil falling that no human hand
can lift. sat down by him, wiped
the drops from his forehead, stirred
the air about him with the slow wave
of a fan, ana waited to help him die.
He stood in sore need Of help-and |
| could do so little; for, as the doctor
had foretold, the strong body rebelled
against death, and fought every inch
| Of the way, forcing him to draw each
breath with spasn and clench his
hands with an ilnploring look, as if he
asked: ..How long must endure and
be still!" For hours he suffered
dumbly, without a moments respite OF
a moments murmuring; his limbs
grew cold, his face damp, his lips
white, and again and again he tore the
covering from off his breast. ias if the
lightest weight added to his agony
yet, through it all, his eyes never lost
their perfect serenity, and the man IS
soul seemed to sit therein, undaunted
by the ills that vexed his flesh.
One By on, the men awoke, and
round the room appeared circle o
pale faces and watchful eyes, full o
awe and pity; for though stranger
| lohu vas beloved nv ALL Each mar