Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-06-11
5fiscellamu.
A Sad History.

Russell, the Boston TraveLLer's South
ern correspondent, in letter dated at
Vicksburgh, May II, tells the following:
SAD, SAD HISTORY.
While wandering the fields to-day,
in search of the Notifications, picking up
fragments of shells, old canteens, bayo-
net scabbards and pieces of haversacks,
we met a man about thirty-fve years of
age. His clothes were ragged, his beard
bushy and uncombed, his hair matted
and his face dirty. He was picture of
wretchedness, although Fowler would
call him phrenelogically smart and in
telligent man. He was restlessly pacing
about through the brush and over the
hills, with his hands behind him, and his
head bent down as if in deep study.
We hurried up to the spot where he
must meet US if he kept on in the direc-
ton he was coming, and waited for him.
He neither looked nor spoke to us in
passing, nor needed our " Good evening
sir" until he had passed us several PAGES.
He however, turned abruptly about, like
a man who suddenly discovers that he
has forgotten something, and muttered
between his teeth, "Did you speak to me,
sir?"
We told him we did, and that we were
anxious to see where the Federal lines
were located, as we were from Massachu-
sets.
Oh, yes, from Massachusetts" said
he Strengthening up; "I have been in
Massachusetts, and was born in Vermont"
Then, after pause, he clenched his hand
and said sadly, =" l wish was dead now.
Why so p said we, feeling pity
for such wretched creature as he ap-
peared to be.
" If you are going out towards the
bayou, will show you" said he, leading
the way.
We began to think the man was in
sane, and after following him nearly q
mile, we halted and asked him how fal
he intended to go. He stated that We
were almost there, and so we kept on
He soon turned off from the main roac
into an open field, surrounded by tn,
growth of young timber and after pass
ing the barren spot which appeared t.
have been at some time the site of
building, he suddenly stopped, and point
ed to bunch of rose trees, said in a loy
tone !:
"There In that grave lies the reasol
why wish was dead. She was m.
wife, sir"
"How long has she been dead ~ ask
ed we, as sympathetically as we could.
"Well, seing you have taken interes
enough in me to come alone SO far, II
tell you the whole story" said he, takin
, out his knife to trim the rose bush.
HIS STORY.
:" She was twenty-nine years old, 81
and she was Southern lady, too.
came down here long before the war, an
had nice bit of land there. | fell
with this lady at the city up the rive
: and we were married in 1862. l kel
out of the war as long as could, becau'
didn't like fighting anyhow, as | WI
happy at home, and because l felt mol
like fighting, if l fought at all, anon
my native Vermonters. hated the Coz
: federacy, and said so and got them dow
: on me. So one day company of il
d fantry came along and said they woul
: shoot me on my threshold at once if
didn't enlist in the Confederate army.
lived right there then where you see Il
weeds. | couldn't get away from ther
and finally, with gun at my breast,
said | would enlist, and went off, leaviI
my wife crying in the door. can S
. Just how she stood her handkerchief l
s. to her face in this way, her left hand
Of waiving like this. But no use, had
enlist with the Missourians, and so l di
with the mental reservation that | wou
run away the first opportunity. But
S.. didn't get any chance for they watch
me as close as bloodhound does nj
ger Finally, when Grants army car
s. down here our brigade were sent out
for kind O. hold them in check. / had
been home since l went away, and 1
wife wrote me trying to cheer me up.
of The second day we moved up in pls
sight of my house, our lines being alo