Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1869-08-21
dns bffFor the Chroniclel
G ISSIE'S LOVE.
By SIMON.
CHAPTER III.


30, s.g CHAPTER III. booe
So ;olaia {coNcLUDRD) aag4ss9E
The spring Of 1854 opened dark AM
gloomy for the Confederacy. Grant
with a large army, was, by q series o
renowned flank movements, gradu
ally forcing his way to Richmond
Sherman had taken up bis line o
march for the Gate City. All tn,
fruits Of the brilliant victory of Chick
had been swept away by tn,
at Mission Ridge. In the few
short months that passed between tn,
defeat of Bragg before Chattanooga
and the resumption of hostilities b,
Sherman before Dalton, Gen. John
ston had been working, with indom
liable energy to re-establish til,
morale of his army, that he might
the reputation gained q
Murfreesboro and Chickamauga.-
How well he succeeded, his hundred
days fight from Dalton to Atlanta
over o distance of an hundred miles
without the loss of wagon, mule
gun or anything, even to a soldier,
knapsack, and the increase of hi.
army from thirty TO fifty thousand
history and the future will only de
eide. s" .si4' IA ~ 4li
Gen. Johnston found It necessar,
to call to the front every spare regi
ment and brigade from the unthreat
ened cities in his rear, to impede a,
much as possible the advance of tn,
Candy and Andrew wer,
ordered up from NJ, Loring ant
French from Mississippi. With thes,
he hoped to retard the progress o
Sherman SO much that he might de
feat him by mere attrition.
AS soon as Andrew received in
structions to march, he notified hi
brigade that they must prepare tw,
days rations, and be ready to marcel
by SUNRISE on the next day. Wher
this order was received by the Add
Cargill determined to hasten to Cot
tage Hill and tell Gissie Massie O
their orders, and bid her goodbye
Mounting his horse, he was soon hur
rying along the road to the Hill. A
he neared Mrs. Wilberson's, he over
took Gissie returning from visiting Q
sick neighbor. Disseminating, an,
leading his horse, he Joined her.
"Miss Gissie, I have come to hi,
you goodbye. Our brigade has or
ders to join Gen. Johnston in Nortl
Georgia, and we leave in the morn
ing.n 17a1our g SIS adl4s ~ ~
us this not unexpected, Captain
1 had not even dreamed of your leay
ing NJ, as l supposed some troop
would be kept here"
Gen. Johnston wants every ma
he can get to oppose Sherman wit
his greatly superior numbers, and W
may do some good by being there.
do you suppose you will have
fight when you get there? Oh! lar
SO sorry you are going away.n
81 hope we will not have to figh
much. Gissie, in leaving you, I hop
you will not forget how deeply CRATE
full 1 am for the kindness you hav
shown me; and wherever / be, tn
recollection of my association wit
you will be the most pleasant of M
life.n r.t ~
captain, you attribute too muc
to US in this matter. We Law
only done our duty-but regret YER
much your having to leave"
"Gissie, does my leaving cause ye
any more regret than the partin
from any other friend? Do you car
enough for my company as to eaus
you TO think of me when / am "a
away?" a. ..-i
''Of course 1 shall think OF yo
often. L always think of our so
diers.D L.tat.ll,ft acAA 2
But will you give ME q though
above another? When you kneel /
prayer at night, will you remembt
me in your petition? Have my as
sociations with you given you an
pleasure? Do you really regret this
1 am going TO leave M? Answs
me truly, Gissie?''
You ask for an honest answer
you shall have it. Until you cam
to NJ, l had no acquaintance
with whom ! could associate. Is
strange, then, that should feel sorr
when you leave, for then I will hav
to fall back i'm the old routine of liz,
and, besides, I don't want"
Don't want what, Gisse? VIII
do you hesitate?"
"You are asking me too much
Captain"
A" Why 80, Gissie? You must kno,
that love you better than life tina
until l saw you, life was one sheet {
chaotic darkness, without an objeC
and without q purpose. But 20
taught me that there was somethin
to live fof-something TO love. la
not intended forcing this commun
cation on you, but it was more tina
l could bear. And, Gissie, do forgiv
me, and tell me that you love me.
She raised her streaming eyes I
his, and he there read an answer I