The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-03-23
From the Lippiucott's Msg~sins.
MURDER MOST FOUL.

day Of Gettysburg there staggered be-
kildered fugitive, wounded, fevered,
aud half blinded by pain aud blood
HIS tuded, torn, aud tattered, clothing
(ouce perhaps uniform) was blood
stained here and there, aud his heatless
forehead was marked by bleeding
cut. His lett haud, wrapped in bloody
baodages, .osted iI sling, and he
limped as he went with a labored gait.
tio bore no arms por knapsack these
had already been flung aside; and now,
as he pursued his way, he Invested him,
self hurredly Of all his accontremeuts
one after another, aud cast them impa-
tieutly to the ground. He took no path.
He pushed on with unsteady yet rapid
stridcs through bushes, over rocks aud
fences, straight ahead, with lips com
pressed 10 silent agony. His apparently
wild aud ainless flight had carried him
some miles from the actual conflict
(Which was not yet decidedly, when his
fast diminishing strength was shown in
bis fsebly tottering steps aud in the
difficulty with which he kept frcm
plugging headloug to the earth. At
this moment he came in view off farm
house. aud the sight stimulated him to
renewed effort. Forward he toiled,
full of fresh hope, when, half way be-
tween him and the goal Of his exertions
there arose high, broad stone wall.
1t seemed to him insurmountable, and
he groaned in anguish. Nevertheless he
essayed to Chamber over the obstacle.
More than once he fell back from the
attempt, but at length, as if with his
last expiring energies, he maSaged to
drag himself to the top of the wall.
Dizzily he looked about him, as he
thought to rest himself moment; but
suddenly all grow blank and he became
unconscious.
He fell faihting and insensible to
the ground on the inner side of the wall,
with despairing cry for "Water l" He
had luckily fallen near spring house,
and startled girl, pail iu ha"d, heard
his exclamation and saw him fall. She
at once approached him. put water to
his lips, und washed the blood from his
face. She continued her ministrations
until animation began to return to the
seemingly Iifelcss form. He opened
his eyes aud gazed at her Smiling
faintly. he fondly murmured.
"indiaua!"
His fevered brain evidently mistook
her for another. Closing his eyes he
lapsed suddenly into a deep sleep
Taxing advantage Of this, she hastily
proceeded to the farmhouse, whence
she sooa returned with the old farmer
aud his wife. Spreading blanket, they
placed the wounded soldier upon it,,
aud with difficulty bore him to bed.
ale is IA REBEL" said the old man.
"But is fellow human" remarked
his wife
"And he is wounded-dying, perhaps.
far from home and frieuds," added the
girl, who was obviously tho daughter OF
the aged couple
On the fourth day of July it was
known to all the army that Lee was re-
treating. That General had fallen
back into Virginia when the wounded
soldier whose fortunes we arc following
became aware that he had been left
behind in the enemy's country. He
found himself tendcr!y cared for in the
house Of MIR. Ordolf, plain but sub
stautial farmer, whose wife and daugh-
ter were assiduous 10 their humane at
tentions to the disabled Confederate.
They were mother und sister to him in
his forlorn condition, aud his grateful
affection for them grew day by day as
he experienced their unscl6sh Kindness.
Toward Mary Ordolf, the daughter, his
feelings rapidly grew to be Of q holier
and more tender character. What she
was in form and feature would have
been sufficient excuse for this; and then
her simple daily life. exhibited in all
its gentle purity before him and iu his
behalf, was enough to subdue the most
obdurate of masculine hearts. 1t did
not take him long to learn that his love
was returned, and before he became
strong enough to leave his room,
he and his. fair nurse were
"eugaged." Was it a baleful con
junction, this of tho "loyal" maiden and
the "rebel" lover? We shall see.
As soon as John Randall (such was
the young Confedcrate's nancy was
strong enough to march, he felt he could
no longer remain where he was he had
to choose between Federal prison and
an attempt to escape to the Confederacy.
He promptly made choice OF the latter
alternative. Giving his "parole" to the
elder Ordolfs, and kiss of eternal fidelity
to the weeping Mary, he bade them all
farewell and made the venture. He
was successful, reaching Richmond
safely, and, being shortly declared duly
exchanged, took his part in the remain
der of the war till the surrender Of Ice
In the meantime, however, the Ordolfs
heard nothing Of him. We leave it tc
the inauguration Of her sex to conceive
the emotions, ever varying from hope
to despair. experienced by Mary Ordol
under these circumstances. On the
third Of July, 1865, she was sitting or
the root ola huge oak which shaded the
spring house, thinking mournfully O
that day, two years before, when The
fa'nting Confederate fell at her feet ap
pealing for succor. In the midst of thes,
"reminiscences ahe thon oht oIo hoard .