The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-11-02
LET ALL THE ENDS THOU AIMsT At. BE THY GODS
WAYNE COUNTY. ND, NOV.

as he saw them, be could not help
wishing he Was not 90 old and
weather. beaten and grizzled and
awkward.
81 am afraid Ben is not well,"
said Hrs. Granger, one day after
he had left the table. ''He doesn't
seem to eat much Of late.''
Poor Ben did not know himself
what was the matter with him: he
only knew that he did not feel
right, as he watched those two day
after day. or course he did not
know that he was in love. People
are often sick without knowing il.
"You must take good care Of
Charlie, mother" said Ben, one
morning at the breakfast table.
"My leave of absence has expired,
and / must be off to the wars
again."
"No need to tell her." thought
he, as he saw the blush upon Elias
cheek.
A few mornings after the good
byes were said, and he was gone
Gone. after holding again that soft
little hand within his own for
moment, snd locking again into
the misty depths Of the violet eyes
that had once smiled so sweetly
upon him, fancying he saw there
just the smallest tear of regret.
'Of course, she's sorry to see
me co." said he to himself dozen
times that day; "sorry Tor father
or elder brother. Only this and
nothing more"
He did not know-he did not
dream-of the face buried in its
pillow, of the tears that dimmed
the violet eyes up in Ella's room at
home, while he was being sped a.
way plucking ut his sun.browned
whiskers and wishing that he was
not SO old and grizzled and awk-
ward.
| We never know such things ss
these. But let us not grumble at
fate.
But little did Ben find for repin-
:ngs, for his regiment was ordered
into active duty almost Immediate
ly after his return. Surely he
missed his light-hearted Charley,
Letters from home did not come
very regularly, for the communi-
: cations we're often cut of, but in
each one that did come, his mother
spoke of the invalid as still slowly
improving, and little Elias anxiety
. and care for him.
But one day there came letter
with black lines around the margin
and Ben knew before he opened i
that poor dear Charley was M
more. ~
"We made his grave in th'
graveyard beside your brothers 8,
Mrs. Granger wrote, land little El
la has sodded it with grass an,
planted flowers about the head
stone"
Among all the rough, stronl
], hearts that were ssddened at thi
news-and there were many-non
knew of the free struggle that va
N going on in the breast Of Lieu
70 tenant Ben.
8. Fiercer than any battle was tn
Is contest between frienship and hon
or upon one side and love upo
'u the other.
at Ah! who shall undertake to 50
ne which will be the victor?
We "Ben Granger are you brute 7
he would say to himself almoi
q fiercely, as he went moodily abo,
he his duties.
On And this seemed to he abo'
IL the only conclusion he ever eau
M to in the matter.
ne At last came Sherman's march
the sea, and with it the terrib
tn battle OF Resaca.
n Many noted the wild, reckle
courage with which Ben plung,
re into she thickest of the fight {
od that bloody day.
er' When it was over he was lyin
H. pale and faint, upon the sanguil
en- ary field, with a terrible wound
the shoulder.
ne Poor fellow. A bad case" ga
en- the surgeon, as he won't
Tie rounds that Eight and found B,
sleeping after his wound had be,
to dressed. "But what is this
av picking up a small pocket dial
that lay on the table.
" 'eThat," said the waiter, lis som
az. thing that fell out Of his pock
9TH when they took of his cos.. Pc
Ter haps you had better keep it till
az recovers."
& E:sg Ygs 81