The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-11-08
NUMBER Al.

death, for Montpelier was the home of his
youth, and perhaps the wounded man
might have been his playmate in child
hood-perhaps schoolmatc-knew his
parents, his brothers and sisters. He cIung
convulsively to the table, and with the con
tending emotions of rapid thought and the
weight of injury inflicted, he could scaIee-
ly keep upon his feet.
A stimulent was given to the wounded
man, and he was mOmentarlly relieved
from that Weakness the body is so subject
20 after severe wound, when the doctor
inquired if there was any friend in the city
he wished to send for.
YES" he replied, ''my wife. She is
at the City Hotel, on the corner of Clay and
kearny streets. Tell Mary to hasten, for
l am badly hurt
man was sent to bring his wife.
doctor" said the gambler, save that
mans life, and there is my bank and So
COO in BurgUyne, and you shall have it
all -
The doctor felt the pulse of the man and
probed the wound anew. The gambler
watched him with the greatest anxiety un-
til the inspection was finished, when tho
doctor shook his head in token of impossi-
bility.
The gambler sat by the side of the
wounded man, bathed his head and
staunched the flow of blood from his
wound until the arrival of his wife. She
came, accompanied by few friends, and
as heroic women bear their misfortunes
she bore hers. Not a word of reproach
did she utter-words of cheerfulness only
passed her lips, as tears coursed each other
down her cheeks. To her inquiry as to
the chances OF her husband S recovery. the
doctor reassHred her there was no hope
whatever that the wound was mortal.
and that in a few hours the wounded man
must die. She sank down on her knees
ard invoked the mercy of a forgiving God
upon her dying husband and his murderer.
The gambler knelt at the side Of the
wounded man and asked his forgivEess for
the great wrong he had committed, and
also that of his afflicted wife, which was
readily granted.
"This, - said he, sis for disobeying the
sacred injunction of my aged father and
mother. I have faced death a thousand
times, and still have escaped ; the balls
Of an enemy have whistled pastm ears as
thick as haistOues, and the bursting bomb
las exploded at my feet. Still l have
lived. o God, and for this! High above
the red tide OF battle I have carried my
country's ensign, and that won for me 4
name among men. When not one com
r. r
unhurt Why was not killed with the
rest? All that was proud and pleasing to
man l have had, and if l could recall this
last act by living on husks, sleeping in a
pauper's grave, and renouncing every
proud act of my life, would do it. was
born in the same village with that man
we were born beneath the same roof, and,
o God the same mother gave us birth
He must not die ; he is my brother - and
the gambler sank down in a swoOn upon
the floor.
The wounded man raised himself upon
his elbows his glazed eyes wandered about
the room, as if searching for some particu-
lar one.
MARY" said he, SIS my brother Viii
The words choked in his throat-the
gurgling blood stopped his utterance, and
he sank corpse upon his pillow.
The wife knelt again, but it was beside
the dead body, and invoked the blessing nG
God on his soul, and forgiveness for the
murderer.
The gambler awokc from his swoon,
staggered up to the wife, and said:
''Mary, would it were otherwise for
have nothing to live for now the dead or
dying do not want anything in this world
take this certificate of deposit to our aged
father and tell our parents we are both
dead but oh do not tell them how we
died -
But before the woman could reply, or
any one interfere, the report of pistol
sounded again, and the fratricide had ceas-
ed to live 4! On the hill near Rincon Point
were two graves, fewyears ago, inclosed
with picket fence and one tombstone at
their heads, with the simple inscription,
brothers ~