Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1872-07-13

hank God for this assurance lor II d
will be easier 10 receive the fnll dam, o.
nation | deserve than TO be followed Il
bv his face Tor years to come-peer, VI
inc ut me from tho inky skies, or
cleaning up from the shudderinS tt
.ea | would rather my Sc rot should II
sink VITA me into the sea, but | am II
+ reed to tell it, and the confession 4
of my crime to yo1 fills to the bu4 "
nv cup Of earthly punishment ana !
woe. / have loved You as Il brother G
better Il al most brothers love each !
otLor-and | know that | must dea- /
troy whatever love or respect You !
may have felt for mo. Hancetotth I
yon arc to k1os me as a cowardiy, {
sneaking, red-ha7ded murderer. AS
sociating as neighbors, classm ates'
and companions in arms, you know
my whole history up tothe fatal day,
You know / loved your sister, Dut
you could not know the depth OF that
ioyo. She was your sister - and my
fHf But | need not dwell upon tins
! was refused ; lie Mar was accepted
10 those few words are summed up
lifetime Of misery and crime, ana
an eternity what? | shall soon
know. When the war broke out l
w& glad for the opportunity to rush
into It's excitement anu TRY 70 I'r5e'
the past When we met IN JACKSON
vile, in 1864, | did not wish you 70 |
know that ever a scar renamed Of
the old wound. You remembef' l
had been ordered to the command
of Company B, which was sent up
the river oa a scouting e1petltlon,
Was it fate, that, when ! stepped up
on the deck of athe MoPIe Leo''
should see for the first time IN years
Charles lie Mar, the atiiancod nus
. band Of the woman | loved ne
I commanded the gun-bost, aod' al
though weak from an attack OF ic'Gf
: and crutch under his right arm' ne
l limped f7rward and greeted me Win
! that grand cour osy for winch he was
{ SO well known. The very Sl9lt Oh
X him set my blood on hre--made me
; mad with je ,lous rage-but | etQSn'
y ed it back and merely repollod ms
> friendly advances with All ICY clVlhty'
9 | saw hut little of him during inc
!, Trip. His fever increased, ms "o't1o
IS became very painful, and, alter tue
l. first day or two, he remained IN III
Is stateroom. We were successful
"a our expedition, reaching I1la'Ni
II with2u, accident, although our +
eC gross WAS sloT, because OF oo
li Slight knowledge OF th' channel an.
q, ne the reports we had heard b7ior
IL starring to the effect that numbers "
or torpodoos had been pl'csd IN the rIf
Ut er for the benit Of enterprlSlr8 6 an
TO- KEGS moving in thai direction. llN
lis ing accomplished the object OF on
NJ reconnaissance, We started to return
The perfect loyoliness OF the da
he made such an impression on III
ol that, il l were to live thous'h
le- years, the memory OF 1t would neF'
VI fade away. Ny pain was ior9otteh
're i, / was happy-peacetuJly, thonrouS
~ Iy happy. Night swooped down u
an On lis suddenly, as 1t always does
Ct CT Florida, and through the d'rkne
VIA there was waited to us stray ofea
oI from the salt sea the stars qulV~
10 ed in tho dark dome above Al
us twinklod to tho water beneath u''
vas T. ght bells struck, and ! went L
ing low, Hardly had cached my sta
'er room, when, above the stead thQm
ae- thump, Of the machinery there W
he heard slight noise, as though :
'orS had grated againt some obstacle; u
I'M; was iu ,tantly followed by a heavy
En- plosion. The bow Of the steam
ne" was lifted out Of The wa'er, qmci
my falling back again, amid the erashI
o. OF timbers, the hiss Of escaping ste
'Vn- aud, above all, the cries and groal