Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1872-06-01

tone was quite hopeful.
Maud, how shall l tell you the
truth I" he groaned. Ibid not think
you would feel so terribly about my
going, darling; l felt it to be my duty,
and-Maud, / enlisted this morning"
A thrilling scream, that went
straight to my heart rang through the
room, and as l sprang forward, and
threw wide the separating doors, l saw
Maud fall fainting in the lovers arms,
who, as l FASTENED towards them,
looked up at me with white, horror
stricken face, exclaiming,-
80 Mrs. Hathorn! My darling is
dead, and l have killed her.
"Oh, no p / responded, as cheerful
ly as could. q She has only tainted
we shall soon have her all right again."
And l set to work to bring back her
wandering senses bat so long and
deathlike was her swoon, that finally
became alarmed, and, having exhaust
ed all the simply remedies at hand,
was about to ring for assistance, when
her eyelids slowly unclosed, and the
great, violet orbs stared yacantly at us
for an instant. But then the remem-
brance of the dreadful tidings she had
received swept over her mind, and she
flung her arms about Charlie, who was
bending over her in speechless grief;
and sobbed as if her heart would
break.
l knew that all danger was now
over, and SO glided silently from the
room, and left the pooryoung creatures
to comfort each other as best they
might.
One week later, l witnessed the
final leave-taking Between the lovers.
Charles regiment had been ordered
to the field, and he came, looking
handsomer than ever in his captains
uniform, to bid Maud farewell.
They both wept; there is something
touching in mans tears, and now my
heart ached for both Maud and Char
lie; they were to have been married in
a month.
She clung to him, sobbing wildly,
while he, no less agitated, but strig-
Cling vainly for composure, pressed
her to his heart again and again.
Finally the last moment came, and
Maud whispered iii his ear.
.Charlie, if you are killed i shall
die, too; couldn't live, and know
that should never see you again (; and
look /; here is a little locket, with my
picture in it. I had it taken expressly
for you; and oh! darling, remember
that l will be faithful, faithful unto
DEATH"
He took the little ornament delight
edly, and pressed it to his lips, declar-
ing that she could have given him no
more precious gift; then, with one
last, passionate kiss, one more cling
ing embrace, and tenderly murmur-
ed, "God bless my darlingw y he was
gone, while Mat d, sinking upon the
sofa, pressed her hands tightly over
her ears, to shut out the clear notes of
the bugle. and the stirring roll of the
clear roll of the drum, that to her
sounded as but the knell of doom, and
wept as if her heart were indeed
broken. - 4 l4 s.e
.sa.
Maud left me for her own home. in
B-,a few days after Charles de.
parture, and I did not see or hear from
her for nearly two months; about the
end of that time, as my husband and
myself were one morning; seated at the
breakfast table, the maid handed ME
letter, bearing q strange Southern
post mark. gazed atit wonderingly,
tor knew of no friend residing there
my ignorance ceased, however, when /
broke the seal, but not SO my astonish-
ment, and my occasional ordinations
OF wonder and surprise SO excited the
of my husband Ctalk about
men not having curiosity,) that he
finally begged me to read the letter
aloud, with which request of my lord
and master at cnce complied.
The letter was from Maud Ashleigh,
and stated that she was nurse in one
Of our hospitals, close to the (then)
seat of war; that, after Charlie had
left Jor the front, she had found that