Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1875-10-28

tNtlUlS lOt kuC Va hA'ssS 49,
worn down attendants were bus,
bringing water to the suffering. :
Night had long since fallen, hut sill
tn. CHASTITY work went on. At last
long after midnight, some were al
lowed to rest. aud had just laid my
self down by the side Of q wounded
c ,mrade. when l saw Bright ente
the yard with ghastly white counte
nance, blood.shot eyes and totterine
steps. On speaking to him he mo
toned me to follow, and in silence
we pissed ont through the open field
into the woods. where the battle haC
ragged the fercest. In silence "
passed the new mxde mounds tiat
contained all that was earthly ol
hundreds Of brave men, and net un'
til we had penetrated deeper into the
woods, was the silence broken. A,
last we halted under huge oak. al
the root of which, clad in army blue,
lay the liteless form Of a very Yong
soldier. l now perceived that B.i sht
carried spade in his left hand,
while the right Was hanging useless
by his side, the blood still oozins
from the wound.
Il I,belieye YOU to be my sincere
| friend" said he, and | have given
you the h story of my past life. |
am severely wounded and Was conf
peIled to ask assistance in burying
the dead. The form that lies before
YOU, so still aud cold, was once NV
betrothed, nv loved and lost Anria
Lamar.
Surprised, l hent down and re-
moved the blouse. that partially Gov,
cred the face, and saw by the p: le
starlight. the face of woman, beau
tiful, even in d ath. Setting the
spade, the work ofexcavsting grave
occupied but 4 lew minutes, and gent
Iy placing the body therein, again
filled it.
Morning hal come at last and at
ter being thanked bv Bright for my
assistance, | returned to my regi-
ment.
We never met but once again and
then he placed in my hand a letter
to be perused at my leisure. On
opening. it contained an account OF
Ami. seeking him. She had left
home when her Uncle had become
pressing, in regard TO her marriage
with Stafford, and after spending a
few DAYS in st. Louis, at the house
Of a friend. had followed the regi-
ment, of which Bright was member,
disguised herself as 4 soldier and had
joined him just as the order to charge
mad been given. Side by side they
fought for hours. until in the final
onset, ball struck her in the breast
and she fell. Bright instantly stoop-
ed to raise her. when she called hi:
name and made herself known. For
a minute hr was horror stricken. but
recovering himself rais'd the dying
girl in his arms. bore her out from
the heavy fire into the woods beyond.
receiving a shot in the arm as he
went. he then. revived her with
water from the brook. but life was
fast ebbing, and with her cheek Ia
his, breathed out h r story and her
life. Long he he'd the helpless
corpse in his embrace all unheed'
ing his own painful wound. AT last
he aroused Himself and found he was
unoIe 70 bury the body, and could
no, bear the thought Of having her
placed il The trench, that was the
common grave of SO many. 30 be
came to t..c hospital grounds for as
Sistahc..
IL cannot endure the tedium of
can p life, said he, in the conclusion
Of the letter, land so applied 10
headq lartcrs to he detailed as u
scout. have just received my ap-
poinlment and will report for duty
tomorrow morning. ] feel a pre-
$ ntimsrt that my life is near its
C o,e and truly, | will welcome the
day when can lay lown the burden
of life and join my Annie IN the
Great Beyond.
His word. proved true. A month
AMI the prol h cy vas fulfilled. lie
fell with 4 bullet through the brain
charging an outpost of the enemy
and he found rest at last in a soldiers
grave.