The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-07-15
UNTO DEATH.

HlV6 cdlIuS bpTedu lISell Will uedtu'hh0~
stealth DER the city. The sun seemed
tioniess; the city seemed scorched to
the core, scarcely footstep to remind
one OF life. stood on the vine-covered
porch, with, burning eyes and throbbing
pulse, listening, waiting-for whatY l.
dared not ask myself, l, the wild, tame
less child Of nature, for once was breath
less, with vague uneasiness. There was
nothing to- fear, said-aJ least, in my
uuiet home there was peace. All were
tender and loving to me; nay wishes
were granted, and was petted child,
scarcely nineteen, and, now,I am only
ten hours older; but the misery of CEN
turtles has condensed itself into the burn
Ing, torturing wretchedness OF these last
hours. only want to leave a reeepl to
those whose mettled lives are ruled by
passions power. n,-ri
Oh, yes; this morning 1 stood there,
dreaming the war was over, and that all
the land was wrapt in righteous robe
OF peace: / was wishing that Grafton
would come and take me away to him.
self, and that l could for while iorget'
the stern conventionalities that bade me
hate a man whose heart was mine, and
whose god wns his honor, only because
|.he, for honors sake, shot coward fof
his insults. What II his hands are
stained with bloodf--I love him. Sud-
denly the hot, sultry air was reatby the
long, distant booming OF canAoff; nearer
and nearer, until we could see sae long
double lines drawn up on the hills.
strained my eyes to the uttermost; was
there not one grand figure that knew
only as my lite and soul, who had
never known fear, who scorned coward
ice: who was almost a daredevil In
courage, trembled. The huge mass OF
human heads surged and swept TO-
gether, only to break again in the Wild
est confusion. I stood poised on the
railing, the dropping folds OF the flag
above my head; just before my enrap-
tured and excited gaze the soldiers were
retreating. Suddenly black horse,
with a noble burden, wheeled, and, for
an instant, l only heard the clear. rich
voice of the rider:
'Rally, my men; don't forsake your
flag and your homes.H
A second more, and the dark hat. with
it's long plume, waved triumphantly
through the mighty surge. L could see
and trace his manly beauty amid the
thousand. Five minutes later a spring
ing, elastic step made the blood tingle to
"Oh, Leita, darling, stole just this
one second to hear you say you recall
the wild, cruel words that parted US.
Only for this once, darling, unbend
little."
i trembled with intense emotion, and
vet not there, before The anxious, curl
Gus eyes, could for little second for
get self and pride. With a cold care
lessness, objectionable, L looked up into
the dark, glowing, impassioned eyes,
read intense, unfIthomable longing on
the bronZed, handsome, Southron lace,
gloried in my triumph, and answered:
''Grafton, you know detest public
demonstrations"
The words were uttered calmly,
scarcely portraying liberation, much
less the fiery yearning or the burning
torture at my heart.
| ssLeita, you are colder than statue;
| you never loved me, or now, in this hour
of peril, your womanly sympathy would
at least evince itself, and for my sake,
| you might throw aside false pride. We
may be done down here, but up yonder
the deadliest part awaits u.s."
With one yise-like grip Of my hand he
was gone.
| Hours passed, and the battle was over.
mothers, sisters, wives fastened to look
| for their dead, and I-had right to 20 |?
| There was but one soul on earth for me,
and if that had fled to the spirit land OF
rest, what was existence but an agony
life but wreck? Still on climbed; the
hill seemed lengthless; face after face,
| all bruised and scared. l turned to the
light.
The mute, questioning wretcbedness
| of that searching was u mighty retribu-
ton; down on the other side, In the val
ley. where the ground was newly plowed,
lay hundreds dead and. dying, and /
rushed in my mad search into blanched
and blackened faces. l stopped, Wearied
and worn, when suddenly q deep groan
startled my almost benHmbed nerves.
There he lay, in his noble, gladiator like
beauty; tue dark waves Oh the god-lke
head were matted with gore and du It,
| but the last rays Of the setting sun shed
a halo of glory over the finely -cbiseled
| face. Already reflection or the heav-
emily city rested on his splendid features.
In an instant l Was bending over him in
| fearless anguish; my tortured anG un-
Welding heart was LOO dumb tor prayer.
| Slowly his eyes unclosed, and read IN.
utterable Joy and love in Them. There
| was uniathopable longing and yearning
on his face. and with all the bitterness
Of death he monned:
"Oh, Leita, fer God sake stoop down
and seem to kiss me ere die."
And j, who had held my lips and life
pure and untainted, bowed my head on
the blood stained coat, with the hand. OF
death on my heart, moanless, humbled
INTO The very dust, with only the wretch
! ed soughing OF The wind or scream of the
night-bird In answer 70 my misery. Mem
esls stood above me, bathed in blood, the
naughty curl OF scorn on her lips, Wither-
ing the already bruised reed; and ]
heard in the .ecno a mockery, "a life and
q soul lost for your sake"
! Again, and ! lay OIL this cushioned
COUGH at home. They had found me
senseless, they said. on, wretched pity
to try to restore this crushed life, and
now this little second they have left
me to ponder over the happy moments
that have glided into the great echo OF
my lost Lille. IT is making me mad in its
ecstatic dream Of bliss. Ere another
setting sun shall be in that spirit land
or song. Hal even now its music is
| borne on the air. Thank God, there is
no pride. On. now, l see him there, too.
Yes, Grafton, Pm coming.
| George Ill, speaAlng o tArchbishop op
| Suttonrespecting bis large family, made
the remark: ssI believe Your Grace has
better than a Slozen." "No, sir ,"replied
the Archbishop; "only eleven" swell, y
replied the King, "isn't that better than
| dOZenpv