The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-04-13
Foes no Longer.
AN INCIDENT OF THE REBELLION.

There was no fierceness in the eyes ot
those men now, as they sat face to face on
the bank of the stream the strife and the
anger had all gone now, and they sat still
daring men, who but IL few hours before
had been deadly foes-sat still and looked
at each other. AT last one of them spoke:
"We havn't either of us a chance to hold
out much longer judge"
"No," said the other, with u mixture of
sadness and recklessness, "you did that
last job of yours well, as that bears wit
ness" and he pointed to wound little
above the heart, from which the life blood
was slowly oozing.
" Not better than you did yours" an
swered the other, with grim smile, and
he pointed to wound little higher up,
larger and more ragged-a deadly one.
And then the two men gazed upon each
other again in the dim light, for the moon
had come over the hills now, and stood
among the stars like pearl of great price.
And as they looked a soft feeling stole over
the heart of each toward lis fallen foe-a
feeling of pity for the strong, manly life
laid low "a feeling of regret tor the mex
orable necessity of war which made each
man the slayer of the other; and at last
one spoke:
"There are some folks in the world
that'll feel worse when you are gone out of
it,"
A spasm of pain was on the bronzed,
CHASTITY features.
Yes" said the man, in husky tones,
there's one woman, with boy and a girl,
away up among the New Hampshire noun
tains, that it will well nigh kill to hear OF
this" and the man groaned out in bitter
anguish, Oh, God, have pity on my wife
and childrenm
And the other drew closer to him.
"And away down among the cotton
fields of Georgia, there's woman and a
little girl, whose hearts will break when
they hear what this day has DONE" and
then the Cry rung itself sharply out of his
heart, "Oh, God, have pity upon them y
And from that moment the Northerner
and the Southerner ceased to be foes.
The thought of those distant homes on
which the anguish was to fall, drew them
closer together in that hour, and the two
men wept like little children.
And at last the Northerner spoke, talk
ing more to himself than to any one else,
and did not know that the other was listen
ing greedily to every word:
"She used to come-my little girl, bless
her heart Livery night to meet me when
| came home from the fields; and she
| would stand under the great plum ire,
! that's Just beyond the back door at home,
| with the sunlight making yellow brown
| in her golden curls, and the laugh dancing
| in her clear blue eyes when she heard tn,
click of the gate-I see her now-and I'd
take her in my arms, and she'd put up her
| little red lips for Il kiss, but my little dar-
| ling will never watch under the old plum
| tree by the well for her father again.
shall never hear the cry of JOY as she
catches u glimpse of me at the gate.
shall never see her little ieet running owe
the grass to spring into my arms again !"
"And them" said the Southern,r,
there's little brown-eyed, brown haired
girl, that used to watch in the cool after
moons for her father when he rode in from
his visit to the plantation. Can see hen
sweet little face shining out now from the
roses that covered the pillars and hear her
shouts of joy as bounded from my horse
and chased the little flying feet up and
down the verandah again"
And the Northerner drew near to the
Southerner, and spoke now in a husky
whisper, for the eyes of the dying men were
glazing fast. 1--WE have fought here, like
men, together. We are going before God
in a little while Let us forgive each
other"
The Southerner tried to speak, but the
sound died awayin murmur from his white
lips; but he took the hand of his fallen
foe, and his stiffening fingers closed over it,
and his last look was smile of forgive
ness and peace. When the next mornings
sun walked up the gray stairs of the dawn,
it looked down and saw the two foes lying
dead, with their hands clasped in each
others, by the stream which ran close to
the battlefield. And the little girl with
golden hair, that watched under the plum
tree among the hills of New Hampshire,
and the little girl with bright brown hair,
that waited by the roses among the green
fields of Georgia, were fatherless.
----Ss S-----