Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1878-05-16

The next day the corpse was dis.
covered sweying In the wind by u
passing soldier, who, stopping at
the next house (which happened to
be the home of the ofioer, told the
woman that there was man hang
ing dead short distance down the
road, and 1t was better, perhaps, he
should receive a Christian huriel.
This was no uufrequent news in
that locality, and nearly all the men
being in the army, the sad work of
interring the dead and caring for
the wounded devolved upon the lone
women. And faithfully and teNder-
lY was it done.too, for they knew
not but their own loved ones were
being cared for in q similar manner
far off i'm some distant State.
So the woman procured help of
her SEX who lived IN the neighbor-
hood, and together they proceeded
on their sad mission. AS they ap-
preached the corpse a strange fore
boding passed through the mind of
the woman who led them, for there
was something familiar III that suS-
pended form, even in the midst Of
its unnatural surroundings. The
blood rushed back to her heart as
she neared it. Suddenly the ureezs
swayed it round, and-oh, horror
in its distorted features she beheld
the lineameutS of her idol;zad hus-
band, the father of her child, and
she swooned away in a dead faint
upon the ground at the feet of him
who in life Was her all.
Cruel was the blow that dashed
down with one fell stroke all her
earthly happiness, aud in her agony
She prayed for death, that she might
join her murdered love in immortali-
ty but the Dlanltive wall of her
sweet babe aroused her to sense of
duty, and she felt that she had
something TO live for and protect.
Tenderly and reverently was the
solditr- husband laid at rest in his
narrow home by these sorroHful
women, whose sympathetic grief
was his only burial service. Bat
the fairest flowers of the field and
forest were gathered by the grief
stricken widow and planted on the
grave. In the sunny days of sum-
ruer she would make daily pilgrim
ages to the lonely grave, and sit !
with tender memories while her |
child prattled over the sod beneath |
which its father was mouldering
away. 0
Ten years passed. And though
time had healed the wounds i'll her
heart, the love for him who had been
Tie husband of her youth WAS still
faithful. Her child had become a
youth, and needed the stern, re-
str2iNiag hand and experienced
counsel of a father. She, too,
weak, lone woman, was tired Of
lighting the battle of life, and yield
ed to the supplications of a man
who bore good character. They
we're married, and their lives blen-
led into happy, even tenor Of con-
lubial existence. He treated her
kindly and affc >tionately, was a
father TO her son, and an honest, in
luStrious bread winner for them all.
She loved and respected him, and
Ter future seemed to her full recon-
,ense for the weary past.
1t was seldom she referred to it.
lie never. All he knew was that
Ter husban d was a soldier, like he
limself and thousands of others had
'een, and that he was dead, as thou
ands Uf others like him were. lie
lad taken his place. He did his
luty. lie loved his wife she loved
i'm in return. 1t was all he askel,
One day not long since-ah ! 1t
vas ar evil day-an old acquaint-
nee visited him. They had in the
ears agone been warm friends, for
hey had fought together under the
'anner of the sunny South, and OFT
lad shared the same blankets as
ARTISANS yes, guerrillas, bush
If you like.
Right glad were they to meet and
he husband received him cordially
or old times sake, and the wife
made him welcome for the sake of
er husband. One night as they
at arr nd the ruddy hearth after
he evening meal, the two men talk
d of the stirring scenes through
which they had passed, and, as SOL
iers will, fought their battles DER
gain." srH-
While engaged in dwelling on rem
l;scences of war the husband re-
marked that he never knew how
Lrong were the feelings or affections