The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-01-10
care you going, Bessie2 1 don't like

81 have no fears; you know that do
not believe that l am alone," was her
trusttuI reply, as with hat and shawl on
she walked down the path, holding on
the one side her only brothers hand, and
on the Other that Of her promised hus-
band. H
She would never forget that June
night. 1t would stand as bss-reliei
picture on her soul forever.
fearful faces were grouped closely to-
gether in the station; men and women
were running up brea,hless from all di
rections; for the solemn painting Of 3
heavily-laden incoming train could be
distinctly heard. Hundreds and hun
dreds and hundreds going down to their
death as thousands bad gone before. :
Holding them both with an uncanv
sciously tightening clasp, Bessie listened
to the roaring, painting engines; and she
nesrly shreked aloud when a triumphant
swell Of music burst out upon the quiet
air, and stung with agony the rapidly
! beating hearts waiting there.
| You know how it all l,okel. The
iron steed breathing forth, "a it were, ire
and smoke from its nostrils, with limp
and weary flags banging from its brazen
harness. You know just how those little
| days arose and shivered when thew came
into the current of air drawing through
the depot, while the band gaily braided
together the sweet srains of the song,
"The girl left behind me-"
Then that other awful moment, when
with groanings that cannot he uttered
the long train limbered up its joints, lifl-
ed its burden of living souls, and as.the
band now went oil blowing the notes Of
"Dixie Land" aud with another rattle
and moan. as if a M ,nster wrestled with
its clanking chains, they went of 'to the
| 'front.'"
Bessie Armstrong went home through
the moonlight, and the perfume and the
soft noises of the June night, remind ,ul
Of all, excepting as the hush, the sweet
ness, the stiffness, all suggested death
All through the night after her mother
slept the sleep of grief and exhaustion,
she watched and lis'eDel out into the
night. The roar and the means of the
! engine, and the voices Of the horns, were
in her ears. Morning found her vigils
kept, and then she went about the labors
Of the day, enlivened her mother with
cheerful conversation, and performed
every needful task with untiIing patience.
4 4 ~ -
This is paper stage, panorama Of
life. and we shift the scenes at will.
On the broad veranda Of southern
planters hduse, three or four persons
are sitting in seemingly idle and aimless
conversation.
Beautiful magnolia trees rise in pic
turesque beauty around tpe house, and
you can tell by the adjacent huts-like
overgrown beehives swarming with their
dusky brood--in what consists the riches
/ of Don Sabastin. His aifable manner
to the "boys IN blue" confirm WHAT'S
said of his UMon sympa bies But as
you look sharply beyond this beautiful
only daughter of his you will he sur
prised to recognize Captain Willard
Stone and Lieut. nant D ck Armstrong.
CHANGING that way while on some EN-
bsssy for their general, a few waeks pre-
vious to this time If which we tel you.
in view Of the general reputation Of Sa-
bastin in those parts, they sought the
needed rest and refreshmeat for them
selves and their steeds.
This was tue commencement of the
spell which isabel Sahastin threw around
our heroes. Beautiful as q cam, with
those peculiar soft brown eyes that be-
traved no remote creole blood in The
family, her soft, bell-toned voice, her fig
ure graceful and plant as panther, and
tue subtle, intangible magnetism Of her
manner would take captive every suscep-
tible, untaught nature. Such IS she had
won kingdoms and glory from men be-
tore
While she dallied with both, her most
witching smiles and most seductive man.
ners were lavished upon Lieutenant
Armstrong rather than on the relicent
captain.
The -- corps was quartered for the
time near Sabastin's, awaiting marching
orders just now was one of those ON
inous pauses in this desperate game,
when the officers on both sides were in
active, and striving hard to anticipate
what the other side would do.
Armstrong, being favorite with both
the officers and men, found no difficulty
in getting p asses to 60 to the plantation:
and Captain Willard Stone being in the
Coloners confidence, quite as often fol-
lowed up to Sabastin's.
Had he forgotten Bessie, the true,
brave little woman, who had said that
she was drafted iuto the service, and
whose tireless zeal sent box after box of
supplies to the hospitals. and who never
drank draught of cool water but that
her thoughts went first to our men? Oh,
if she could hold it 10 their fever-parch-
ed lips! Could Captain Willard forget
such woman as thisp Apparently bet
ter meu than he had done 80, but we
shall see.
Ignoring the fact that party Of three
is often an wkward and unwelcome :
fair, he hung upon Isabel's every word
and smile, as if it meant life and death !.
and when his quick glance detected, full
often, one OF those magnetic torches Of
her flexible ingers-with which wo-
man can convey caress to bet lover
his fine, Gear eye would darken with a
passionate glow, and he would seem to
exert all his powers OF sef-control to
remain calm.
Matters remained this wav for days
and weeks-the soldiers restless under
a'xlous inactivity; but they were not
long to wait.
One evening Armstrong went earlier
than usual to the trystlng-place of the
syren. By the merest chance or Provi-
dence, Captain Stone had heard the ap-
! pointment-"Under the magnolias, at
, nine, alone, entirely free from intrusion u
True to the hour. the Union soldier
and the southern beauty met at ths ap
, pointed place.
A more brilliant moonlight this than
the one of which we told you at first
for two reasons: the moon was nearer
full, and it shone in southern skv.-
All Isabel's soft wiles were witnessed
all his wild, sudden passion of affection
was revealed; for the camp was full o
e rumors, and he was to make short tar