The National tribune., 1882-11-30

-aIu alu =, ~ ooloe',lI ouaV you
all the necessary proof?"
"All that has been asked for"
"And yet have received nothingr"
"Nothing, alas! nothing"
"Then the fault is with the Government.
Shame upon country that so neglects the poor
soldiers who gave all but life for her safety and
honor"
"Not so, Mary. I will never believe it.
There are hundreds of thousands who have an
equal claim; every case has to be investigated,
and it requires much time, and mine may have
been overlooked or may not be as clearly prov zen
as is required"
Overlooked" she replied, with her face
flushing with indignant scorn. "You over
looked, when you were so brave and noblo?"
He smiled, though sadly, at her indignation.
To her he was the greatest of heroes and
compared with his the deeds of others were in
her eyes insignificant.
To satisfy her he promised 20 write sgain,
but neglected TO do so.
A few more months passed by, and then long
bafiled Want stood loudly knocking at their
door and would not be denied admission. The
shelves of the little store were almost empty
and there was no way of replenishing them.
Their goods had not been sold, but bartered for
food.
1t seemed as if fate had singled them ont to
fill the roll OF martyrs.
The husband grew daily weaker, both In
body and mind, and the torturcs of Anderson
vile were as nothing compared with what he
now endured when he saw his young wife worn
out with labor and anxiety and his little chill
dren suffering for nourishing food.
"We can struggle no longer" he said one
evening, and alone am to blame"
Hush, Harry" she replied throwing her
arms lovingly around his neck. "Tho same
God that watched over you in battle will pro-
tect us now, and we shall yet be happy"
"Yes-in the gravel"
She caressed and soothed him, the brave sol
diers wife that she was, and they tried to look
the dismal future i'll the face. But what was
to be done2 Where could they turn for succor?
In what quarter OF the heavens was star still
shining brightly for themf
They talked together far into the night, but
without reaching any decision. The wife
sobbcd herself to sleep and the husband tossed
uneasly on his pillow, dreaming once more of
the camp.
In fancy he was at Andersonville again and
crawling towards the dead-line in the hope
that an end would be put to the tortures of
mind and body, when suddenly there was a
burst Of flame, as from the black lips of an hun
dred guns and he heard the cry Of
"Fire!"
It was horrible ending to his dream. The
house was already in flames, and from it they
barely escaped with their lives. As they stood
shivering by the ruins, the morning dawned
with leaden skies, and the nearly heartbroken
husband turned to his wife and bitterly whis-
pered:
Mary, this is Thanksgiving and how much
we have to be thankful for! Ali Mission
Ridge WAS not as desolate when"
Mission Ridge? What do you know about
Mission Ridge?" somebody asked and turn
ing, they saw a stranger, in the very prime of
life and manly beauty, looking eagerly at
| them.
Know about it?" answered the homeless
soldier drawing himself up with martial bear.
ing and flashing eyes. Know about it? 1
was there!"
"And escaped with your life
"To tester and roast and rot in the hell of
Andersonville"
| "And behind you when you escaped you left