The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-10-09
THE MESSAGE OF LIFE.

Twenty years ago L was one OF many
witnesses of scene that has left upon
my memory an impress perhaps deeper
than that of any other occurrence of that
stirring time. The sequel of the story,
which learned some months afterward,
is narrated here with the principal
event; and both together deserve a
larger audience than any that has yet
heard them, because they touch the
heart and arouse those feelings Of sym
patty which make the whole world kin
1t was in February, 1865. was a
staff officer of division Of the Union
army stationed about Winchester, Nir-
gnia; and military operations being
then practically over in that region,
had succeeded in getting leave of alb
sence for twenty days. The time was
short enough, at best, for one who had
been long absent from family and friends,
and two days were to be consumed each
way in getting to and from my northern
home. lost no time in making the first
stage of my journey, which was a brief
one, from Winchester to Harper Ferry,
by rail.
Reaching the latter place after dark, |
found to my great disappointment. that
the last train for the day for Baltimore
had left an hour before, and that the
next train would start at five o'clock on
the following morning.
There was no difficulty in finding
lodging, poor as it was; but there was
trouble in getting out of it as carly as
wished. Previous experience warned me
that the state Of agreeable excitement
and anticipation that possessed me that
night was not favorable to sleep; and
fearing a heavy slumbcr in the early
hours of the morning, when | should at
last lose myself, | gave a small reminder
to the negro servant, and received his
solemn promise that he would arouse me
at o'clock.
The result was exactly what | feared.
In q most cXasperating condition of
wakefulness lay until it seemed certain
that the night must be half-gonc; but an
examination of my watch by the light of
match showed that the hour was but
few minutes past ten. Is there anything
more annoying than the Intellectual effort
TO sleep, when nature is fairly CRYING out
for sleep? Every noise of the night came
to me with the most painful distlnctness;
the barking of dog, the tramp of a
body Of soldiers as they went their
IOuHuS, IcllcNIuS SudIu, luc ldugn anu
song of some boisterous jewellers, and
even the musical ripple of the Shenan-
doah river just below me.
The long and vivid story of what had
happened to me since last leaving home
passed through my thoughts and only
added to their excitement. All the wise
remedies for insomnia that occurred to
me were successfully trled-and found
wanting. Again my watch was con-
suited; it marked 1870. Twice after
this | heard the guard relieved; so that
il must have been later than o'clock
when sleep visited my weary eyes. A
rude disturbance at my door awakened
me. and | became dimly conscious Of the
voice Of the negro outside.
"What is it ~ | cried, testify. "What
do you wake me up for, at this time of
night?"
"'Decd, sab, Ise sorry; pom my
honah, is, sab but de train hab done
gone desc two hours
1t was even so. Broad daylight
o'clock in the morning the train gone,
and no chance to get out of Harper
ferry till twelve more precious hours OF
my leave had passed-this was the un,
pleasant situation to which Iawole upon
that dreary February morning. To make
the best of it, is the true philosophy of
life; in fact, it is folly to do anything
else; but human nature will assert itself
and | grumbled all to myself that morn
ing, as most of my readers would have
done in my place. Breakfast over
l strolled around the queer old
place, not to see its sights, for they were
very familiar to me, but to merely while
away the time. OF all the places in this
land where man has made his habitation
none is more remarkable from its natura
situation than this.
Here the Potomac and the Shenandoah
unite and break through the lofty bar
rier of the Blue Ridge; and Harper,
Ferry, located at the point of their con
fuence, is cnvroncd by lofty mountains
up the steep side of one of which the
village seems to Chamber and cling 70
support From the lofty top of Mary
land Heights, opposite, a wonderful pan
Drama may be seen; and Of this view
Thomas Jefferson wrote that it was wortl
a journey from Europe to see it. But i
you are set down in lIarpcr's Ferry, a
the base of these great hills, your view
is cramucd and circumscribed in ever,
direction.
went back to the hotel after an hour
stroll, wrote some letters, read all tn,
newspapers | could find about the place
and shortly after II o'clock went on
again. This time my ear was greeted
with the music Of band, playing SLOW
march Several soldiers were walkn!
brislly past, and inquired of them i
there was to be military funeral.
"No, sir" one of them replied; "no
exactly. 1t is an execution. Two de
serters from one of the artillery regi
ments mere are to be shot upon BOLIVIA
Heights. Here they come"
The solemn strains of the music wer
heard near at hand, and the corteg
moved into the street where we stood
and wound slowly up the hill, FRS
came the band then General Stevenson
the military commander of the pos
and his staff; then the guard preceding
and following an ambulance, in whicl
were the condemned men. A Who'll