Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-09-25
are given. Tom and Frank and loved her.
We became iealOus cold toward each other

We became jealous, cold toward each other
Frank, poor boy, fell first and fed home
ward. Tom and talked the matter over
together, confessed our love for Edith,
shook hands, swearing friendship, and to
use all honorable means and endeavors to
win her. AS Ediths father was a lumber
man, like my own, thought my chances
were better, as was her equal in all except
education. Tom had the advantage Of me
in that; he could recite Moore, Burns, and
Meredith; besides he had wealth. Ediths
time did not hang heavy for lack Of Sweet
hearts. We filled her pink ears full of
sweet words, She grew rosy, and her eyes
danced like the stars; she was full of life
and fun, surely tantalizing with her be-
wtching laugh and ambiguous replies and
saucy looks from her sparkling eyes. can
see her plainly now just as she stood ct the
little ashwood gate. With sad. mournful
look and voice she babe me good night and
good-by. Well, boys, Tom, poor Tom;
he staked all On his good looks and money;
on word; he never told me anything, but
guessed it by his looks and silence His
eyes, great heaven! What q despairing
look beheld in them! as for me, well, as
she babe me good by at the gate she said
she would write me, and l might guess her
meaning: As the stage started | cast one
backward look. My heart seemed to die
within me. A groan came to my ear. I
looked around and saw Toms white
face and .glaring eyes; he saw
and heard what l did-a loud cali of
wood hedge sprang a tall form, clothed in
blue and brass. With one glad, happy cry
OF Robert Edith flew to him. was casped
in his arms, her golden head pillowed upon
his breast,
Arriving at Montpelier, we found fu-
ror of excitement. War, war was heard on
every hand. We found the old laughing
Frank with soldiers clothes on, and SER
geant's chevrons upon his arms. He was
pale and naughty, not like the dear, old
time Frank.
"Well, boys, Tom and received a letter
the same day. Both were from Edith. The
next day Tom enlisted. 1 started for home.
Boys, you know the rest. For two years
we have stood elbow to elbow. Tom, he
is just across the road there, in that YER
mont regiment. His Captain-Robert,
Edlth's soldier brother-is buried at bloody
Antietam's field. Frank, poor, misguided
boy, sleeps at Maryland Heights.
"Ah! hero comes the salt horse'-last
nights supper, to-dal's breakfast, dinner,
and supper; four in one, at the same price
as one. Charge, boys, charged
Hold on, Charley" exclaimed Dick,
hurt at this extraordinarily abrupt levity
breaking in on story which had, for some
cause, thrown a spell ON us; finish your
story. You said We should know all.
Fall in! fall in, boys! Lively, nowl
Trouble on the left" came the stern COM
mand from our Captain.
We grabbed handfuls of "hard tack, and
fell into line, and in five minutes were rap
idly on the march. All night we tramped,
tramped through mud and rain, hungry
and silent. At daybreak We formed our
selves in line of battle, facing a desperate
foe. l glanced at Sergeant Charley. His
face was set and determined. l Won
dered how the story was TO end; but stories
and hunger wera forgotten in the terrible
struggle that followed; for four long hours
we battled against odds; the cannonading
was fierce and awful. Hand-to- hand en-
counters We're desperate, cannoneers were
dubbed and bayoneted at their guns, which
they obstnately defended, and would rather
die than surrender. We longed for re-
endorsements, which came at last. Death
indeed was triumphant and reaped q rich
harvest.
A few of the many stood there to answer
"Herei"
We stood among the dismounted guns
where dead men were four and five deep.
Tears came to our eyes as We looked upon
the awful scene. A groan came from q
heap of men at the left. We fastened to
give aid to the sufferer. We came t. the
broken cannons; we started back with q
cry of horror for on top of the heap of
dead by the gun lay Charley's friend Tom;
his blouse showed many bayonet TRUSTS,
one completely through his neck. He had
partly drawn from his bosom a fine white
handkerchief bloody and full of holes; in
the corner worked in silk was letter "E. :"
Fallen upon the trunnions of the cannon
as if in the act of embracing its still warm
body lay Charley dead, q crooked saber
bayonet stuck into his body just above the
belt; an ugly wound on the side of his
head from which the blood still trickled
and mingled with the golden hair of ring
let pressed to his lips. The golden curl
was tie with blue ribbon; the long end
had rested upon his breast, but now was
driven into his heart by the leaden messen-
ger of death. The short end tluttered in
the light breeze. Upon it in neat, round
letters was written Edith"