Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-06-28

Holc tic icSS duaptcu 10 nc DTlSntclilne
OF camp life, and they were still con
tinucd. But us his regiment was Otter
on the move and Inc mails were um
certain, they were less frequent an,
regular. With the battle OF Chickamlug;
they came to an abrupt end Lille.
| letters were returned, with the sad in
| tclligcncc that Raymond had been killc,
i'll battle. If she had heretofore de
ccivcd herself with regard to her interest
In this soldier whom she had never seen,
she did so now no longer. II was in tn,
spirit of widowhood that she mourncd
her dead hero and king of men. Foolish
. 1t may have been and unreasonable. but
when has love rcasoncdl Nor was this
loss alone. Peace has It's ,iciss;tudcs and
its tragedies as well rs var Her father
sickcned and died. The mother ind
gone years before. Overwhelmed with
her sorrows, Lille went to live with an
aunt in Il ncighborin. State. Her father
had once been wcll-to-,lo, but had los.
his property, and there WAS but little left
Until the estate was settled that little
WAS not available. She did not want to
feel dependent on her relatives, and So
engaged in teachin. in the village. She
often thought of Offering herself as II
nurse, but now she feel! quite unequal to
the work. With Il good constitution. Il
lively disposition, and in perfect health
when troubles came upon her, she now
grew lislcss, thoughtful and sad
Raymond was not killed. 4 shell had
burst near his head, and the tremendous
conclusion had fcllcd him to the earth,
where he lay a long time unconscious.
None Of the fragments of the Shell had
touched him. When Inc finally recovered
his senses 50 FAR rs to 81, up, he looked
around, hcwildcrcd. He only partially
recalled what had occurred. The battle
had c5bcd away, but tine thunder RACED
and rnarcd in the distance y blind in
s;inct led him 10 try to regain his rcgi-
mont. lie stoo'i up 'lizzily hi last, and
with his muSkct for II support started in
the direction Of the firing. lie had no
idea of his bearings, and did not know
that his regiment and The whole line iill
fallen lacS, and hr soon ran into IL group
o! Coniclcratcs and was captured
The accident was more serious than the
reader might hc led Ito suppose. viii,
care, rest and good food, hc would prob
ably at no distant day have rcgancd his
former condition. As it WAS, while he
soon recovered his physical health in
part, ii left him in curious mental state.
The past had ut first been entirely hlottcd
out Little !y little he recovered lis cx-
prrirnccs. but he could not for Il long
time recall names. Months OF imprison-
mcnt followed. AZ last he managed 10
escape, and af,cr Incredible hardships
reached the Union lines more dead than
alive. And Eow another hospital ex-
lcricncc followed, lighicacd bv no cor
rcSPond"ncc, for he could not remember
Lilies name or address he had. OF
course, lost ali letters and the more he
tried To rcncmhcr. he more hopeless
seemed the attempt Finally. he rave j;
up altogether. n, last he reached his
regiment again, greatly Ia the asionish-
ricnl of his comrades, Int not 10 see
much more service. The three years for
which the nlcn had enlisted were about
to expire, ard ai'noHgh The Government
ave hcr' Ike incs;imablc privilege OF re-
- veterans, most of The "boys" |
decided that dizzy would irsi go to their
homes.
Early one morning, therefore, in The
autumn Of 1851. the cars bought them To
the little town OF IL 1'icy had no
rationS, AMI were hungry. Arrange
lncmis ha,l hcrn matte for their breaklns;
ut Il larger place on the road Il little
farther along, but for some reason they
were delayed several hours here. Naiur- |
ally they began to spread about the little !
village, and the citizens bcslirrcd them
selves 10 do the best they could under |
the circumstances. Without preparation
or concert, their efforts were not very sys-
tcmatic, hu; they we're hearty The yro- /
ccTicS. restaurants and hotels were taxed I
To their utmost. Raymond WAS walking
through tho little town. looking for the |
chance Of breakfast, hut not seeing how
he could exactly press himself upon those
citizens who already seemed much over
crowded
AS he WAS passing Il modest cottage on
Il side street Il nidllc-agcd lady, standing
in the yard, and holding Il child by the
hand, addressed him:
"Soldicrm
He turned and brought his hand to the
visor of his capaS though i, WAS Il superior
officer, instead Of a superior being, he
salutcd.
did you speak, ma'am?n
"llavc YOU had brcakiast?n she said.
He said that he had not yet had that
pleasure.
"Comc in, then, she returned. 'Ours
is just ready
lie looked at his hands and his clothes
with some anxiety. It was three years
since he had eaten 81 really civilized meal,
and his ambition did not extend beyond
a slice of bread and meat. Pcrcciving
the kindness Of the intention however, he
accepted the invitation.
Opposite him mt the table sat a Young
lady dressed in black, whom the hostess
spoke Of, i'll Il half introduction, as her
niece. His own name was not asked.
There was something in the air and man
ner of this young lady, even more than in
her dress, suggesting some recent great
sorrow. She did not hold herself out MS
a wrctched being whose only refuge is
the grave. She was not gloomy or woe
In 81.