South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1890-11-07

WIZ Jootfuru IL tue expectation, tuat
each one OF the eight would do his
duty manfuliy by Lis private enemy,
as we'll as By hrs chief friend. as
against their common foe.
During those fearful mouths of
ditch digging in tbs Chickahomiuy
swamps the two old mea each saw a
son sicken and die. Side by side
they silently and sternly watched the
last conflict their boys could ever
wage They nursed alternately, each
trusting the other fully with the care
OF his dearest, but they spoke no word.
Amid the awful carnage of Frede.
r'cksburg each OF the old men again
lost son. Still neither broke the
Ice Of the long silence by speech; but
while for years IL had been known
that neither old man had willingly
even glanced at the other, somc OF
their old neighbors began to notice
that at times by bivouac hre or on
the weary march the one stricken
father would gaze nj the other. When
that other was not looking, With an
expression that might have been
deemed one Of sympathy. Slme
thought, too, that the rugged old
faces were softenlng, were becoming
more gentle and kindly; that new
and sweeter light sometimes shone
through tbs eyes which SO long
had sparkled with unboly hate. But
THAI was all.
The two REM lining sons had broken
through their natural reserve, aud
became at first civil, then fiien'.ly
and at last inseperable friends; and
the old men had seemed to take no
notice. For all one could see they
knew nothing Of the changed reia-
tons between tue two young men !.
which yet was not concealed from
them In any way. Ifkcown 10 them
the fathers certainly did not resent ir
as once they would have done.
After augsburg the two old fa' h
ers looked into each Others eyes in q
mutual anguish OF forebodings.
Jason, said Eben. hoarse'y-
Jason, where be our boys2'
'Eben.' said the other, with trem-
bling tones, i DIN know but we must
look
And with lanterns and cknteens the
two old men wandered over that hard
Won, field raising the irampied wheat
nat bib death-cold form, turning q
stiff ned corpse that fell face down.
ward. giving lift or o drink to some
poor fellow who still had life enough
to crave help and so on through the
dreadful hours, clinging TO the hope
Jet fearing the worst.
In the gray morning dawn, under
the guns they hal fought so bravsly
to hold. lay the two lent forms. Tue
bead OF the one was pillowed on the
breast OF the other. whose cold white
hands lay lovingly upon the dew.
daDped chestnut curls OF his friend.
For O moment no word Was ssid
no motion made but then, 90 Nth q
coumon impulse, both fathers knel,
and kissed their sons. Each gave a
glad inarticulate cry, for each had
felt beneath his lips the fam flicker
ing stir OF q life receding but no. YET
quite departed.
A search party With a surgeon al
its head heard the cry 20 full OF hope
and anguish and with a rough tend
erness and intelligent, if hasty, care
that men who have faced dea' b and
wounds learn to give. the two boys
GENE back to the life they had 81
nearly forsaken, And there, on the
bloody field OF Gettysburg, two sol
EMMY glad old men turned towardl
each other with holy light beaminC
from their weather. beaten faces. a!
coming dawn of day beamed upward
from behind the wooden iilIiops.
Jason, what's that old sprinI
with p
'Nosbin'. Eden, jest nothin'! Leri
Gil Il pp.'
no. said Ellen; that would b.
THROWN away the Lords gift. Lets
each on US gin the spring am a good
strip o land along il TO the olechurch
to sell for the poor or 10 anything els,
it SAINTS to-
Agreed said Jason. adding after
moments pause; AN now want Il
lie ye E6en, as Ia or,er ha' told 20
long ago, that want none o. me moi
my boys that killed that elm tree
We was too proud to say so when ye
all tho ught so mean on us.'
Poor Eber groaned, but put out hii
baud, and after their long and cor.
dial clasp Of mutual appealing and
forgIving. all their minds and
strengths and hearts won't to the saw.
ing Of their boys.
After weeks ia The hospital the sons
went bone on Leave, and astonished all
their townspecple, not more by carry
ing out tue Instructions Of their faith
ers Of conveying TO the cburel, tie
the disputed spriog and many brc ad
ecre Of fruitful land Herewith, than
by their Own inseparable company,
Eben and Jason fought on side by
side talking little in wOIds but say.
ing much 10 tho eloquent lsngua q
Of kiodly deeds and sympathetic look
both TO each other and 70 their com.
rades.
'Yew an Eben's made il up hain't
ye, Jason 2 said an old nsigbbof now
alec IL the ranks.
'Yes. said Jason the Lord had to
smlle as sore afore Ro could see that
justice an our own wills wasn'I sl-
ways one az the same.
Bot We be brethren meow, at last