Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-06-27
Amid the awful carnage Of Fredericks-

years II had been known that neither old
man had willingly even glanced at the
other, some OF their old ncighOors began
to notice that a. times BIZ bivouac fire or
on the weary march the one stricken
father would gaze at the other, when that
other was not looking, with an expression
that might have been deemed one of
sympathy. Some thought, too, that the
rugged old faces we're softening, were
becoming more gentle and kindly; that a
new and sweeter light sometimes sh0ne
through the eyes which SO long had
sparkled with unhoIy hate. But that
Wa all.
The two remaining sons had broken
through their mutual reserve, and be-
came, at first civil, then friendly, and at
last inseparabIe friends; and the old men
had seemed to take no notice. For all
one could see, they knew nothing of the
changed relations between the two young
men, which yet was not concealed from
in any way. If known to them, the
fathers certainly did not resent it, as
once they would have done.
After Gettysburg the two old fathers
looked into each others eyes in mutual
anguish Of foreOoding.
Jason, " said Eben, hoarsely Jason,
where be our boys"
"Eben," said the other, with trem-
bling tones, II DIN know, but we must
look"
And with lanterns and canteens the
two old men wandered over that hard
won field, raising the trampled wheat
that hid a death cold form, turning a
stiffened corpse that had fallen face
downward, giving lift or drink to
some poor fellow who still had life
enough to crave help, and so on through
all the dreadful hours, clinging to hope
yet fearing the worst.
In the gray morning, down under the
guns they had fought so bravely to hold,
lay tie two silent forms. The head of
the one was pillowed on the broad breast
of the other, whose cold, white hand lay
lovingly upon the dew-damped chestnut
curls of his friend.
For moment no word was said, no mo-
ton made, but then, as with a common
impulse, both fathers knelt and kissed
their boys. Each gave a glad inarticu-
late cry, for each had felt beneath his
lips the faint, tiickering stir of life re-
ceding, but not yet quite departed.
A search party with surgeon at its
head heard the cry so full of hope and
anguish, and with the rough tenderness
and intelligent. if hasty, care that men
who have faced death and wounds learn
how to give, the two boys came back to
the life they had SO nearly forsaken. And
there, on the bloody field of Gettysburg,
two solemnly glad old men turned toward
each other with a holy light beaming
from their weather beaten faces, as the
coming dawn Of day beamed upward
from behind the wooded hill tops.
"Jason, what's that Old spring wuth?"
"Nothin', Eben, jest nothin'! Let's
fill it up"
''No," said Eben; "that would be
THROWN away the Lords gift. Let's
each on US gin the spring an good
strip o. land along it to the ole church,
to sell for the poor or do anything else
it wants to-"
"Agreed," said Jason, adding after a
moments pause: ''an' meow 1 want to
tell ye, Eben, as I'd orter ha' told ye
long ago, that 'twa'n't none O. me nor
my boys thet killed that elem tree. We
was too proud to say SO when ye all
thought so mean on US.
Poor Eben groaned, but put out his
hand, and after their long and cordial
clasp of mutual appealing and forgiving,
all their minds and strengths and hearts
went to the saving of their boys.
After weeks in the hospital the sons
went home on leave, and astonished all
their townspeople, not more by carrying
out the instructions of their fathers of
conveying to the church the disputed
spring and many broad acre of fruitful
land Herewith, than by their own insep
arabic companionship.
Eben and Jason fought on side by side,
talking little in words, but saying much
in the eloquent language of kindly
deeds aud sympathetic looks, both to
each other and to their comrades.
"Yew an Eben's made it up, hain't
ye, Jason?" said an old neighbor, now
also in the ranks.
yes" said Jason: Fsthe Lord had to
smite us sore afore we could see that jes-
tice an our own wills wasn't arays one
an the same"
but we be brethren meow, at last"
said Eben, ''as becomes them as loves the
Lord"
That night occurred one OF theSname
less skirmishes which cost so many lives,
and in the morning the two gray heads
were found side by side, and the toll
hardened hands of the two men were
clasped as if from the cold dark of earth