Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1891-10-16
THE ANGEL OF SHILOH.
rYou found the tavern full?"

gent looking gentleman of perhaps forty
evidently citizen of the village and
resident Of the handsome but unpreten-
tious dwelling house in front of which
he was standing.
Eyes," l replied; ST was too late by
half an hour, so the landlord informed
me-"
"You shall be welcome here if you will
accept of modest quarters and plain
fare"
The tone of voice, no less than the
words uttered, assured me that the offer
of hospitality was sincere, and with
grateful heart and a simple expression
of thanks passed through the gate and
clasped the extended hand of the man
who, although had never known of his
existence till that minute, and who
had every reason to suppose a foe to the
cause represented, rebel to the gov
eminent whose uniform wore, yet in
whom recognized friend and brother
"You are very kind" said; "more
kind than you know, for am not only
weary, but i'll, OF l should not have
sought lodgings indoors while my COM
rades were exposed to the privations Of
camp life"
''I'm glad of the opportunity to offer
hospitality to professional brother" he
responded, for / know from your letter
on your hatband that you are surgeon,
and am physician. This would have
been sufficient to have prompted me to
invite you in, but something else, sud-
den but unexplainable impulse, which !
could not resist. impelled me to do it."
BY this time had been led into the
family room. A beechwood fire blazed
and glowed upon the hearth, a bright
carpet with warm colors covered the
floor, an old fashioned mahogany side
board stood to the left and bureau of
the same rich wood faced it on the other
side Of the room, and in one corner a
clock of s'ye olden time. and known by
the title of wall sweeper, counted off the
seconds with steady precision and
sounded the knell of dying hours in a
solemn monotone. Easy chairs stood
back against the farther wall like sem
tries on an inner picket line, while others
were grouped about the cheerful fire;
and these, as we entered, were occupied
by persons whose faces | could have
never forgotten, had / seen them but a
moment, and which are now photo
graphed upon my heart forever and aye.
There were three persons in the group
q venerable old gentleman, a white
haired, matronly and kindly faced old
lady, and a golden haired, blue eyed
young lady-father, mother and daugh-
ter of my friendly host, DR.. Jewell.
There is something in name, else
how should these people be so appropri-
ately named? wondered and pondered
the more when | learned that the richest
and rarest gem in the group had the
beautiful name of Lillian.
beg the readers pardon, 1 have not
told him or her, as the case may be, who
] am, or when, how or where all this
happened.
My name is Alden, a lineal descendant
] am from John and Priscilla Alden,
whose romantic history you doubtless
have read in poetry, if not in prose. My
ancestors had gone west almost century
ago, hence those provincial prejudices,
80 characteristic of those descendants Of
the Mayhower party who still cling to
the crags of Plymouth Rock, had been
lost in the broad and fertile valleys of
the Ohio, or they had wandered off and
found flower bespangled grave on the
boundless prairies of Illinois. At any
rate they found no place in my heart.
The time of which write was Janu-
airy, 1852. Place, southwestern Ken
lucky. Grants army was making a
grand reconnaissance in force, with
view to feeling the strength of the
enemy before making an attack upon
Fort Donelson.
A cold, pitiless rain had pelted US all
day, and was still pouring down upon
soldiers and officers alike. When the
village of B. came in view, at o'clock
in the afternoon, had trudged through
the mud and waded through swollen
streams from early morn, having sur
rendered my horse to a sick soldier Of
the brigade to which | was attached,
and was, therefore, worn and weary and
almost i'll. Immediately after the order
had been passed along the line to halt
u, d
number of the officers galloped on to the
village and sought shelter beneath the
roof of the hotel it contained. 1t had
been my purpose to get hot supper and
dry bed also, but my professional duties
detained me for some time, and when
reached the door of the inn | was in
formed that not only all the beds, but
every square foot Of the parlor and sit
ting room floor had been pre-empted.
It was while vending my way back to
camp that had the rare good fortune
or fate, to attract the attention of Dr.
Jewell. Ny boots were covered with
mud, my clothes dripping with water,
and felt as if chilled to the marrow of
my bones and the center of my heart.
1t took but a brief time to warm me,
however. for the elements of warmth
were abundant. At his request l fol
lowed the doctor into his chamber and
donned suit of his clothes, while he
sent my own by colored boy to the
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