The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-03-08
The Judges Secret.
A Story Of Devotion Which Sacrificed More Than
Life to Love and Duty.
by ALFRED BALcH
by ALFRED BALCTI.
Coz uriQht-All RipAts Reseruesl.l

enough hereabout to snow him under on election
! day Yours, REPUBLICAN,.
Mr.. Gardiner finished his breakfast
with a light heart and made his way
! down to Mr.. Jackson's house. He never
! doubted for q second the squire had pre-
pared positive denial of the story, and
he found himself wondering with a
vague curiosity who the deserter could
be. Entering Mr. Jackson's house be
found that gentleman in his library.
After greeting each other. Mr.. jackson
picked up half sheet of note paper and
handed it to his friend. On it Mr.. Gar
diner read:
To the Editor Of The Republican:
SlR--In answer to the query contained IN your
! columns this morning permit ms to inform you
that am the William Traesdale Jackson who do
serted not the night before but two nights before,
| the battle OF Gettysburg from the Second Msssa-
ehusetts infantry, and who was subsequently
condemned to the penalty Of the military crime.
My reasons for that ect were and are personal to
myself have only to add that although / was
then much younger than am low and with
i much less experience than nov have, l would,
| were placed in the same position today, again
| desert before night had fallen. / remain, sir,
your obedient servant. WILLIAM T. JACKSON
Mr.. Gardiner looked up, his mouth
shaping itself for the hymn tune, and as
he looked 8 faint wave of color for q
moment rose to the 'squire's cheek.
'sYou are not going to send this, I
hope, said Mr.. Gardiner.
Most certainly I am. If my fellow
citizens choose to honor me with thei-
suffrages, they shall do so with no false
pretenses on my part"
"But, my dear squire"
t'The thing is true; why should deny
itg'
There is no use of denial. Let it
alone, say nothing, and there is not
man in the county who will believe it"
Mr.. johnson smiled somewhat sadly.
shy friend, " he said, "a suppressio veri
viii not help me In this matter. 1t is
better to tell the truth; better, because
it is right, and better policy as well. It
is easy to identify me with the deserter
lin fact, ] have no doubt this has been
done already. But even were it not,
We're that paragraph the last Of it, now
the question has been raised could not
consent to be SILENT
ssBut the ticket" broke in the unhap-
py chairman.
II think it would be better that 1 re-
sign"
SHOT for a moment. That would be
absolutely fatal. But squire, if you
must acknowledge it, why not tell your
reasons for leaving the service? I'm
sure they were good ones. Then it
would be all right. But that note is so
curt; it haunts your desertion in the face
Of men as though you were proud of it;
it fairly defes all public opinion"
81 am proud of It, sir, and thank my
God that he permitted me to desert, y
broke in the lawyer in his deepest tone,
through which there rang an accent of
strong emotion. "But neither to you
nor any other man living viii tell why
deserted. 1t must suffice you that /
did, and have never regretted it. I'm
derstand me, Mr.. Gardiner" and as ne
spoke the faint celor once more showed
itself, 81 know as well as you the dis
grace which attaches to the name of a
man who deserts on the eve of a great
battle. | know he is called a coward
and a poitroon | am of no sterner stuff
than other men, and it has required all
the trust have in One who is wiser than
I to make it clear to me that the burden
was laid on me for some good purpose.
Il have thought that perhaps some
other way might have been found and
have been spared, but it was not to be.
do not regret the act, but mourn over
the necessity for it. My name as man
is as dear to me as yours to you. make
no vain boast, Mr.. Gardiner, when say
to you that if my life would benefit my
country would give it gladly. Yet I
stand before men as one who fed at a
supreme moment of that country's peril.
This is not easy for me. for am proud
man. sir, and l am not coward; but /
console myself as best may by the con-
seriousness that there is One who knows
better than men, and that he III his wis
dom has afflicted me. But, sir, while
this is hard enough, it would be far
worse were to descend to falsehood, for
then should be ashamed in mine own
eyes"
Mr.. Gardeners eyes were moist as he
grasped the lawyers hand and starn-
mered out an apology for his mistaken
though well meant advice. He offered
to carry the note to the Office of The Re-
publican himself, and the squire, visibly
grati6ed by this, acquiesced gladly.
To say that Mr.. Jaekson's answer to
The Republican created a storm of talk
is to put things in the mildest way. The
orators opposed to the Democratic ticket
made the most Of the weapon which had
been given into their hands. Able edi-
torials filed the Republican papers,
and the machinery of the Grand Army
was used to increase the excitement.
While enemies tainted the deserter
friends inaplored Mr.. Jackson to speak,
but to no purpose. Entreaties and abuse
seemed to pass him by with equal lack
of effect. When he appeared at public
meetings for as soon as the county com
nnittee had decided he should not with.
draw the squire showed he was moi
afraid to face any music going--there
was at first disposition. to hiss on
the part of some who were there. This,
however, wss speedily put down by the
majority. It was impossible for these
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