The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-10
can't feolcomfortablo to think havs loft them

unwritten.
have all your letters in my knapsack, and
ON them l havo pcncilcd a request to Inv.
| then, buried with Inc. They have been II grca,
comfort To mc-a great pleasure. ! used &c
think that some day should know YOU anu
make you like mo rs we'll as | like you. I've
| never seen you, or even your portrait but
love you rs IL had. I've written the truti,
| now-l love you fondly. 1t seems TO me that
! have read your heart and soul in your letters
! III should never write ngain-if should full
tomorrow, as believe shall-remembcr that
my last thoughts were of you-of you whom
have thought constantly OF late-and think
sometimes of me. Goodby-perhaps good by
| forever. Iwish could have known you better.
And ended with my name.
The next day l was in the midst of the
worst fight had ever been in. Ican't re.
member much of it, but 1 know that it
was terrible. / saw more than one poor
fellow l knew well drop Mt my side, but
some one else took his place. at last it
was my turn. a crash, IN agony, n thought
that my forebodings had proved true, and
l knew nothing
When l came to myself it was in II hos
ptal tent, and / found that l had been
there many days My right arm was gone,
and they fancied then that the rest of me
was going after it; but was young, and
rallied.
didn't want to. Life looked very dark.
couldn't see much hope in it. And then
1T was | began to take some interest in
novels and in poetry and to feel as the rest
felt-wild to get hold of any book or paper
kind people brought to us
One day was reading n love story, and
crying over it, too, like n girl, for | was
not much stronger than the weakest Of
them are, when the chaplain stood at my
cot. "a letter for you" he said. ut has
trnN lodi 80
lady's hand too" l took the little white
thing with my heart beating like n sledge
hummer, and turned it over and over
again. | couldn't bring myself to open it
at first. knew whom it came from. had
heard from home only the day before.
AT last broke the seal, and this is what
1 read within:
DEAR PAUL-Dear friend, have heard OF
your misfortune. have gricved over it. For
awhile thought was grieving for ono dead.
have been very very happy since heard that
you would live. They tell me you will be at
home soon; when you como We will meet. II
my letters have pleased you, rs you say they
have, 1t would be wrong to keep my name II
secret any longer. began tho correspondence
In mere sport, as did the rest of us. 1t is sport
no longer. will tell you the truth. You have
been writing to ono you knew-to
RACHEL STOCKTON.
To Rachel Stockton. gaspetl for breath
lclC litlilL anu Sluuy. COulu III DE Il nOuNg
/ answered 'No" ut once 1t must be the
serious fact unless 1 was quite mad, and
then she must have liked me little in
those old times when / became a soldier
for her sake
If l had known that perhaps I might
never have left Hay Hill
And now, instead of marching, home
with uniform and epaulcts, / must take
my empty sleeve back to the farm, ami he
not half as useful or rs happy as | had
been. did not regret what had done for
my country, but ] had quite lost Rachel
If had been afraid to WOO her before, how
must it be nowf hid my face in my pill
low and the letter next my heart The
sudden knowledge that had come upon
me frightened me. Before next morning
had come to n resolution.
Day and night l studied 30 learn to write
with my left hand, for | could conlitle il
no one, and ut last the first scrawl was
completed. In it told her all-how hac
loved her; how, knowing myself not hel
equal, had thought to win n name she
might be proud to bear; how the transcript,
of her soul had effaced the image of hcl
beauty, so that as the writer of those let
tiers, she had been her own rival, and how
now that found myself no officer crowned
with honors, but only poor, disabled pri
vate soldier. l knew that all / had hoped
must be remembered only us n dream, but
that still must love her-love her while !
lived-tenderly and passionately and truly
as though | had the power as had the
will, to WOO and win and cherish her.
The letter went. thought it the finale
of my love tale. But there was to be i'm
other ending. l had grown better, and
was ut home. All the little world save |
was busy, and l sat on the old porch in tn,
frnT 1Nll CHI g q
There heard n step behind me and turned
and saw Rachel Stockton.
Paul" she said and gave me her hand
and l took it. l held it as men hold the
hand of women whom they love. looked
into her eyes, filled and overbrimmin.
with bright tears. l forgot that she was
the rich heiress l only remembered til,
Leah who had written those letters.
And so that came to pass which had
seemed too wild dream ever to come true
and l found my arm about her waist and
her head upon my bosom, and had said tc
her:
Remember, am crippled man, and
one who can offer you neither wealth MOI
name. Even what l had-strength and
some little shadow of good looks-are gone.
l am sadly altered"
Then her hand. pressed upon my lips,
silenccd me.
"You have not altered to me-" she whs
pered. 81 have loved you long, long
while-long before you knew me as Leah
and | love you better now than ever"
Then great joy filled my soul, and |
thanked heaven
Today she is my wife.-M X d. in New
York News.
Regeneration of the Parrot.
n,,n Il L