Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-12-02
iau.t feeleomfoFtableto think / have left them


have all your letters in my knapsack, and
on them | have penciled request to have
iaen buried with me. They have been n great
comfort TO me-a great pleasure. | used TO
think that some day should know you, and
make you like me as well as like you. I've
never seen you, or even your portrait, but
love you as If had. I've written the truth
howl love you fondly. 1t seems to me that
have read your heart and soul in your letters.
II should never write again-if should fall
tomorrow, as | believe shall-remember 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. Iwsh could have known you better.
And ended with my name.
The next day was in the midst of the
worst fight had ever been in. can't re-
member much of it, but | know that it
was terrible. | saw more than one poor
fellow | knew well drop at my side, but
some one else took his place. At last it
was my turn. crash, an agony, a thought
that my forebodings had proved true, and
| knew nothing.
When i came to myself it was in hos
pital tent and found that | 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
it 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 a love story, and
crying over it, too, like 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. at has
Travelled good way after you; it's in
lady's hand too" ! took the little white
thing with my heart beating like a sledge
hammer and | turned it over and over
again. | couldn't bring myself to open it
at first. knew whom it came from. Ihad
heard from home only the day before.
At last broke the seal, and this is what
| read within:
| DEAR PAUL-Dear friend, | have heard of
your misfortune. / have grieved over it. For
awhile thought was grieving for one dead.
have been very very happy since heard that
you would live. They tell me you will be at
home soon; when you come will meet. II
my letters have pleased you, as you say they
have, IL would be wrong to keep my name a
secret any longer. began the correspondence
in mere sport, as did the rest Of us. It, is sport
no longer. Twill tell you the truth. You have
been writing TO one you knew-to
RACHEL STOCKTON
| To Rachel Stockton. | gasped for breath.
| felt faint and giddy. Could it be hoax2
| answered mo" at once IL must be the
serious fact unless | was quite mad, and
then she must have liked me a little in
those old times when | became soldier
| for her sake.
II | had known that perhaps | might
never have left Hay Hill.
And now, instead of marching home
with uniform and epaulets, | must take
my empty sleeve back to the farm and be
not half as useful or rs happy IS | had
been. did not regret what had done for
my country, but | had quite lost Rachel.
II had been afraid to WOO her before, how
must it be now? | 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 resolution.
Day and night studied TO learn to write
with my left hand, for could confide in
no one, and ut last the first scrawl was
completed. In it | told her all-how had
loved her; how, knowing myself not her
equal, had thought to win a name she
might be proud to bear; how the transcript
Of her soul had sffaced the image of her
beauty, so that, rs the writer Of those let
tiers, she had been her own rival. and how,
now that found myself no officer crowned
with bonors, but only poor, disabled pri-
vate soldier, knew that all had hoped
must be remembered only as a 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 IL he finale
Of my love tale. But there was TO be an
other ending. had grown better and
was at home All the little world save
was busy, and sat ON the old porch in the
trembling shadows Of the vine leaves.
There heard step behind me and turned
and saw Rachel Stockton.
Paul" she said, and gave me her hand,
and took it, | held it as men hold the
hand Of women whom they love. looked
into her eyes filed and overbrimming
with bright tears. ! forgot that she was
the rich heiress. | only remembered the
Leah who had written those letters
And so that came 10 pass which had
seemed too wild dream ever to come true,
and | found my arm about her waist and
her head upon my bosom, and had said to
her;
Remember, | am a crippled man, and
one who can offer you neither wealth nor
name. Even what ] had-strength and
some little shadow of good looks-are gone.
| am sadly altered"
Then her hand. pressed upon my lips,
silenced me
you have not altered 10 me-" she whis-
pered. IL have loved you a 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.
To-Day she il my wife-M K ID In Nauu