Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-03-31

BY HIS COT ! FOUND BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.
BELLS station, east Tennessee, some eight
months before. At the time he was about
twenty-eight years of age, with yellow hair,
blue eyes and tawny beard, and although
of only medium height he was as handsome
and soldierly looking n trooper as one could
see in a review of the worlds finest army,
which, in my boyish enthusiasm, believed
our own army in blue to be at that time.
Though not a reserved man, Captain
Walters was usually very quiet, and al
though there was good reason to growl
over our sufferings, as many did, he bore
himself with manly patience which, if
not unusual in that horrible place, was Ger
tainly very commendable.
He and had served together before our
capture, though beyond knowing hismerits
AS troop leader and "A splendid horseman
our acquaintance could not be called in
innate before we met in prison.
The passionate speech with which / be
gan this narrative was uttered as we sat on
the hot ground in the Charleston iailyard
within the shadow of the old fashioned
gallows on which so many men had been
hanged before and since the war.
The prospect of our being exchanged was
a. blue as to seem black, and it looked all
the blacker to my friend, who had just been
foled in desperate attempt to escape.
why are you so respondents" l asked
with an oath that did not seem like pro-
family. CaptTin Walters replied:
ut is because of late she has been coming
to me in my dreams"
In those terrible war prisons it was not
unusual for n'en to lose their minds and
never regain EN-, which was no doubt for
tunate, till thu were carted out colfinless
to prison grave. feared that my friends
mind was gone or going, but n second look
into the blue eyes and haggard, pale face
assured me that he was as yet free from the
worst calamity that could befall man.
who is she?" / asked after a painful
pause.
My wife," he said with groan.
why, did not know you were married,
captain"
mo, but that il not to be wondered at.
Men usually keep their intense loves and
griefs to themselves. You are the first man
| have spoken to about her, and would net
have done it now, but hunger, sickness and
disappointment, and, above all, the load on
my heart, make me feel weak, and you arc
so strong and light hearted at all times that
it is II comfort to come near you" said the
captain.
L
ciated his compliment and was eager to de-
serve his confidence, and then in vague sort
of way which meant to be consoling told
him that much of ones trouble was mag
mary, and that it was better to look upon
the bright side of things. am aware now
that this advice must have had in it ring
of mockery, Or it is difficult to imagine n
situation with less of the bright side than
ours. But there was something besides
the prison life that was breaking down the
captain, and curiosity and interest induced
me to ask him what it was
If not the exact language, the following
is, | am very sure, the substance Of what
Captain Walters said:
Like nine out of ten of the single young
men who entered the army in 1861, was in
love. | have no use for the man who ha,
not been desperately in love before hi.
twenty-fifth birthday.
THE girl to whom ] was attached wa,
the daughter of "A neighbor. | had known
her since she was an infant and boy il
knickerbockers, and cannot recall tint
when | did not love her, and she was worthy
of it from first to last though there was
period when did not think so, and it il
the injustice done her then that is wearing
out my lie, and not the sufferings of thi
prison.
1--WE were married last August, just thre
months before was captured and while
was home on wounded furlough. For on
month was the happiest man in the world
and that happiness should have continue,
had been worthy Of her love. False to her
No, sir; | was not capable of that, meal
though ! was, but was not inc SDable o
believing that she might be false TO me.
From the day of our marriage had beel
receiving anonymous letters charging m
wife with love for another man. burne'
the letters, nor ever mentioned the matte
to her. But | noticed there were time
when she persisted in going over the Obi
} river to Newport alone to see sick friend
she always told me. My anonymous CORE
spondent, it would seem, kept track of hel
and one day letter came saying that if
/; would follow my wife the next day sh
! crossed over the river to Kentucky woul
have pronf of her infdelity.
1.-THE devil moved me to follow this ad
vice. disguised rNvself and followed he