The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-01-05
LOVE THROUGH ENMITY.

1here were three of us out on the
gallery-the old soldier. his wife and
I. We had been chatting and laugh
ing merrily, and then influenced. per-
haps. by the calmness of the night
We too. became quiet and thought
fuL And so we sat- watching the
soft moonlight playing over the broad
green lawn and the twinkling stars
peeping between the great snowy
clouds and listening to lonely katy
did calling its mate and hooking
bird warbling softly to its young.
The old soldier looked around
thoughtfully for awhile. then toying
with the buttons on his coat said half
aloud and more to himself than to us:
1t was just such night as this
just such a night. The moon was
full and gave a soft mellow light.
Such night as it was. l couldn't
forget it even though lived forever.
1t was shortly before the capture of
Richmond. and we were ordered to
burn Banks place and keep the fiery
work up along the line as far up as
the Heath's where one of our camps
was.
when soldiers are commanded
they must obey, whether to charge a
battery or burn some gray headed
mother out Of a house and home
While the order sometimes meant
barns alone. there wasn't one chance
in five of any house escaping after
the barn was fired. Only those troops
detailed to carry out the order can
hot
ships entailed. The order was i'm
perative. No warning was given. un-
less the great smoke rising up here
and there to signify destruction were
taken as warnings of what was to
come.
"A squad of men galloped up the
women and children were told the
substance of the order aud the match
was applied. An hour later they sat
on the grass houseless and homeless
and nearly dumb with terror. War
brought on thousand hardships but
this order brought ruin and desola-
ton. One might pity: but one could
not protest. On the night of which I
speak e rode up to the Banks place.
a quaint old farm house half hidden
among fruit trees. There was no
need to knock on the door, for every
ono being on the alert for anything
and everything We were seen and
met by little girl. who wore gray
for her country. but had eyes as blue
las her Yankee lovers coat
She was trembling so that she
dropped on the steps TO keep from
falling. One of the windows opened
and the white head of man raised
up off OF his pillow. but through ner-
vous excitement he fell back without
saying word.
I'VE told the girl our ORDERS
~whereupon she fell upon her knees
before me and prayed us to have
mercy stn1 'eave them their home.
She sobbec> pleaded and prayed till
tears ran down my checks like rain
Then. taking me by my hand. she led
Sme into room where lay this white.
haired old man. i'll, helpless and bed
ridden. then in another room where
lay a girl IN the last stages of con-
sumption Then leading me quietly
out on the gallery again she said be.
tween her sobs. still holding my
hands between hers and looking into
my eyes:
90 leave us our home I've no.
where to 60 no one to, go to. What
will my pour old grandfather do? Lie
on the grass under that tree and die!
And my sister, dying with consump-
ton, shall she breathe her last lying
out there too. without shelter or food
oh. in Gods name spare US our home,
spare us. spare us ~'.
when told her orders had to be
obeyed she screamed and tainted anc
before she came to her grandfather
and sister had beens taken out in the
orchard on their beds and the match
applied to that home but not by m,
hands. l would have died In my
tracks first No. one of the troopees
did it. but not me, and couldn'
even look to see it done. Besides
had caught that little girl in my arm
when she tainted. and held her Their,
tanning her with my hat When sh,
came to herself again led her GU
in the orchard where her sister ant
grandfather were. -..s ..l...
Il found my right hand bleedin.
profusely. Her falling against it ha,
geopened a very contrary wound re
ceived weeks before. When she say
the blood she tore a strip off tn
sheet, on which her grandfather wa
lying. and tied it up tenderly. takin
more pains than my mother woul
have done. We had no time to lose
SO when the narrow string wa
tied whispered few words {
sympathy to her. held her hand i
mine second and saying just lou
enough for her to hear. ALI is fai
In love and war. dear mounted m
horse and hurried on to catch m
companions.
Il looked back once and just i
time to see her look first at her home
almost in ashes, then at the old ma
and her sister after which she bowe
down her head and sobbed fearful,
How my heart ached for her. VII;