Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-06-29

there was cha2ce for him; but it
would be almost miracle if he should
recover. The crisis came and passed
He lived He had fought a gallant
fight with death and conquered, but il
was the ghost of man that lay there,
and for weeks he lowered on the verge
of another world. Good nursing and
the faithful surgeon, however, brought
him through and he was again on the
mend
"The first word uttered by the major
on regaiuing his right mind after the
fever had left him Was for news from
home. 'Letters?' he said to the nurse.
Yes. there were two or three, but he
could not have them until he was
little stronger; that was the order of
the surgeon. In his weak condition
any undue excitement might prove o
drawback. The sick ran pleaded,
stormed, threatened, ard finally re-
lapsed into morose silence, his checks
burning red and chest heaving with
suppressed emotion. The nurse be-
came alarmed, and to quiet him prom
Used that If he would curb his anxiety
and obey her orders, on the morrow he
could read the letters. In the nean-
time she assured him that she had
heard from his people and that all
went well at home. With this he must
be content.
THE morrow came, and with it
strength to the sick man. True to her
promise, the nurse gave him his letters.
There were four, and he eagerly de-
voured their contents. One was from
his parents and the other from his be-
trothed. The latter was filed with
sentiments of love and devotion; but
there seemed to him to be something
lacking something withheld from
him; something she did not want him
to know; something he could not read
between the lines. She was fairly
we'll, she said; was troubled with a
little cough, but that was nothing; he
need not be alarmed She was anx-
iously looking forward to his home
coming.
'When the news of the battle of
Cedar Creek flashed over the wires
and reached the town where the
majors parents lived there was great
excitement among the people, for
many there had brothers, lovers, IA
theirs and husbands among the Mich
igan men who fought that day, and
places where information could be had
were crowded for news of the absent
ones But two days elapsed before a
list of killed and wounded was re-
ceived, and among the latter was the
name of the major. He was very pop
ular in the village, and the intelligence
that he had lost leg caused many ex-
pressions of sincere regret, mingled
with sympathy for the poor girl who
was his promised wife. How did the
news affect her? 1t came as profound
shock. She became utterly Frustrated.
She had accustomed herself to the be-
lief that her hero was bullet-prtof;
that nothing serious could happen to
the man she loved; he had pass I'd
through manifold dangers unscatheo
no leaden messenger had ever before
touched him; he would be spared and
return to her in safety. Surely, the
report could not be true. She would
not credit it. But alas! it was a
rude awakening; it was a cruel
fact-her promised husband was then
lying in hospital with one leg gone
She bore up bravely under her affiic
ton for time, and then came doubts
fears and uncertainties as to her low
er's condition. News from the wounded
man did not reach her quickly moi
frequently, and the anxiety began tc
tell upon her. The courageous bear
ing of other days gave way t.
feelings of dependency and despair
She gave herself wholly up to it, ant
day by day pinned away until she was {
mere shadow of her former self Her
parents were in despair. Nothing they
could do or say served to arouse her
She continued to fail as the weeks
passed on and finally was confined
wholly to her bed.
The sick man in Washington knew
nothing of this state OF affairs, for hel
letters to him never contained line
limiting of her true condition, and hope
filed the majors heart as he looked
forward with anxiety and pleasure IL
the time when he would be discharged
FROM the hospital and speeding on hi
way to his old home. He was rapid,
convalescing, and the doctor had prom
Used that if all went well he might re
turn to his friends in the course of
few weeks. How slowly the time passed
to the invalid need not be described
but at length the day came when h,
was released and on his journey.
The iron horse, although no
speedy enough for the returning vet
eran, finally landed him in Detroit
and while waiting in the station for
train to take him to the end of hi
journey, telegram was handed him
He eagerly opened the envelope and de
voured the contents. He gazed at tn,
writing blankly and half caught tn,
intelligence it conveyed, and then sanl
into seat near by. He read it again
1t could not be possible. Again HI
scanned the message Yes, it was gen
uine. This is what it contained:
Mary very Ill Come as quick as you can.
THE message should have reached
him in Washington the day he began
his journey, but 1t had been forwarded
and caught him at Detroit. His traii
was ready to start, and he aroused
himself and went aboard, his mine
tortured and harassed with fears. Ii
three hours he was at the end of hi
journey and at his old home.
carriage was in waiting and friend
crowded around the cars when h
alighted with his crutches. Their
were silent handshake pressures an
all faces wore look of sadness. Thi