The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-05-27

could not have convinced her that sh'
did not love j. Baldwin, Il tall, dark
black-eyed curly headed man, regular
AdOnis of the country hamlet in which ht
and his sweetheart resided. They didn
have much time to waste cOurtiDg, as Ar
minda had to assist her mother at making
cheese, butter and cooking for the farm
hands, who were voracious eaters anC
never seemed to have their appetites ap
peased, not even when Mrs. Bateet made
dried apple pudding with syrup enough
on each dish to make it swim. Joshus
also worked from fourteen to sixteer
hours a day, consequently between work
ing and sleeping there was little time te
plague the moon in company with his lady
love. And so it came to pass that they
had promised to become man and wife
though the day hadn't been set yet, mol
had the lovely Arminda ordered her wed
ding trousseau. But both thought thai
time would not be far distant.
One evening while Arminda and Joshua
We're sitting as usual on the front porch
they didn't have much winter courtship
owing to the fact that old man Bateet
| was logging and the woodcutters slept in
| the spare bed room too near the parlor
/ for undisturbed love making Joshua look
| ed rather blue and Arminda's face also
! bore troubled expression. Joshua had
enlisted and would start late that even
| ing for the recruiting station. Both were
feeling badly, and Arminda was bravely
trying to keep back the tears. But u
Josh was goin' to the war" and Armin-
da's pent-up feelings broke forth in a real
hard crying spell.
Joshua held her hand for five minutes
and lovingly kissed her cheeks and went
away to the war. Joshua Baldwin made
splendid looking soldier and for two
years stood the separation pretty well,
but the third year of service those en-
velopes with flag in the corner and Gen.
Dix's famous saying, 'If any man at
tempts to haul down the flag, shoot him
on the spot" inscribed beneath, did not
come as often as formerly. Joshua's eyes
betrayed far away look and the boys
said he was getting homesick, far more
dangerous disease among soldiers than
the camp fever, the doctors said.
Some of his comrades suggested fur
lough, but Joshua said no, he would stay
till his term of enlistment expired, and
stay he did.
Finally the news of Lees surrender
came to the camp of the regiment upon
the West Virginia mountains and then
general orders for mastering out troops.
Joshua Baldwin's spirits seemed to re
vive at the reading of these and he told
his tent mate that at last he was going to
meet Arminda. He had saved up enough
to buy a nice little farm and life seemed
a bank of flowers to him.
Then the regiment turned in their arms
and marched TO the railway station, and
in two days the trains human freight of
heroes slowly drew into the station and
Joshua's face seemed emblazoned with n
halo of anticipation.
IN bet Minda will be there to meet
me-" and as the station was reached he
peered into the crowd gathered there to
meet the returning troops. but he saw no
Armnda among that sea of faces. Hast
lily alghting, his aged father, mother and
sister rushed up TO him and there was a
scene that no one ever experiences but a
soldier returning from the war. The first
words that Joshua said were 'Where's
Arminda?'
Married three days ago to John Meri-
thew, fellow who worked for her father
whaa you went to the war;" said Josh
ua's father.
The soldier of twelve battles and twen-
ty skirmishes turned pale, his stalwart
form quivered, and his large dark eyes
filed with tears for an instant. then cours-
ed down his cheeks until his poor old
mother drew forth her pocket handker-
chief and wiped them away.
There, Josh, don't feel bad" she said,
rn'- Il s,,l, ~,
as ever was caught out of it," and she put
her trembling and half palsied old arms
around his neck and her quivering lips
implanted kiss on the cheek of her SOL
der boy, now, after three years prayers
and tears, safe home again. Josh walk
ed slowly along after his family. following
them in a listless manner 10 the other side
of the station, where the old family horse
and wagon was awaiting to carry him
home.
'Good-by. Josh; invite us to the we'd
ding cried out dozen comrades, but
Josh did not return the recognition with
even look or 4 smile.
Only week afterwards l met the old
man in the city undertaking shop, and
when 1 asked him if anyone was dead
up in Halltown he answered in trem
bling voice as the tears filled his eyes,
"Josh's gone"
what allied him." l asked
Dunno" replied the old gentleman; "he
never spoke moren twict arter he got
home. The last words l hearn him say
afore he died was, Tell Mindy to meet me
at the depot; I'm conin' hum l reckon
as how his heart was broke. The doctor
said heart failyur wuz the cause of his
bein took off"
Arminda attended the funeral. She
whimpered a little when they lowered the
coffin in the grave, and her big, gawky
husband shook her arm rudely and said
under his breath. DRY up, this arnt none
wv your funeral
As | neared town again heard the old
regimental band playing, "The Girl Left
Behind Me-" and thought of poor Josh,
who fought bravely all through those
years and boarded his pay to make home
for the girl he left behind him when he |
went to the war, only to find her false at
last.
Nearly quarter of century has pass |
ed since that time, and the wild laurel and /
balsam grows above Joshua's grave, up |
in faltown cemetery, while once year, |
on Memorial Day, the Grand Army boys |
place a flag and some flowers upon the !
mound where lies true and honest heart. |
The gill he left behind him might better
have died, for only week ago l read of /