Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-07-27

two Of 100000 men ready to sacrifice
our life's blood for Lee and our coun-
try. In the waning days Of June my
caught him reading It In a corner of
our tent by the light of his pipe, for
the sun was just going down behind
Oulp's Hill.
Prom homer I asked anxiously.
"Yes, from Aunt Jane. She sends her
love to you and bids you not to grow
discouraged"
"Any word from Lucyr'
None"
had never known Charlie to be 50
reticcnt about his letters, which ne
usually handed me for perusal But
this l saw him put away in his breast
pocket.
In the days that followed had little
time to wonder what had made my
mate so downhearted and gloomy. Then
came that memorable day in July,
which none can forget who lived to tell
its tale of horror. Charlie was shot by
my side on Seminary Ridge. I saw at a
glance that he was badly wounded and
picked him UP in my arms to carry
him back to the lines.
There I laid him down, putting him In
the care Of one of our boys. whose arm
was shattered by a bullet.
stay with him." 1 begged, until
return, and If he should be dead. do
not let his body be buried. promised
to return 1t to his poor old mother"
Toward night. when the battle ceased
FASTENED back to my friend Charlie
He had died while l was gone, and his
body lay in a long trench with hun
dreds Of others ready to be covered
dug this wholesale grave could catch
their breath and complete their terrible
work. The guard l had put over him
stood by the side Of the ditch where he
lay.
Lieutenant" said he, "Mr. Fergu-
son requested me to tell you that the
letter In his breast pocket should not
be taken out by any one but you. He
also bade me tell you to read it,
Gently lifted the body In my arms
md from his pocket extracted the
document he had left me. l thought 1t
perhaps a memorandum Of his last
wishes, which he wanted me to carry
out. The receptacle over his heart car
ried nothing but a letter. 1t was from
Aunt Jane.
Reverently l opened st. I knew that
Charlie was fond Of her, but l never
dreamed that he loved her and had
asked her to be his wife.
Tenderly but firmly she refused him.
81 love another" she wrote. You may
guess 1t is my old playfellow, Ben SUIT
lift. but ne will never know. He is
madly in love with Lucy-she HIS for
gotten him. Yesterday We receiv, q he
announcement OF her marriage with a
wealthy Boston merchant. Do not tell
Ben this! He needs all his courage. 1t
would be cruel to blast his hopes in
these hard. trying times"
My eyes filed with tears as I read
Aunt James letter. A sigh for Lucy,
yes. tickle Lucy. wrung Itself from my
heart; but the pain her faithleSsncsS
give me was wiped out by Aunt James
divine love.
| l placed the letter In the pocket over
my heart. There II lay until returned
to Marcelline at the close of the war.
| Aunt Jane stood by the gate to wei
come me. My father had died. but my
mother was still there to greet me-.
| That night under the trees of the old
homestead, with no other face but the
moon for n witness, l told Aunt Jane
Of my find.
| She turned scarlet and then deadly
pale but before she bad time to fly
from me l caught her In my arms and
exactcd the promise that made her my
| Wife.-Jytica Globe,