The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-09-26

bed and fell"
And so It went on, the familiar but
ever moving tale of a hag.bearer
killed, soldier--the narrator Of the
story-springing to the rescue of his
standard, himself to be laid senseless
by a bullet. From this oblivion he
had been wakened from a drenchlng
cold waterbath to hear the verdict,
Poor fellow; leg badly shattered"
pronounced over him by voice with
slight nasal twang. voice, It
chanced, that he was destined to hear
daily during his tedious Illness, for
the man who had picked him up on
the field was also the assistant In the
hospital, and quite O friendship grew
UP between the young doctor and his
patient. through their many conver.
sations. so Il was that on the day
of the narrator's discharge, the sur,
geon, along with congratulations on
the others recovery and approaching
exchange, gave confidence and asked
favor, as he said, while your ardor
is yet at white heat"
Three years ago." the doctor con.
tinued, before this hateful war was
ever dreamed OF, and while | was q
student in Philadelphia, became ac.
quainted with n young lady from Rich
mond. The circumstances were ro
mantic--well, never mind them---its
long story-tell you some other time
perhaps" he added, obviously, five
years after a treaty OF peace, as the
confederate bills say.
well, without going through the
various stages of the affair, from rap
ture to despair, and from despair back
through faint glimmerings of hope, tt
ecstasy again, the decision was finally
reached that we were, we'll after 1
fashion, engaged; quite, I assure you
on the order of poor Harry and tho
well-nigh forgotten Flora os Madison
Square fame. Just then, with abom
Unable inopportuneness, felt. Mr.. Lin
coin asked Virginia (mind you, whel
the day was. after many delays, actu
ally fixed) for her quota of troops
Poor old Virginia had with her usua
| delibcrateness, been slow to move
but this call moved her-out of tn,
union-leaving me, as Miss Elizabetl
thought, on the wrong side.
"One day. It must have been by tn
last through mail, | received mos
astounding letter from the young lad.
herself; terrific headlines, shocking
| sentiments, Southern confederacy
and all the rest of It. Quite doublin
| up of fists all round, a regular one
southernercan-whip.iive.Yankees' epis
| tie. She said ending everything
said Never, with capital n. Wei
TO come TO the pith of the affair, W
hear through personals Of each othe
--awfully cut and dried way of wTitin
love letters though. you know; so
ask you. as man to man, TO get le
ter to Elizabeth for me. or cours
you can't carry written communici
ton. ! don't care 10 treat the cam
TO specimen of my ability as Il mil
tary Romeo, so | am going to rea
the epistle which you, once safe |
Richmond after your exchange. az
| 10 WllJe out IN my name ana manu- |
her in person. Now will you do thit
without altering iot or little, eXceT
to throw into II all The fervor you ca
convey on paper; and will you remen
Der that under no circumstances al
you to give this precious document Il
to any hands save those of the terri
BILE little rebel who wrote the wonde
ful letter of 1861; or, II impossible I
see hen, then into those of her mot
er?'
TO that question the letter that no
passed from the hands of the ragged
man" 10 the feminine fingers thi
dropped the unfinished haversack
receive 1t, was the silent and sufiicier
answer.