Year: 1862

WIS nODOuy, HOWeVer, lnht saw the lOng
knife that John carried in his sleeve. He
watched his opportunity, and before any
one could know what he was at sprung
upon the assassin like catamount. The
officers were too quick for him, though,
and seized his arms, and the prisoner got
only light wound from the great lunge
he gave him with the knife. Leave me
alone" cried he. "Let me kill him
Haint he butchered my mother and sis
ter? And now some lawyer will say he
is crazy, and get him clear. tell you l
s0iU kill him-let me gop But they
clinched the poor fellow fast, and got
away his knife, and after the murderer
was safely locked up, all went away from
the Jail.


That afternoon, at two o'clock, short
but affecting funeral service was held, and
the young soldiers mother and sister were
decently in the graveyard. The good
minister took John home with him, but
he was too uneasy to stay long. He
wandered out, and when the next train
Of cars stopped at the station-house, he
got in, little knowing what he was about.
The Conductor, finding he had no money
or ticket, put him off at the next station,
and l saw him hanging about the stable,
as l said. He did not seem TO care
where he went or where he stayed, only
when people drove him out or called him
in, rs the case might be, he just under
stood what it meant, and went as quiet
ly and indifferently one way as the other


The good folks of his own town could
not guess where he was. They were 90
ing to make up purse for him, and were
afraid something had happened to him.
At last they concluded, from something
they heard him say, that he had gone
back 10 the army, but he appeared among
them again that evening. He seemed
more sociable and softened when he be-
gan TO get little over the stun of his
terrible misfortune. He talked good
deal of his mother and sister, and was
just like child about it. "They were
all rough folks" he said" would be call
ed so, to see them together, week in and
week out, no doubt; but they loved one
another, they did. Many thing he'd
said and done to plague his mother,
Heaven help him! But when he went
off to tho war she had said God bless
him. and told him she would have some
stockings for him when he came home
again! and his sister had worked his
name into his ugdershirt and he pull
ed open his bosom and showed the mark
=" and she was TO have him an under
suit of wool already knit and marked
against he got his furlough; aud his moth
or had told him, too, that she'd have a
blanket for him, and some linen, and n
little money to buy knicknacks for him
if he should happen to be ailin'-but it's
all burnt up now-and what's worse,
they've gone long with it, though God
knows they never had money enough in
the house 10 be murdered for"


The kind townspeoplc showed him all
sorts of little attentions, and assured him
again and again that the murderer would
be hung; and finally they did get him to
acknowledge that it was best he shouldn't
have lynched him.


1t was time for the poor soldier to 90
when the seven o'clock train came along
in the morning. A sorrowful furlough
he had of il. He wanted to get back to
the army, he said. Give him fire and
smoke now. They wouldn't catch him
asking for any moro leave-papers. There
was nothing now for him to leave for
But he carried with him good bundle
of soldier-comforts and a full purse of
bright coin, from whole village Of friends
who pitied him and wished him well.


Where can poor John be now9 Many
a brave fellow has dropped out of his
regiment under the enemy's fire, or the
slower fate Of camp fever. l wonder if
John is among them?- Watchman and
Reflector.