Year: 1861

The following beautiful incident is told by
Pomeroy. of the La Crosse (Wis) Union and
Democrat, in late editorial correspondence from
Dunkirk, N. Y:


On the train last night which left Chicago on
the Pittsburg and Fort Wayne road, there was u
touching incident that showed forth like the
MONDAY sun, the deep and lasting love o sister.
There was on board, IN the sleeping car, young


lady from Albany, New York, the only sister OF
u pale, emaciated invalid who lay on Il cOuch
the motion Of the cars as it seemed, Fastening
with sort of eager tremble the life from him.
little over four years since, duty, us he thot,
called him from the store in which he was en-
gagged, to Kansas. He thought some one there
might be in danger-he went f0rth-concluded
to make his home there-bravely toiled till he
fell sick with consumption, and sent AT last Tor
his sister, u girl of about twenty, ana his "hly
living relative, to come and kiss the death damp


from his brow. She went and her gentle care
seemed to revive him, till he determined to set
his face toward the east and there seek health or
a quiet grave beside his mother.


They started, but the travel was too much for
his wasted energies, aud at Chicago he was car
ried on board the train and laid In the berth, as
though he were an unconscious infant. As he
lay there, pale and coughing, II was beautiful to
see with what holy sisterly devotion would that
girl watch beside him, fearful lest n wish might
be formed, but yet unbreathed, that she did not
anticipate. She wiped the clammy perspration
from his pale brow. She gently smoothcd back
his damp hair, and softly kissed his forehead as
she bent over him AT times he would rally n


little, and ask how far they had come, and then
sink back exhausted. Passengers gathered about,
ready and anxious to relieve him, but it was lit
tie they could do. AT times he would as he
turned his weary head and closed his aching
eyes, mutter-" on, hoiD Sioic-l never shall
see my home ?" About midnight he asked the
conductor how fast they were going 7"
"About thirty miles an hour"


"And am going IlstT get than that ~ he
muttered half une0nscionsly, as he opened his
eyes and turned his head which lay in the lap Of
his sister, he could the better look up into her
mostened eye.


A little past one, he asked his sister the hour.
She told him. A few moments later he reached
out his skeleton hand to place within hers, and
almost whispered, kiss me- sister, before steep,"
and closed his eyes. Slowly the muscles of his
neck relaxed. his head fell gently to one side as
though he were sleeping, his fingers loosed their
scarcely perceptible grasp and he lay there as
quiet n babe on its mothers breast. lie was
dead While the cars were hurriedly bearing
him to the home he so lOnged to see, his spirit,
too impatient to wait the rapid pulsations Of the
engine, had left the body, and gone to find
mother in the invisible world While the cars
were rumbing along at rate of speed fearful
if one stops to think of it, death had overtaken,
entered, and borne off in triumph victim and
hastened on for another one.


There were more tears shed last night than
those that fell like rain from the eyes OF the tired
weared aud loving sister The car seemed to
become still-silent rs death, as kind friends
gently laid his head down from her lap, and led
her weeping away. There were fearful eyes,
moistcned cheeks, and trembling hands, ready to
do all that could be done for the deserted prison
house of flying spirit, and there were kind words
but none too kind, for the sister who now stood
alone in the world. And there were those pres
ent who gladly volunteered to take charge of and
accompany both the dead and living to the home
now comple etely desolate.


They who insist that man is altogether depraved
that there is not somewhere in the heart "A spot
that Is ever alive to sympathy for those in trou-
BILE. should have seen the kindness manifested
last night toward the dying, the dead, and the
heart broken.