Year: 1863

1
| /, hastily features.


"Yes," said the man in thick tones
there's one woman, with Title boy
and gill way up among the New H'mp
shire mountains, and it will ME kill them
to hear Of fthis," and then the man groan
ed out in bitter anguish, "Oh, God, have
pity on my wiz aud children !"


And the other drew closer to him.


And away down among The cotton.
fields Of Georgia, there's a woman and a
little girl, whose heart will break when
they hear what this day has done," and
then The cry wrung itself sharper out Of
his heart, "Oh, God, have pity on
them -


And from that moment the Northern
or and Southerner ceased to be foes.
The thought of those distant homes on
whom the anguish was soon TO fall drew
them close together in that last hour and
the two wept like children. And at last
the Northerner spoke, taking more to
himself than anything else, and he did
not know the other was listening greedi-
TO every word.


"She used TO come--my little girl
bless her heart-every night to meet me
when | come home from the fields and
she would stand under the great plum
tree, that's just beyond the back door al
home, with sunlight making a yellow
crown of her golden curls, and the laugh
'ancing in her eyes, when she heard the
click Of the gate | see her there now.
and I'd take her in my arms, aud she'd
put up her little red lips for kiss but
my lirlle girl will never watch under lhr
old plum tree by the WELL for her father
again. | shall never hear the cry of iov
as she catches a glimrse OF me at the
gate-I shall never see her little feet
running over the grass to spring into my
arms again "


And" said the Souherner, " there's
a little brown-eved. brown haired girl
that used to watch in the cool afternoons
for her father when he came in from his
visit to the plantations--I can see her
sweet little face shining out now from the
roses That covered the pillars. and her
shouts of joy as | bounded from my
horse and chased her little flving feet.
and the loud laugh, up and down tie
verandah.


But, my darling, you viii never watch
again among the roses for your father.
and you and he will never 90 laughing
and romping up and down the old yer
andah again -


And the Northerner drew nearer to
he Saulherner, and The hot tears stood
on his cold cheeks as he said


" Friend may God have pity on our
falherless children


Amen" said the other fervenllv.


And the Norlherner spoke now in n
husky whisper, Tor the eyes of The dying
men were glazing fast


" We lave fought like brave men to
gether. We are going before God in a
little while Letus forgive each other +"


The Southerner tried TO speak, but the
sound died away in gurgle from his
white lips; but he took the hand of his
fallen foe, and the siifiened fingers closed
tight over it, and his last look was a
smile of forgiveness aud of peace. And
when the next mornings sun walked up
the gray stars Of the dawn. touched with
pink, it looked down and saw two foes
lying dead, with their hands casped in
each Others, by the stream which ran
close to the battle field.


And the litlle girl with golden hair.
under the plum tree among The hills OF
New Hampshire. and he lirtle girl with
bright brown hair that waited bv the
roses among the green plains Of Georgia,
were falherless.


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