Year: 1868

ing angels, calling to the house Of prayer. Ever
now, in that far off village where he first saw the
light, and where so many tender associations calico
his thoughts hanging in its old weather beaten
belfy, that old bell, whose tones were 50 well re
membered, and which, even now, seemed lingering
in his ear, were calling his friends and kindred te
the old familiar church of bis childhood's days
Oh blessed Sabbath bells; who can hear then
mellow tones floating out upon the Silly an, anc
not feel his bosom stirred with tender, and prayer
full, and delightful emotions? They carry us back
to the comparatively innocent days Of boyhood,
when life was all blessedness and hope, and the
knee bowed down toexpress the love and gratitude,
and not to give utteraBcs to the pain, the agony,
and the humiliation Of wounded and suffering
heart. There is soothing sweetness still In then
tones. They seem to be ever telling us OF q time
when hushed feet shall gather around an open
grave, waiting for its tenant, and when "a place
where the weary are at rest, shall be found for


Victor listened to the soothing tones the bells,
as child to the lullaby Of mothers voice. They
tranquiized bis spirit, and under their soothing In
fuence, he again sank into a calm slumber, which
was better than an opiate for his feeble and e1-
hausted frame. 1'"' .... '.,.


He did not want for skilfal care and attentive
nursing DR.. Griffith visited him twice day, and
some member of this hospitable family, either MIR.
Dsnvers himself, his wife, his daughter Sue, or,
better still, Nellie herself she could be
spared from her fathers side-was in constant at
tendance upon him, ike ministering angels, antcl-
pating all his wants and attending to his comfort.


Monday came, and Victor having gained some
what in strength, was keenly soicitous to gain ev-
ery information which could be obtained of the fate
of his comrades and the movements of the armies.
The Confederate force to the surprise Of every one,
had fallen back, after two desperate and successful
encounters, to the hue of Swift Greek, but three
miles from the city; and the enemy, without at
tempting to force their line, had followed them up
and lay in heavy force in their front The fate OF
the hospitable city, where Victor lay, still depend
ed upon the wager Of battle. On the day Of which
We are speaking when Victor, for the first time
since he was wounded, began to manifest an inter-
est in everything around him, the Confederates
having again put their army in fighting trim, and
disposed of their wounded, began to mediate a
forward movement The odds against them were
stn too heavy, but, like game cocks in the pit after
a short breathing spell, they dashed upon the foe
with determination to conquer or die.


It was about eleven o'clock, in the forenoon,
when heavy cannonadipg in the direction Of the
crossing of the creek announced that the nai strug
ole for the possession of the city had begun 1t
soon became known throughout the city that the
Confederates were making desperate assault upon
the enemy's lines. Expectation and anxiety had
reached their height. There were anxious listen
ers in ali the balconies and windows Of the houses
that looked towards the spot where the contest,
that concerned them all 50 deeply, was going on.
Silent tear drops were falling to the earth and ST.
lent prayers were ascending to Heaven from many
of those pale groups that listened to the sounds OF
the conflict, where sons, brothers, kinsmen and
countrymen, were struggling for the safety OF the
city and its inhabitants, with heroic disregard OF
death that, in olden times, would have ranked
them among demi-gods.


Victor was lying in bed with flush upon his
cheek, and an excitement in his eye, that gave
him almost the appearance of health He moved
his head restlessly on his pillow, and his eye wan
dered, now and then, to fair GIRL on the farther
side of the apartment, who sat by the open window,
leaning her cheek upon her hand, so as to hide
from him the tears that tricked silently down her
cheeks. Her feelings were stirred to their depths:
Each passing breeze brought to her ears the sound
of artillery, mingled, now and then, with Volleys
of musketry. Her tears were not those OF seihsn'
ness. She thought far less of the danger to her
self, of the desolation of her home, and OF the
ruin of the fair city where she dwelt, than Of the
heroism and selfsacriGce Of the brave men, who
were at that time pouring out their fe-blood freely
and generously for their affairs and their tiredes
Her tears were such as an angel might weep, look
ing down upon men dying heroically in cause the
most holy and just.


There were no tears upon Victor cheek, but a
hectic SPOT glowed there which told how trying IT
was to his manly nature to be confined to his couch,
when his comrades were engaged in all the perils
and excitement of the conflict. At the first sound
that told the fight had begun, he raised his head
impatiently from his pillow, and looking earnestly
around him, sighed and sank back despairingly
Asthe fight became eearnest, his pulse throbbeo
with feverish impetuosity Now and then, he ex
changed few words with Nellie, who sat by the
window listening to all the sounds indicating the
propress of the battle, but the feelings OF both
were too much absorbed in the conflict, to allow
the interchange of many words, except IN regarc
to the event in progress, to which the thoughts o.
thousands in hearing of fthecannonade were turned
Daring that long afternoon, Nellie sat in his cham
Der, catching the broken expressions from his te
vered lips as he uttered his ongings to be by the
side of his comrades and share their fate


The fight at length ceased, and twilightcame
softly down. Riders came galloping along the
street from the scene of the bloody drama and re-
ported the result, as they drew rein for moment
to reply to some hoary headed patriarch or anxious
matron, posted upon the sidewalk by the gate, te
enquire the news from the field. One such rldel
paused at the gate of the family mansion where
Victor lay, to reply to an earnest questoner. Ihe
enquiry had been made in low tone, but In the
stiffness and hush of that hour of twilight every
word of the reply fell upon Victor's ear with dis
tinctness.


sWe have beaten the enemy this time-you may
safely swear to that! We lost heavily-some com
panies swept almost entirely away but the enemy
have no heart to stand up any longer against sucl
desperate fighting. They say they are fighting
devils and not men. They are dispirited and broker
down, and are in full retreat along the road the!
came. They have given up the fight for the city
and are off-bag and baggage. 1have been at m