Year: 1864

that ineXolerable necessity OF war which
made each man the slayer of the other
OF last one spoke.


"There's some folks IN The world that
will feel worse, | 'spose, because you've
got out of iti"


A spasm of pain was on the bronzed,
ghastly features.


eyes," said the man, IN thick tones,
"there's one woman with little boy and
girl, way up among the New Hampshire
mountains, that it'll well nigh kill to
hear of this" and then the man groaned
in bitter anguish. "Oh God have mercy
upon my wife and children"


And the other drew closer to him.


"And away down among the cotton
fields of Georgia, there's woman and a
little boy whose hearts will break when
they hear what this day has done,"-and
the cry rung itself sharply out of his heart,
"Oh God have pity on them"


And from that moment thev both
caesed to be foes. The thought Of those
distant homes on whom the anguish was
so soon to fall, drew them close together
in that last hour, and the two men wept
like children. And at last the northener
spoke, talking more to himself than any
one else, and he did not know that the
other was listening greedily 10 every
word


"She used 10 come--mv little girl
bless her heart every night TO meet me
when l come home from the fields; and
she would stand under the great plum
tree, that's just beyond the back door, at
home, with the sunlight making yellow
crown in her golden curls, and the laugh
dancing in her eyes, when she heard the
click of the gate. / see her there now,
and I'd take her in my arms, and she'd
put up her little red lips for kiss; but
my little girl will never watch under the
old plum tree by the well for her father
again. / shall never see her little feet
running over the grass to spring into my
arms, again"


"And," said the southerner "thcre's
little brown-eyed, brown-haired girl,
that used to watch in the cool afternoons
for her father when he rode 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
shout of Joy as l bounded from my horse
and chased the little flying feet and the
loud laugh up and down the verandah.-
But, my darling, your bright little face
will grow pale with watching among the
roses for your father, and be and you will
never 90 laughing and romping up and
down the old vcrandah again"


And the northeuer drew near to the
southerner, and the hot tears stood on
his cold cheeks as he saidi


Friend, may God have pity on our
fatherless childrenW


"Amen," said the southerncr fervently.
And the northener spoke now, in husky
whisper, for the eyes of the dying man
were CHASING fast.


1--WE have fought like brave men TO-
gether. We are going before God in a
little while. Let us forgive each other"


The southerner now tried to speak, but
the sound died away in q gurgle from his
white lips; but he took the hand Of his
fallen foe, and his stiffening fingers closed
tight over il, and bis last look was smile
of forgiviness and peace. And when the
next mornings sun walked up the gray
stairs of the dawn, touched with pink, it
looked down and saw the two foes lying
dead with their hands clasped in each
other, by the stream which ran close by the
battle field.


And the little girl with golden hair
that watched under the plum, tree among
the hills of New Hampshire, and the lit
tie girl with bright brown hair that wait
ed by the roses among the green plains
of Georgia, were fatherless.