Year: 1872

Well no My wife amt dead, sir but I've lost her all
She left me voluntarily, and neither was to blame.
It's rather queer story and think you will agree
When you hear the circumstanees-twas rather rough


on me.
She was a soldiers widow. He was killed at Malvern
And when l married her, she seemed to sorrow for


him still;


to


better wife than Mary was, for five bright years mel
The change of scene brought cheerfulness, and


a rosy glow
OF happiness warmed Mary's checks and melted all


their
! think she loved me some-lm bound to think that
And as for me-I can't begin to tell how loved her!
Three years ago the baby came, humble home to


bless;
And then reckon nigh to perfect happiness;
Twas her's-'twas mine - but | We no language to


explain to you
How that little girls weak fingers hearts together


drew
Once we watched it through fever, and with each


gasping breath.
Dumb with an awful wordless woe. we waited for Its


death;
And though I'm not pious man, souls together
For Heaven to spare darling went up in voiceless


prayer.





words could tell?
Clasped in each others grateful tears togeth


er fell.
Sometimes you the shadow fell across our little
But it only made the sunshine seem doubly welcome
guest.
Work came to me plenty, and kept the anvil ring
Early and late you'd find me there a hammerIng and
singing;
Love nerved my to labor and moved my tongue to
And though my singing wasn't sweet it was almighty
strong!
One day one-rmed stranger stopped to have me nail
shoe,
And while was at work we passed compliment or
two
] asked him how he lost his He said twas shot
At Malvern Hill 'At Malvern Hill! Did you know
Robert May?'
That's me !" said he 'You, you?' l gasped, chok-
ing with hoIrid doubt;
"If you're man. just follow me; We'll try this mys-
terry out
With dizzy steps led him to Mary. God! Twas true!
Then the biterest pangs of misery unspeakable, 1
Frozen with deadly horror, she stared with eyes of
And from her quivering lips there broke, wild
despairng
| Twas he the husband of her youth risen from
the dead,
But all too late and with that bitter cry her senses fed
What could be done? He was reported dead. On his
return
He strove in vain some tdings of his absent wife to


learn.
Twas well that he innocent! Else I'd have killed
him too.
So dead he never would have riz till Gabriels trumpet
Blew
| It was agreed that Mary between US should decide,
! And each by her decision would sacredly abide.
No sinner at the udgment-seat, waited eternal DOOM
Could suffer what did. while waiting sentence in thai
room.
Rigid and breathess there stood, with nerve as
tense as steel.
While Mary's eyes sought each white face in piteous
appeal.
God Could not womans duty be less hardly reconced
| Between her lawful husband and the father of hel


child?
Ah how my heaat was chilled to ice when she knelt


down and said,
! Forgive me, John He is my husband. Here Alive


not dead !"


raised her tendery and tried tell her she was right
But somehow in my aching breast the prisoned words


stuck Tight
But, John, can't leave baby"-''what! Wife and


chd!" cried l
Must yield ALL All. cruel Better that ! should
die,


Think of the long. sad lonely hours waiting in gloom
No wife to cheer me with her love-no babe to clint


my knee!
And yet-you are her mother. and the sacred moth


er-lOve
Is still the purest tenderest tie that Heaven
Take her, but promise, Mary-for that will bring


shame


"My little girl shall BEAR and learn to lisp her father


name ~
1t may be, in the life to come I'll meet my child ant
wife;


But yonder by my cottage gate parted for this life
One long hand-clasp from Mary, and my dream of lt


was dOnei
One long embrce from baby, and my happiness wal


gone!


-RnffnIn Cn1L1ier