Year: 1876




then said:


Il waited patiently three days for an
answer, but none came. Then waited
a week, a month, and then she resigned
and went home. I dared not make any
inquiry of her meantime, though I did
write confidentially to the postmaster
at Rockville, and learned that he had
himself delivered the letter into her
hands. saw how it was; she could
not accept me and was too kind to tell
me SO. went into the army when the
war broke out, but returned home on a
furlough in 1868. learned that Helen
had married her cousin few months
before, and had removed to Iowa. I
was resolved to make the best of it and
be man, You see how well have
succeeded" he said, smiling sadly.
"Just before my furlough was out, l
took copy of . morning paper pub
lished in the city where l had been
formerly employed, and started
on seeing my own name. At
first I thought l had been accidentally
included in a list of killed and wound
ed. hastily turned the paper to read
the heading, and my heart sank within
me. Through hot, binding tears,
which could not stay, 1 read the sad,
sad story that made me what am. A
Post-office. clerk had been arrested for
robbing the mails; in his room were
found unendorsed, and therefore useless
checks, and among other things the
account said, personal letters to the
following named addresses. Then
followed list of hundred or more
names, among which was mine. l
took the first train to -, and apply
ing at Police Headquarters, obtained
my letter. It was as I had feared-it
was her letter accepting me as
her husband. I crushed it in my
hands, and crying, sOh! God, too
late, too late!' fell swooning on the
floor. A few weeks later, went back
to my post in the army. My comrades
said was the bravest man they had
ever seen. l rushed into the thickest
of the fight, and feared nothing. /
courted an honorable death, but bullets
whistled by me, shells burst by my side,
killing men by the dozen. The fever
broke out in our regiment, and fifty
men died in one week, but l lived on.
Promotion followed promotion, and at
last, to please my mother, | resigned
my commission, stayed at home q
month, and finally promised to keep
out of the army on condition that I
should resume work at my old business
wherever l could find it. Since then l
have been in Canada, and finally drift
ed here to be nearer home. Now, John,
let me tell you here that"


"Mr. Phipps, answer Washington for
specials, please" called out night-Man-
ager Marks, from the switch, and the
story was ended.


The thread thus broken was never
taken up again, and by some indefina-
BILE understanding between us, l guard
ed his secret as jealously as if it were l
who had loved and lost, and hencefor-
ward neither of us mentioned it.


l left New York soon after this and
never saw George Phipps again until /
stood one August day two years later
in a small Connecticut town, and look
ed down upon all that was mortal of
him as he lay in his coffin. His sweet
face was as natural as in life, and
scarcely any paler. His mother stood
by and reverently kissed his brow again
and again, while the sturdy frame OF
his grand old father trembled like a
reed shaken in the wind as he gazed
fondly and tearfully upon the dead.
There were not many particulars of his
death to be obtained. I doubted if any
one except the old pastor knew of his
love and the suffering he had under
gone.


"He came home,'' said his mother,
"about month ago looking no worse
than usual, but he shortly began to fail
perceptibly day by day. The doctor
came and prescribed a change of air,
but George said he would be bet.
ter soon, and begged to remain
quietly where he was. One
afternoon he walked out under
the elms and laid down in the ham.
mock. At six o'clock I went out and
asked him to return to the house. Ht
said Not yet, mother. It is delightful
here, the breeze refreshes me, and
feel perfectly easy and content. I vii
remain where l am, thank you, an(
watch the sun go down. When the SUI
had set I went out again, butt" sh'
added, in a breaking though sweetl.
musical voice, like Georges, "my bo.
had gone to rest with the sun who's
downward course he watched"


The minister came and preached tn
customary sermon, ranking the dea'
man with


ssMen whose lives glide on like rivers that wate
the woodlands


Darkened by shadows Of earth. but rejecting 81


image Of heaven"


The modest cortege moved away, an


George Phipps was laid to rest in sol
i itaru grave beneath the murmurinj