THE CAPTAIN'S WIFE.

BY THEODORE TILTON.

one morning,

distant, in an open field, a party of staff officers and civilians were suddenly startled by a stray shell from the enemy, which dropped about a hundred feet from them. It was followed by WE gathered roses, Blanche and I, for little Madge, another which fell still nearer, and the group broke up and scattered with great alacrity. "Why," remarked Sumner, with a peculiar smile, "the shells excite a good deal of commotion among those young gentlemen!" The idea which seemed to amuse him was that anybody should be disconcerted by shells.

At Fredericksburg, by the express order of Burnside, Sumner remained on this side of the river during the fighting. The precaution probably saved his life. Had he ridden with his usual rashness out on that fiery front, he had never returned to tell what he saw. Still, he chafed sadly under the restriction. As the sun went down on that day of glorious but fruitless endeavor, he paced to and fro in front of the Lacey House with one arm thrown around the neck of his son, his face haggard with sorrow and anxiety, and his eyes straining eagerly for the arrival of each successive messenger.

He was a man of high ambition. Once, hearing Gen. Howard remark that he did not aspire to the command of a corps, he exclaimed: "General, you surprise me. I would command the world, if I could!" But it was the ambition of a soldier and a patriot. He gave to his superiors not merely lip-service, but zealous, hearty, untiring co-operation. It was a point of honor with him, even when he believed them mistaken or incompetent, never to breathe a word to their disparagement.

"I am a soldier's wife," said Blanche, "and dread a soldier's fate!".

Her voice a little trembled then, as under some forewarning,

A soldier galloped up the lane, and halted at the gatc.

"Which house is Malcolm Blake's?" he cried, — “a

letter for his sister!"

And when I thanked him, Blanche inquired, "But none for me, his wife?"

The soldier played with Madge's curls, and stooping
over, kissed her:

"Your father was my captain, child;
him as my life!"

I loved

"Read quick, dear May, -read all, I pray, and let me understand!"

did not read it as it stood, but tempered so the phrases

As not at first to hint the worst, held back the

And

half re-told his gallant charge, his shouts, his
fatal word,
comrades' praises, -

When, like a statue carved in stone, she neither spoke nor stirred !

He was sometimes called arbitrary; but he had I great love for his soldiers, especially his old companions in arms. One of his officers tell a laughable story of applying to him for a ten days' furlough, when the rule against them was imperative. Sumner peremptorily refused it. But the officer sat down beside him, and began to talk about the Peninsula campaign, the battles in which he had done his duty, immediately under Oh! Sumner eye; and it was not many minutes before the General granted his petition. "If he had only waited," said the narrator, “until I reminded him of some scenes at Antietam, I am sure he would have given me twenty days instead of ten."

He possessed great kindness of heart: he was intrinsically a gentleman - an example which some of our Major-Generals might study to advantage. His intercourse with women and children was characterized by peculiar chivalry and gentleness. There was much about him to revive the old ideal of the soldier-terrible in battle, but with a heart open and tender as a child's.

never yet a woman's heart was frozen so completely!

So unbaptized with helping tears ! - -so passionless Spell-bound she stood, and motionless and dumb!

I

Madge spoke sweetly:

till little

"Dear mother, is the battle done? - and will my father come?

laid my finger on her lips, and set the child to play

ing;

Poor Blanche! the winter in her cheek was snowy,

like her name!

What could she do but kneel and pray?— and linger at her praying?

O Christ, when other heroes die, moan other wives the same?

other women's hearts yet break, to keep the cause from failing?

God pity our brave lovers then, who face the bat tle's blaze!

To his youngest son-a captain upon his staff-he was bound by ties of unusual affection. Must "Sammy" was his constant companion; in private he leaned upon him, caressed him, and consulted him upon the most trivial matters. It was a touching bond which united the gray, war-worn veteran to the child of his old age.

And pity wives in widowhood! — But is it unavailing?

--

O Lord, give Freedom first, then Peace, and unto Thee be praise!

A There was much confusion and exciting debate for a while. Some thought it necessary to surrender, and some did not. It was midnight, and no definite understanding was come to. General Floyd, seeing this, dismissed the council, requesting Pillow and Buckner to remain. The three sat down gloomily by the fire to ponder over the sad aspect of affairs. A long silence ensued.

AN INCIDENT OF THE BATTLE FIELD. writer in the "Congregationalist" tells this: Returning, we saw a newly opened grave. It was for a Michigan boy of eighteen, who had been shot down by the side of his father, who was a private in the same company. The father sat beside the grave, carving his boy's name upon a rude head-board. It was his first-born. I took him by the hand, and gave him all my heart; offered a prayer, which brother Holmes followed with appropriate words. There was no coffin, but a few pieces of board were laid in the bottom of the grave, between the body and the bare ground.

"Well, gentlemen,” said Floyd, “I see you are still divided, and as I have the casting vote, I will settle the matter at once. I favor a surrender myself, provided the duty does not devolve upon me. I cannot surrender, because the United States Government have indicted me for treason, Wrap him in this blanket," said the father; and the probability is that if they were to get me "it is one his sister sent him. Ah! me, how will they would hang me. So you see the thing is they bear it at home? What will his poor impossible. I transfer the command to you, Genmother do? She must have a lock of his hair!" eral."

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"Well, gentlemen, it remains with us to decide this matter, and we must do it at once. It is now midnight, and if we retreat we haven't got a minute to lose."

"I say retreat," said Pillow.

I stooped to cut the lock with my penknife, when a soldier came forward with a pair of scissors from his little "housewife." My heart blessed the Sabbath-school child who had made that timely gift. And so, having rendered the last offices of faith and affection, we laid the brave "I say surrender! We have shed enough boy in his grave, while the cannon was still roar-blood already to no purpose," said Buckner. ing the doom of others, young and brave, whom we had just left on the field.

A STORY OF GENERAL GRANT. A visitor to the army called upon him one morning, and found the General sitting in his tent smoking, and talking to one of his staff-officers. The stranger approached the chieftain, and inquired of him as follows::

6

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Well, gentlemen," said Pillow, "I'm in the same fix as yourself. The Yankees have got me indicted for shipping guns and munitions of war to the Confederate Government. So you see I can't surrender either; they would hang me as quick as they would you, and if you are excusable I guess I am too. So I transfer my right of command to you, General Buckner."

General Buckner bowed, but said nothing. At that moment a noise was heard without. The "General, if you flank Lee, and get between door opened, and the courier announced an him and Richmond, will you not uncover Wash-officer who desired admittance. He was ordered ington,' and leave it a prey to the enemy?" to show him in, and the next moment Colonel General Grant, discharging a cloud of smoke, Forrest, all splashed with mud and water, with with a "silver lining," from his mouth, indif- high topped boots and an old slouched hat, made ferently replied, "Yes, I reckon so." his appearance. He walked to the fireplace and re-seated himself without saying a word." After a few moments Floyd said:

Stranger, encouraged by the reply he thus ceived, propounded question number two, "General, do you not think Lee can detach sufficient force from his army to reinforce Beauregard and overwhelm Butler?"

"Not a doubt of it," replied the General. Stranger, becoming fortified by his success, propounded question number three, as follows,

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General, is there not danger that Johnston may come up and reinforce Lee, so that the latter will swing around and cut your communications and seize your supplies?

"Very likely," was the cool reply of the General, as he knocked the ashes from the end of his cigar with his little finger.

Stranger, horrified at the awful fate about to befall General Grant and the army, made his exit and hastened to Washington to communicate the "news."

"Well, Colonel, have you anything important to communicate that you come here at this late hour, or has your curiosity led you to pay us this visit in order to find out what we have decided upon?"

"Both," replied Forrest, dryly; then rising from his chair, he said:

"But is it possible, gentlemen, as I have already heard whispered this night, that you intend to surrender?"

"Yes," was the reply. "We have just arrived at that conclusion.”

"But," said Forrest, "there is no occasion for it, gentlemen; the whole army can easily escape without the loss of a man; not an hour ago I crossed the river on my horse where it was not waist deep. I crossed it going on horseback, and waded it coming back. It is free from Yankee pickets also, and there is no danger to be feared."

"Yes; but, Colonel," said General Floyd," my scouts have reconnoitred the entire river, and an officer who arrived not half an hour ago told me