Soldiers' record, 1870-02-12

              ONE FLAG, ONE LAND, ONE HEAUT, ONE HAND, ONE NATION, EYEEMOBE1
YOL. II. HARTEORD, OOOT., SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1870. KO. 32.
1)01115 at Dome.
THE LOVE-KNOT.
Tying her bonnet under the chin,
She tied the straying ringlets in :
But not jilone in tlie silken snare
Did she eiiteh lier lovely iioatlng hair ;
For tying lier bonnet under her eliin,
Siie tied a young man's lieart Avithin.
Tliey were strolling together up the hill,
Where tlie windeonies lilowing merry luid chill,
And it blow the curls a frolicsome race
Ail over the ha])py, xjeach-eolored face,
Till, scolding and laughing she tied them in.
Under her beautiful dimpled eliiu.
And it blew a color bright as a bloom.
Of the pinkest fuschia's tossing plume.
All over the cheeks of the pretiiest girl,
That ever imprisoned a roaming curl;
Or, in tying her bonnet under her chiu.
Tied a young man's heurc Avithin.
Steeper and steeper grew the hill,
Madder, merrier, cheerier still.
The western wind blew down and played
The wildest tricks with the little nuiid—
As, tying her bonnet under her chin,
8he tied a young man's heart within.
Oh, western Avind, do you think it Avas fair.
To play snch tricks with her lloatiug hair
To ghulfully, gleefully, do your best
To blow her against the young nam's breast.
Where he has gladly folded her in,
And kissed her mouth and dimpled chin.
Oh, Ellery Vane, you little thought,
An hour ago, when you besought
This country lass to Avalk Avitli you,
After the sun had dried the dcAV,
What perilous danger you'd be in,
As she tied her bouuet under her chin.
THE DOCTOR'S RECOMPENSl').
THE doctor said that she could not live.
But he said it very soiTovvfully,for he bad
known Nelly Starkweather from the time
she was a little wee babe upon her moth-er's
knee until she grew to be the pride
cf Mayville. And now she must die.
Doctor Nagie had hoped when there
was no hope, and withheld the terrible
truth from every one but his good wife :
but the time hud cojne when it would be
a sin to delay it any longer. That night,
as he was leaving to go to the "Elms,"
he said to his wife :
"Befsy, 1 shall tell the old squire the
truth to-night. It is time he knew it, and
God grant that his heart may be soften-ed."
Squire Starliwcather was in his study
when Doctor Nagle arrived, and the ser-vant
showed him up.
Squire Starkweather read in the old
doctor's fiice something of the terrible tid^
ings he had brought, lie crossed the floor
to meet him, and, looking him steadily in
the eye, said :
''What of my daughter ?"
"I can do nothing more, Squire Stark-weather."
The father sank into a chair, asking
pitifully :
"Must she die, Doctor Nagle ?"
"There is only one chance," said the
doctor.
"And that?"
"The broken heart must be mended."
Immediately the scjuire's lace resumed
its cold, determined look.
"In other words, Doctor Nagle, my
daughter must be allowed to marry that
beggar, Walter Welby ?"
"Or die /"
"She were better dead than the wife of
a Welby," said the squire, with a sneer.
"And if this is the medicine you intend to
administer, I can dispense with your ser-vices."
"Stop !"' cried Doctor Nagle. "Don't
you insult me. I have seen enough to set
my blood boiling, and another word fnini
you, anil I will—will—knock—you—
down, right here in youi' own house."
"But "
"Stop your noise !" shouted the doctor,
stepping toward him, and shaking his fat
lists quite menacingly. "I don't fear you,
with all your money, and I could thrash
with a relish. And, mark me, if Nelly
dies, I will proclaim you her murderer /"
Whether the squire was too n^|ch
frightened to speak, or surprised, it is
ditUcult to siiy ; but the fact that he did
not say anything was very patent to Doc-tor
Nagle. He waited awhile for some
answer, but none came, and he turned and
left the room, muttering dire threats a-gainst
his wealthy patron.
Whatever faults Squire Starkweather
possessed, indifference toward his child
was not one of them. Next to his love
of fame and gold ranked his love for his
beautiful daughter ; and the old doctor's
words had at finst nearly crazed him.
When, however, the doctor spoke of
Walter V' elby, he felt sure that he was
only trying to frighten him into a consent
to the m irriage. He, therefore, felt much
relieved ; yet, to assure himself, he went
to the sick-chamber-
The nurse met him at the door.
"How is she, Mrs. Batson ?"
"Sinking rapidly," said the nurse, in
an ominous whisper. "I suppose the doc-tor
told you that he could do no more
The squire, now thoroughly alarmed,
mude no reply, but walked softly to the
bedside. Wheij he looked upon the suf-ferer,
he saw that he had been told the
truth. Even his iron will could not keep
back the groans of agony—perhaps of re-morse
as well.
'•G^iod heavens !" he moaned. "This
must not l)e ! My only child !—my darl-ing
Nellv ! You must not die!—you shall
not!"
"Perhaps, if you would consent "
"Hush, hush ! I kn(AV what you wo^ld
say ; but it will be as well for yoa to leave
it unsaid." ,
"To save her life. Squire Starkweath-er
?"
"Not even for that!" hissed the father.
"I would sbe her buried a hundred times
rather than see her the wife of a Welby!"
"You would not murder your own
child !"
"Who dares to accuse me ?"
"/dare; if Nelly dies"
Like the lion at bay, the old squire turn-ed
upon the faithful nurse ; but she was
busy cooling the fevered brow of her
charge. The sight cooled his anger, and,
without another word, he hastily left the
room, and ordered his horse.
Within fifteen minutes he was standing
in Doctor Naglo's study, waiting for the
old physician to make his appearance. It
seemed to him an age,but at last the doc-tor
came.
"For God's sake, doctor, save my child!"
he entreatea—so humbly that the doctor
pitied him ; yet ho gave him no encour-agement.
"1 can do notiiing."
"You must!'' fairly screamed the fath-er.
"You shall save her!"
' She is beyond my skill," calmly re-plied
the doctor ; "and I advise you to
try another physician."
"Oh, where can I get one, doctoi- ?
None of them would come from the city."
"There is one visiting me now—an old
friend—and well skilled in every disease
of ihis nature. Shall I call him ?"
"Don t lose a moment! Oh, I fear it is
too late!"
Doctor Nagle was gone from the room
but a moment, returning with a white-haired,
ruddy-faced, corpulent old gen-tleman,
whom ho introduced as Doctor
Price.
•'Can you save niy child !" asked the
agonized father, the moment he saw Doc-tor
Price.
"My dear sir, you have asked a ques-tion
tliat it is impossible to answer at the
present time ; but, from what my friend
luis told me, I have strong hopes that 1
can."
"God bless you for those words !" said
the father, more hopefully. "If you do,
1 will give you any pt ice you ask. Any-thing,
everything is yours, if you only
bring my child to life and health."
"I thank you for your generous offer,"
said Doctor I'rice ; ' but my denmnds, if I
succeed, will not bo exorbitant. Perhaijs
I ought to say that, after what you just
said, I shall expect prompt compliance
with whatever demands I may make."
"On my honor as a gentleman," said
the squire.
'T do not doubt it. A.nd now, if you
are ready, I will visit the patient. Doc-tor
Nagle will go with us."
Doctor Price wenli to the sick room a-lone,
leaving Doctor Nagle and the squire
in the library. To Squire Starkweather
ihc time passed very slowly, and more es-pecially
because the old doctor positive-ly
refused to have anything to say to him.
He sat by the window as unconcernedly
as though there was not a Starkweather
lyitig near unto death, Nvhile the terrified
p irent paced the floor with r^pid strides,
ever and anon opening thefdoor, and look-ing
out into the hall to see if Doctor Price
was not coming. At last he came, and
the squire waited, motionless, for him to
speak.
"I can save your daughter," saia Doc-tor
Price, confidently.
Squire Starkweather sank into a seat,
overcome with joy ; and in after years he
spoke of that time as the happiest mo-ment
of his life.
Doctor Price visited his patient daily,
and at the end of a week even Squire
Starkweather's experienced eye saw that
Nelly was much improved, even out of
danger.
When a month had passed. Doctor Price
took his patient to ride with him, and
from that time she improved so fast, that
in two weeks more the doctor pronounced
her as well as ever.
Then he called for a settlement. It
was one evening, and the squire and Nel-ly,
Doctor Price and Doctor Nagle, were
all in the library.
" I surrender my charge to-night," said
Doctor Price, leading Nelly to a seat near
her father. "Have 1 been a faithful stew-ard
T'
" I never can repay you," said the hap-py
father, with much feeling. "No price
that you can name will seem half a recom-pense
for the joy you have given me.-'
"Do not say that," said the doctor, "for
I will tell you that your pleasure is mine
also. I have worked for myself as well
as you, and had I failed, my sorrow would
not have been second even to yours. But,
thank God, I did not fail, and now I de-mand,
with all deference, the reward, for
such I deem it to be."
"Name it," said the squire, "and I will
double it."
"Thank you, squire, but I prefer it sin-gle.
Ail that 1 ask is your consent to
tiie marriage of Walter Welby and Nel-ly
Starkweather."
''Never ! never!" shouted the squire,
' starting to his fee:. "It is alia plot, a
j devilish plot, from beginning to end. I
'never will! Never! never!"
j Doctor Price waited until the first blast
' of fury was soniewlmt SF)e(it, and then
• said calmly, yet none the less determin-edly
:
"Then, Squire Starkweather, I must
take forcible possession of the reward
demanded. Doctor Nagle, please to call
the parson."
"What do you me ai ?" cried the be-wildered
squire.
'•Just what I say," said Doctor Price.
"Walter Welby and Nelly Starkweather
are about to be united in the holy bonds
of matrimony."
"What 1" exclaimed the squire, almost
beside himself with rage and astonish-ment.
"You have the impudence—
"Will you remain and witness the cere-mony,
squire!" interrupted Doctor Nagle.
The squire was so completely astound-ed
at the sight before him, that ho did
not even know that Doctor Nagle spoke.
He saw Doctor Price and Nelly, hands
joined standing before the old parson
while through the open door came guests
to the wedding, until the room was full
lie saw groouisman and bridesmaid, but
among them all he did not see the tace of
Walter Welby.
"Hold !" he shouted. "I forbid this."
"Squire Starkweather, there is one al-ternative,"
said Doctor Price. "I ask
the hand of your daughter."
"For yourself?" asked the squire,
eagerly.
"For myself alone, while life shall last,"
said the doctor, solemnly.
"You are welcome," said the squire,
grasping his hand. "Take her, doctor,
and be happy. And you, my daughter?"
"I thank you, dear father," said she,
putting her arms about his neck. "1 have
learned to love him so much," she whis-pered.
"I knew your heart wasn't broken !"
exclaimed the squire, triumphantly.
''Well, well, let us have it done with. Go
on, parson."
No second bidding was needed, and
the twain were speedily made one.
"I wonder where Waiter Welby is
now ?" asked the squire, rubbing his hands
with immense satisfaction. "Ah, Nelly?"
"Here he is !" said Doctor Price, tear-mg
ofl the disguise which had served
him so well.
"Duped, by—thunder," moaned the
poor old squire. And the expression of
his face was ludicrous in the extreme,
convulsing the guests with uproarous
laughter, in which the entrapped father
was at last forced to join.
'"Walter, here's my band," said the
squire, approaching his son in-law. "I
have always heard that the Welbys were
fools, but I have learned my mistake. I
have only to say, that as I cannot double
the ' p r i c e , w i l l add to i: fifty thousand
dollars."
THE OLD STOBY.
When A'isions of her face came o'er me.
Of her sweet lace so far aAvay,
I say Avhat lovers said before me.
What lovers Avill forever say:
That llowers bloom sweeter for her being.
That birds sing sweeter for her setsing
That grass is greener, skies more blue.
That all things take'a richer hue.
Lovers have said those things before;
Lovers Avill say them evermore.
0 sweet young love, that in all ages
Boars ever one eternal form !
With lasting youth your oldest pages
GIOAV ever, ever tVesh and Avarm.
0 dear old story, ever yomig ! .
Poets have painted, artists sung ; •
Sure, naught in life is half so sAveet;
Death cannot make you incomplete.
Lovers have said these things before,
Lovers Avill say them evermore.
MR STANTON AS A MINISTER OP W A R .—
That Mr. Stanton was an active, zealous,
and successful war minister no one will
deny. On one memorable occasion his
firmness saved the Western army from
destruction. It was after the battle of
Chickamauga, when theanny of Rosecrans
was in great peril. A Cabinet meeting
was called at midnight. The President,
Seward, Chase, Stanton, and Halleck
were present. Stanton vehemently urged
the immediate reinforcement of llosecrans
by troops from Meade's army. The Pres-ident
and General Halleck were not in-clined
to weaken Meade in order to
strengtheu Rosecrans. Seward and
Chase Avere with Stanto^^. The latier
asked Halleck how many men could be
sent to Rosecrans iii ten days.
"Thirty thousand, if all other transpor-tation
is stopped," was the answer.
"In fiv(^ days 7" asked Stanton.
"Thirteen thousand."
"They must go: Meade can spare
t'lem—he must spare thein The Western
army must be saved."
The next day thirteen thousand men
from Meade's army were sent West un-der
General Hooker. Rosecrans was
relieved. This is the way Stanto)i saved
the army of the West,
Wealth bears more heavily on talent
than on poverty; under gold mountain's
and thrones, who knows how many a
spiritual giant may lie crushed and
buried.