FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82  
83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   >>   >|  
he again presented himself to his mistress, came Julius, the bearer of a message in whose persuasive power he himself had little hope. Defeated, wounded, dying, her husband called this second time to her. The slave, this day a freeman by all writs and rights, ascended again to her apartment when the order of release had been received. Surprise awaited him. Alas, what it says for us! our heroes, who have surely the right of unlimited expectations, are as likely to be surprised by heroic demonstrations as the dullest soul that never strove for aught except its paltry starving self. But the hero surprised is not surprised into uncomprehending wonder, but rather into smiles, or tears, or heartrending, out of which comes thankfulness. Yet a bitter word escaped him; he could deem even Liberty guilty of an injustice, when she was involved in the judgment that awaits the guilty. As if never before under the government of God it was known that the overthrow of evil involved sorrow, aye, and temporal ruin, aye, and sometimes death, to God's very angels! But to that word she answered,-- "Hush! I have been among friends,--even though some believed I was their enemy in disguise. I have nothing to complain of. Duties must be done. But, Julius, you have come to tell me of your master. Tell me, then." "Such news, Madam, as you will not like to hear, though I have travelled with it night and day. Colonel Von Gelhorn sent me. He said I would be in time. I didn't wait to hear him say that twice." "_He_ sent you? Where, then, is my husband?" "He is a prisoner, Madam." "A prisoner! Whose?" "Colonel Von Gelhorn's." Was it satisfaction that filled the silence following this question? "But safe? but well, Julius?" "No, Madam, not safe nor well." "Wounded? Julius, speak! Why must I ask these dreadful questions? Tell what you came to tell." "He is wounded, Madam. He has never been taken away from the church where I carried him first after he fell. He had three horses shot under him. Oh, Madam, if it hadn't been for him, his whole army would have been lost! He wants you now." "Let us go, then. Guide me. The shortest way. You're a free man, Julius. Act like one, freely. Wounded,--Von Gelhorn's prisoner. Then at last he's mine again!" * * * * * Hers again! In the church she found him. In her arms he died. And he said,--nor let us think it was with coward weakness blenching bef
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82  
83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Julius

 

Gelhorn

 

prisoner

 

surprised

 

wounded

 

husband

 

guilty

 
involved
 

church

 

Wounded


Colonel
 

question

 

silence

 

master

 
filled
 
satisfaction
 

travelled

 

freely

 

shortest

 

coward


weakness

 

blenching

 

questions

 

dreadful

 
carried
 

horses

 

surely

 
unlimited
 

expectations

 

heroes


awaited

 

paltry

 

starving

 

strove

 

heroic

 

demonstrations

 

dullest

 

Surprise

 
received
 

Defeated


persuasive

 

presented

 

mistress

 

bearer

 

message

 

called

 

ascended

 

apartment

 
release
 

rights