passages from an old volume of life-第7章

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ey　tramped　so　wearily　along；　yet　there　was　rest　and　kind　nursing　in　store　for　them。　These　wounds　they　bore　would　be　the　medals　they　would　show　their　children　and　grandchildren　by　and　by。　　Who　would　not　rather　wear　his　decorations　beneath　his　uniform　than　on　it？

Yet　among　them　were　figures　which　arrested　our　attention　and　sympathy。　　Delicate　boys；　with　more　spirit　than　strength；　flushed　with　fever　or　pale　with　exhaustion　or　haggard　with　suffering；　dragged　their　weary　limbs　along　as　if　each　step　would　exhaust　their　slender　store　o￡　strength。　　At　the　roadside　sat　or　lay　others；　quite　spent　with　their　journey。　　Here　and　there　was　a　house　at　which　the　wayfarers　would　stop；　in　the　hope；　I　fear　often　vain；　of　getting　refreshment；　and　in　one　place　was　a　clear；　cool　spring；　where　the　little　bands　of　the　long　procession　halted　for　a　few　moments；　as　the　trains　that　traverse　the　desert　rest　by　its　fountains。　　My　companions　had　brought　a　few　peaches　along　with　them；　which　the　Philanthropist　bestowed　upon　the　tired　and　thirsty　soldiers　with　a　satisfaction　which　we　all　shared。　　I　had　with　me　a　small　flask　of　strong　waters；　to　be　used　as　a　medicine　in　case　of　inward　grief。　　From　this；　also；　he　dispensed　relief；　without　hesitation；　to　a　poor　fellow　who　looked　as　if　he　needed　it。　　I　rather　admired　the　simplicity　with　which　he　applied　my　limited　means　of　solace　to　the　first…comer　who　wanted　it　more　than　I；　a　genuine　benevolent　impulse　does　not　stand　on　ceremony；　and　had　I　perished　of　colic　for　want　of　a　stimulus　that　night；　I　should　not　have　reproached　my　friend　the　Philanthropist；　any　more　than　I　grudged　my　other　ardent　friend　the　two　dollars　and　more　which　it　cost　me　to　send　the　charitable　message　he　left　in　my　hands。

It　was　a　lovely　country　through　which　we　were　riding。　　The　hillsides　rolled　away　into　the　distance；　slanting　up　fair　and　broad　to　the　sun；　as　one　sees　them　in　the　open　parts　of　the　Berkshire　Valley；　at　Lanesborough；　for　instance；　or　in　the　many…hued　mountain　chalice　at　the　bottom　of　which　the　Shaker　houses　of　Lebanon　have　shaped　themselves　like　a　sediment　of　cubical　crystals。　　The　wheat　was　all　garnered；　and　the　land　ploughed　for　a　new　crop。　　There　was　Indian　corn　standing；　but　I　saw　no　pumpkins　warming　their　yellow　carapaces　in　the　sunshine　like　so　many　turtles；　only　in　a　single　instance　did　I　notice　some　wretched　little　miniature　specimens　in　form　and　hue　not　unlike　those　colossal　oranges　of　our　cornfields。　　The　rail　fences　were　somewhat　disturbed；　and　the　cinders　of　extinguished　fires　showed　the　use　to　which　they　had　been　applied。　　The　houses　along　the　road　were　not　for　the　most　part　neatly　kept；　the　garden　fences　were　poorly　built　of　laths　or　long　slats；　and　very　rarely　of　trim　aspect。　　The　men　of　this　region　seemed　to　ride　in　the　saddle　very　generally；　rather　than　drive。　　They　looked　sober　and　stern；　less　curious　and　lively　than　Yankees；　and　I　fancied　that　a　type　of　features　familiar　to　us　in　the　countenance　of　the　late　John　Tyler；　our　accidental　President；　was　frequently　met　with。　　The　women　were　still　more　distinguishable　from　our　New　England　pattern。　　Soft；　sallow；　succulent；　delicately　finished　about　the　mouth　and　firmly　shaped　about　the　chin；　dark…eyed；　full…throated；　they　looked　as　if　they　had　been　grown　in　a　land　of　olives。　　There　was　a　little　toss　in　their　movement；　full　of　muliebrity。　　I　fancied　there　was　something　more　of　the　duck　and　less　of　the　chicken　about　them；　as　compared　with　the　daughters　of　our　leaner　soil；　but　these　are　mere　impressions　caught　from　stray　glances；　and　if　there　is　any　offence　in　them；　my　fair　readers　may　consider　them　all　retracted。

At　intervals；　a　dead　horse　lay　by　the　roadside；　or　in　the　fields；　unburied；　not　grateful　to　gods　or　men。　　I　saw　no　bird　of　prey；　no　ill…omened　fowl；　on　my　way　to　the　carnival　of　death；　or　at　the　place　where　it　had　been　held。　　The　vulture　of　story；　the　crow　of　Talavera；　the　〃twa　corbies〃　of　the　ghastly　ballad；　are　all　from　Nature；　doubtless；　but　no　black　wing　was　spread　over　these　animal　ruins；　and　no　call　to　the　banquet　pierced　through　the　heavy…laden　and　sickening　air。

Full　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　caring　little　for　whom　or　what　they　met；　came　long　strings　of　army　wagons；　returning　empty　from　the　front　after　supplies。　　James　Grayden　stated　it　as　his　conviction　that　they　had　a　little　rather　run　into　a　fellow　than　not。　　I　liked　the　looks　of　these　equipages　and　their　drivers；　they　meant　business。　　Drawn　by　mules　mostly；　six；　I　think；　to　a　wagon；　powdered　well　with　dust；　wagon；　beast；　and　driver；　they　came　jogging　along　the　road；　turning　neither　to　right　nor　left；some　driven　by　bearded；　solemn　white　men；　some　by　careless；　saucy…looking　negroes；　of　a　blackness　like　that　of　anthracite　or　obsidian。　　There　seemed　to　be　nothing　about　them；　dead　or　alive；　that　was　not　serviceable。　　Sometimes　a　mule　would　give　out　on　the　road；　then　he　was　left　where　he　lay；　until　by　and　by　he　would　think　better　of　it；　and　get　up；　when　the　first　public　wagon　that　came　along　would　hitch　him　on；　and　restore　him　to　the　sphere　of　duty。

It　was　evening　when　we　got　to　Middletown。　　The　gentle　lady　who　had　graced　our　homely　conveyance　with　her　company　here　left　us。　　She　found　her　husband；　the　gallant　Colonel；　in　very　comfortable　quarters；　well　cared　for；　very　weak　from　the　effects　of　the　fearful　operation　he　had　been　compelled　to　undergo；　but　showing　calm　courage　to　endure　as　he　had　shown　manly　energy　to　act。　　It　was　a　meeting　full　of　heroism　and　tenderness；　of　which　I　heard　more　than　there　is　need　to　tell。　　Health　to　the　brave　soldier；　and　peace　to　the　household　over　which　so　fair　a　spirit　presides！

Dr。　Thompson；　the　very　active　and　intelligent　surgical　director　of　the　hospitals　of　the　place；　took　me　in　charge。　　He　carried　me　to　the　house　of　a　worthy　and　benevolent　clergyman　of　the　German　Reformed　Church；　where　I　was　to　take　tea　and　pass　the　night。　　What　became　of　the　Moravian　chaplain　I　did　not　know；　but　my　friend　the　Philanthropist　had　evidently　made　up　his　mind　to　adhere　to　my　fortunes。　　He　followed　me；　therefore；　to　the　house　of　the　〃Dominie。〃　as　a　newspaper　correspondent　calls　my　kind　host；　and　partook　of　the　fare　there　furnished　me。　　He　withdrew　with　me　to　the　apartment　assigned　for　my　slumbers；　and　slept　sweetly　on　the　same　pillow　where　I　waked　and　tossed。　　Nay；　I　do　affirm　that　he　did；　unconsciously；　I　believe；　encroach　on　that　moiety　of　the　couch　which　I　had　flattered　myself　was　to　be　my　own　through　the　watches　of　the　night；　and　that　I　was　in　serious　doubt　at　one　time　whether　I　should　not　be　gradually；　but　irresistibly；　expelled　from　the　bed　which　I　had　supposed　destined　for　my　sole　possession。　　As　Ruth　clave　unto　Naomi；　so　my　friend　the　Philanthropist　clave　unto　me。　　〃Whither　thou　goest；　I　will　go；　and　where　thou　lodgest；　I　will　lodge。〃　　A　really　kind；　good　man；　full　of　zeal；　determined　to　help　somebody；　and　absorbed　in　his　one　thought；　he　doubted　nobody's　willingness　to　serve　him；　going；　as　he　was；　on　a　purely　benevolent　errand。　　When　he　reads　this；　as　I　hope　he　will；　let　him　be　assured　of　my　esteem　and　respect；　and　if　he　gained　any　accommodation　from　being　in　my　company；　let　me　tell　him　that　I　learned　a　lesson　from　his　active　benevolence。　　I　could；　however；　have　wished　to　hear　him　laugh　once　before　we　parted；　perhaps　forever。　　He　did　not；　to　the　best　of　my　recollection；　even　smile　during　the　whole　period　that　we　were　in　company。　　I　am　afraid　that　a　lightsome　disposition　and　a　relish　for　humor　are　not　so　common　in　those　whose　benevolence　takes　an　active　turn　as　in　people　of　sentiment；　who　are　always　ready　with　their　tears　and　abounding　in　passionate　expressions　of　sympathy。　　Working　philanthropy　is　a　practical　specialty；　requiring　not　a　mere　impulse；　but　a　talent；　with　its　peculiar　sagacity　for　finding　its　objects；　a　tact　for　selecting　its　agencies；　an　organizing　and　art　ranging　faculty；　a　steady　set　of　nerves；　and　a　constitution　such　as　Sallust　describes　in　Catiline；　patient　of　cold；　of　hunger；　and　of　watching。　　Philanthropists　are　commonly　grave；　occasionally　grim；　and　not　very　rarely　morose。　　Their　expansive　social　force　is　imprisoned　as　a　working　power；　to　show　itself　only　through　its　legitimate　pistons　and　cranks。　　The　tighter　the　boiler；　the　less　it　whistles　and　sings