Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-01-28

a weary traveller. Ills garments were
tattered and he leaned heavily on a
srWcir and staff. He spoke not, und
sane family IN u chair tha, was placed
W. hin. Raising bis eyes, he glaaced
hasiily at every article OF furnaure, as
at some recollected friend Then IN a
tone scarcely audible, he said, brother!
broiherp
These sounds opened the tender MEM
cries Of early years The welcome to
tire wanderer was heartfelt. But tears
started at his pathetic words:
'Sisier-bro,her-I have come home
TO you TO de- :
They hastened to spread before him a
relIeshiOg repast, and To press him to
Partahe. Afterwards they induced him
~ retire to rest, without making demands
on his exhausted strength, by conversa-
tim. In the morning he was unable to
rise, They sat by his bedside, solacing
his worn heart with kindness, and nara.
ting the history of his youthful compan-
ions, and the changes that had befallen
them in their quiet abode. At length,
propped up with pillows, be said, in a
feeble VOICE:
Il have had radny troubles, but that
which hath bowed me down nwardly was
tke sin Of leaving home against the will
of my parents, to be a soldier. have
fell the pain of wounds, but The sting Of
conscifnce is sharper. have known.
hunger and thirst, and lain sick in the
PRISM Of II ioreign land. My disobedi-
rnce and ingraIitude stood by to reproach
me, AS ] lay sleepless, in dreary neglect
I'd hospitals Then, in broken visions,
| saw my mHher bending over me so
Kindly, as she would when had only a
headache. Sometimes | seemed to see
our father, with the great Bible in his
hand, ready tn read as he used 10 do,
before prayers, and cried out, Il am no
more worthy to be called thy son..
lie pansrd, overcome with emotion;
aud his brother FASTENED to assure him
of the perfect forgiveness ofhis parents,
and that he has daily borne upon their
supplicaiions, as the son erring yet be-
Lvcd.
'Ah! those prayers followed me. But
Tor them should have been rcprobate
so God and man
Ny intervals, IA his feeble strength
permitted, he told the story OF his wand-
erings. lie had been in battles on land
aud sea lie had heard the deep ocean
resnund to The cannon's thunder, and
.rrn cath saturated with the red show.
ls... l...l u La.
bad served in the armies Of Europe, and
rsked life for ioreign power aud
pursued The hunted Indian in his own
native cline. lie had plunged with the
bravest where dangers lhickened, seek
my everywhere the glory that had daz-
zied his bn, hood-5ut in vain. He
inund that IL was the soldiers lot to bear
hafdShips, and dare death, that others
might reap the fame. lie saw what
wounds aud mu,llaiions, what misery,
mourning aud death were necessary To
purchase The name Of victory. He felt
how far the renown Of The greatest con-
qnrr"rs, falls short OF the good that he
prrlcc's, aud the sorrow that he infcts
'S"meiimcs, he said, Just before rush
ing into battle, ] felt a shuddering and
lnrxpressible horror at the idea OF
slaug gbierlng my fellow beings, made IN
he image ol God. But in the heat Of
conflict, all human sympathies vanished.
Desperate madness possessed me, so
that cared neither for this life or the
Bcxi. ] have been left on the field Of
carnage unable to move, amid the feet OF
irampling horses, my open gashes stiff
fnng in the chill night air, while no
nan cared for my soul. Yet why should
distress you by such descriptions i-I
you have always lived under the sweet
Influences of mercy, and shrink to give
unnecessary pam, even 10 an animal. Il
II IL impossible for YOU TO realize the
hardness OF heart that springs fiom life
oi warfare. The soldier must be lamil-
iar with scenes OF violence and cruelty
Hls mural and relig ious sensibili,ics are
IN continual peril. Profanity and con-
tempt oi sacred things, mingIe with the
elements of his trade. The privileges
81 the Sabbath must be resigned. The
precept- OF the Gospel that were i'm
p''SN' upot uIt III udI1-
ger oi being swept away. Still, though
l strove Ia be reckless aud hardened my
heart rcproached me. Oh that it mig hit
be purified by repentance, ere am sum-
'n"ncd to the bar OF Judgment, to answer
for deeds of blood
His brother aud sister still fattered
themselves that by medical skill and
careful nursing, the health oft invalid
might he restored. They placed reliance
on the kind sympa'hies ol his neighbors
and friends, and the bland influence Of
his native air.
yet, he replied, 1T can never be. =
my vital energies are wasted. | know
that even now Death siaudeth at my
right hand. When | entered thus peace
iul valley my swollen limbs ,oliered and
began 10 fall. Then prayed to the Al
mighty, whom ! had SO often forgotten,
oh! give me strength bu, little longer,
that ! may reach The home where | was
horn, and die there, and be buried by
my father and my mother
The sick and peniient soldier sought
earnestly for the hnne of saIvatinn