The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-09-09
From the Chicago Tribune.)
The Soldiers Boy.
ATOUCHlNG SKETCH.

attempt to portray some of the mnutcr Inca
ments in poetry or in song. Yet such are IN
very truth part Of its hstory,nnd though flu
ture times may never rend their record, yet
they are written us with pen OF iron on the
hearts of the widow and the orphan. In cv-
cry shout of triumph thnt has walked the CELL
ocs Of our whole broad Union, as the news
ofeach successive battle won has come 10
our ears on the southern breeze, wall of
sorrow has mingled mourniully with its re-
ioicings, rising from the lonely bCarth-sIores
of the widow aud the ialherIcss. Poor solnce
to them that the husband and the father had
died soldiers DEATH in the foremost rank,
"with his back to the field and his feet to the
foe" Poor solace, even though the glorious
banner ofihe stars aud stripes had been his
winding sheet and shroud, for TO such torn
aud bleeding hearts the pmans of glory have
no music; on such hearts the wreaths offamc
however laurellcd fade and wilhcr into moth
iugHcss, or become but the gloomy dCcora-
tons Of despair.
Last May ms ! was wandering through the
pleasant county of Ouondagn, New York, |
stopped at n little tavern in the good old farm
ing town of Cnmillus, to inquire Of guam
dam college friend in whose fate felt some
interest Before the house n hata dozen boys
were playing game of ball--,he boys de
light in the merry spring time the world ov-
built boy, (whosc accents had already dis
covered smnckcd strongly Of the "JCip
LoRd,"l in the excitement of the game, strike
Il delicate youugstCr not half his size; in n mo-
ment the embryo buchanan lay sprawling in
the dust; with that light form Standing over
him., with cleuchcd fist and II flushing eye.
At length the boy rose from the ground aud
skulked of. The game was broken up, and
his young conqueror came up TO the porch
in which was sitting.
"What is your name, my Loy:" said |.
"Joseph $
ado you like to fight, Joseph"
ayes. when fellow strikes me, do. My
| father is n soldier. and lie wont stand ie-
lows striking him more than would"
els your father with the army, joseph"
eyes. down in MeXico-but he will he at
home next spring, when they sc; through
fighting"
Joseph was fine looking, Intelligent hoy
of ten-ful of life and nnimation-with a
calm resoute look in his clear grey eye, that
did indeed give evidence of Il soldiers blood
burning in his veins, | cOnYcrsed with him
some time, when he left me with glad leap
and the cry "there's my MOTHERHOOD by,sir."
/ He joined lady on the opposite side of
the street, and both soon vanished into an ell
cgant house near by.
Six months have passed since then, and
/
lapse Of time and every day incidcnr,or roIh-
err his memory slumhcred with a thousand
other memories, which only some strong,
connecting link Of association can again call
up to vivid remembrance. Yesterday, as !
was pc rusng the news Of Mexico, noticed
among the names Of the gallant American
officers whose life blood was poured out be-
fore the walls of Mexico, the name of Capt.
/ T.. X. s., of Camillus, n. Y. As read
] 4 l., Il, h,, Al,
rain ofbals, and the storm OF swords,and of
his gallant death in the foremost of the battle,
|lhcn-therc came up in the memory that
hoId-eyed boy on the village play ground of
! that quiet little town. Yet he came not To
the eve of memory with thai erect carriage
and clear eye which were his as the conquer
or of the play ground. ALI, no! lis form was
bowed with grief aud Ills bright eye was
dimmed with tears. His father "was 10 return
in the next spring time, when the fighting
would be over" Alas! he came in the sad
autumn time, and for him there is no return
ing spring. He came not with tho martial
step and the battle eye, hut stretched at full
length upon the soldiers bier, aud with an
eye forever closed. No more for him the
battles roar, No more the fierce charge,and
the clash ofsieel on steel Aud after the
| fighting is over, no more for him the quiet
home; the fond embrace of wiie,nr the sweet
music oil me CNIIUfeN 5 voices.
'ro die" they say, sis noble as soldier"
They tell us that glory shall forever encircle
his tomb, and his name shall 60 down to dis
tnnt times amid the record OF his country's
fame Time shall not erase il from the tab
let Of n nations remembrance, but It's neIse-
less and irrecoveIable flight shall add new
lustre to the glory otthe dead, ms gn2cd back
upon through the dim vista ofyears. Yet all
this may not. cannot, dry the tears of dolncs-
tic grief, though pride may ningle in theiI
flow, aud there are many lone hearts in ON
! wide land, whose dcsolule despair will never
cense to curse the demon of war. wrapped us
he is in the gay alornments aud brilliant
trappings ofglory and rcnown.
shall often think of that bold boy, MS time
rolls on Ferchance he will too be soldier
Pcrchancc, years hence. on some hattie tirt
of his country, he TOO will find soldiers
death and soldiers glory. Then some fire
: side will ho nnde dcsOlntc-r-Sone fond heart;
wrung; and tell mr., should glory come mr.
ravcd like an angel light, and sit forever 10y
that lone tireside, and talk forever to thost
broken henrts, vii! not tkey, too curse Tho
= demon of war?
, But war and woe must yet for awhile con
tinue TO blast the earth. Still, far through
Il the clouds ofbntie, uGtinlls the star ofpeaCt
is heuming, like beacon light amid the fierce
p waves uf the ocean. March on to the zenith
E pure bright star! Scatter, by thy rnr!ian
4 brightness the dark cloud which now en-
shroutls thee Then s!lnll the storm Of con
flct cease its mutterngs. and tho rainbov
y of peace and good will, urcling from pGlc Il
:, pole shall span the universal world ofGod.