Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1850-06-20
MISCELLANEOUS.
q Il ThE yiRG iNIAN
CAMP MUSINGS.

ron yiRGiNIAN
CAMP MUSINGS.
lwaslang after midnight and The moon the pale moon
was slowly climbing up the Heaven sending her silvery
beams alike upon the evil aud tho good of carlh and
snng her own modesl smle upon the sleeping soldiers
and their camp. that sal by camp fc cool Sep
tembcr night. "ch, wing the end u aud hitter fan.
cles" The officer OF the day, rather night, had irr
since gne his accustomed round and the "Whn comes
therei' of tho distant sentinel cbnlefg ging lle Grnnd
Rounds had ceased TO echo among ,ho hills. and oven
the hungry eaopng wolves had paid their nightly sere.
made OF horribly dscord,nt music and gone. and all
was stu, and all was beautiful the white tents thu
mooniit shadwy hills. and the plain whereon had been
fought field That no where finds parallel know no,
tet al the beauty Of this Just en my thoughts
were not al Of the sleeping der> nthcir noon camp
nor OF The plain. nor everlasting hills, but were gently
stealing homewatd to my aged parents IN their inr OF
happy home aud memory was busy with familiar faces
and familiar thingsihe village and iis hapry auet per-
PIE tho old oaks beneath whuse almost paeinal shades
and my ltle fellows have sporled many n .innr
summers day. the little vnlet ALL all passed in review
before the mirror of my mind and fancy nwuke ,he
morning, mud with it the aged couple and heir family
Gall but one) were gathered around that hearth stone In
that old and well remembered chamber in PRAYER hut
hnsh' do you hear him what is II he says' "Faher,
project our boy.o We'll Tho nfay
e is and they rise assured tina, He who has pro
'ecl,d hem until now. will no, forge The absent one
My mind wns busy then with pms and present thinpa
and there were thoughts perhaps, Of Others Of that
hm'ly' do not now remember for This happy tevere
and these peasan, home Thoughts wore interrupted hy
soldier poor fellow who, In his dreams like aNnlc
had been visiting his home, his chldood's happy home
and was calling IN his sleep n tones Of chnklng agony
he name Of mo her md that agony which could not be
endured even IN his sleep, awakened him. mud oh how
much he seemed relieved find twas all horfid dean
How sympathlzed with him as he evidently srnpcled
10 compose himself and yet there were others theo who
dad not feel for him as felt some huphed and one
hfn'ish'y asked. IN n sneering tone "Nhfi WIS The
matter with his nanny know not how II ras hut
heard mysef commanding ssnce in voice that startled
even me TO hear 1t ! saw the grateful thankful look
OF The dreaming man, and the sneakng away from the
IRE n' the rebnked ono, mutering something did
hear l saw the whole guard (ior my command had
aroused lhem,) gazing. at me- others he fire.
while others standing in thin blue overconis half
awake, Inqurng what the malrcr aud yet did no,
to hear all this hen for by happy transi-
lion, was OIL again not this time my owu but 10 the
home Of The poor soldier, to that mother eongy re.
membered. She was widow; oh yes. she must be
widow. and he perhaps her only hope md stay had ci
his, poor hear broken widowed mother to struggle on
alone, aud in his dream she had yet no. she could not
reproach her darling but the wasted form, The ssuken
eyes, and her feeble feeble step these all reproached
him; so musng thought, and almost il proved
Just then The day began 10 appear in the east and the
shrill fife aud tatng drum recalled me itom my mental
w'nderlngs, as the reveee aroused he sullies Hing
them TO commence their morning duties. and there
many answeings OF names and klndings up Of es and
ing's meal In that Long encampmeni, and thus com
menced The day in that everlasting routine Of a soldiers
life IN camp. My guard and were relieved aud
thus my duties for tho morning ended. aud then lost
SIGHT OF The poor dreamer for while but long
were duty together ngain-he who had so ensed my
syn npaihes and who i,l there was something more
IN that pale face Than met the eye and my question
ing him, he gave me this short, his simple history
lie was an only son. his iaher. when he was quite
chlli, had been merchant in the city Of = - aud
I,aIi iatla n,I A.
aton had n,ned his constitutions and bon .ht his poor
wife and chld almost 10 sarve, yainy believing in his
maniac imagnings. that he the wealthy, happy
man. that he had been. And thus lived year and
thus he died. leaving his wife widow and his cld
orphan, TO struggle as best they might tp live Then
his mother, unwilling and unable him up in idle
ness, apprenced him 10 he printing business, and the
quiet, Intelligent apprentice the respect OF his
employers, and the esteem of oil who knew him, by his
attention. industry aud straight forward honesty that
when his apprenticeship expired. he promo
ted 10 be foreman Of their large establishment by his for
mer masters; and The long cherished and frightened
hopes o his fond mother about leing realized; now
he. her dozed boy, her only darling, a To
whom had been given power, and on whom rested re-
sponsblities requiring honesty prudence. judgment and
intelligence 10 discharge themand with his position 100
he member Of that noble order. the Sons OF Tenn
perance. How nobly proud how happy. how grateful,
that mothers heart was, He'ony tell who makes
the mothers heart Oh. that any ihirg could
destroy such unultenbe happiness but come il did IIe
the upright yet sensitive man. had while yet boy Civ
all his young affections pure his honest heart.
being who was all unworthy Of the g and yet he sid
it not her fault She good. too pure to de
coive he only had deceived himself Her friends too
opposed. bitterly opposed 10 him he said they had
for her higher ambitious views, and they succeed
ed-ihey The ffiends-in accom- shlug lhe aims of
wealthy alliance, and she in throwing away The heart
that loved her nolly. But he, the poor widows son.
The poor ldier. did not succeed in baushng from his
thoughts the image 0f his boyhood's iduIary his man