White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1858-06-03

dangers We were counting Years passed 90,
and saw those twenty men sink into the arms
of death, and buried them all here Malcolm
Warren, they all sleep ia dr4akards' srapes!-
One after another saw them fan, and at length
was left alone of the party who were wont to
assemble around the bar-r0pm ire.'' Z; soIo
| 4 A deep grean escaped from the young mans
lips, and a shudder ran through his. frame.
"All gomez" he asked.
eyes, alln' the old man uttered. "But this
is not half Malcolm. Their wives and children
that died, and they, too, lie here! 0, how we'll
| can remember when saw them Standing at
the altar; and when they turned away from the
place they were blushing brides. But few short
years. and began to gather them into the fold
of death. They sank down with broken hearts
and crushed hopes! Some of them lived to be
gray-headed, but their gray hairs came down in
sorrow to the grave! See that grave there--the
one with the dark gray stone. He who sleeps
beneath that mound was once the happiest youth
in the village lie was carpenter by trade,
and he built the house in which you were born.
He used to laugh and sing over the wine cup.
and he thought not then of harm. / once heard
his young wife beg of him to remain at home
with her, but he refused her the boon. She told
him that she was cold and hungry, and that her
children needed clothing, but he needed her not.
A few short years afterward, that wife's heart
broke, and she died, and her children The hus-
band and father found one Guild night lying by
the roadside, and he was dead! These are their
graves, for l buried them all together. You can
see the wife's grave next beyond the gray stone
of the husband, and those two little graves are
where lie the frozen boy and girl"
The old man drew his sleeve across his eyes.
to wipe away the tears, and while he did so,
Malcolm bowed his head and grOaned mourn
fully. -. r.....-...-- b.
Malcolm Warren" he said, there was
once full segment of stout solJiers followed
Napoleon Bonaparte into Russia. There were
many other regiments went also, but of this one
in particular have l read. OF that whole COM
pany of men, only one solitary individual lived
to return to the home Of his birth. All the rest
died on the way. They were starved and fro
zen, and they dropped by the wayside. Now,
suppose sone thoughtless youth should point to
that single living soldier, and say that amid the
eternal SHOWS Of Russia there is no danger, be-
cause that man had passed them and still lived
Like that single fragment of the regiment, do
stand here living man." RI faf.1fa5 lHfI
The youth .gazed upon the face of the aged
speaker, and new emotions were working upon
his features.
"Come, Malcolm, would show you one more
spot before we go5'T-ai 's-ii r. y!'.51'
81. The old man leaned upon his staff, and
moved slowly on among the graves, and invol-
UNFAIRLY did the youth follow At length they
stopped by spot where two graves laid side by
side. The slabs were of marble, and they glis-
tened brightly in the moonlight. a.H
Malcolm, "spoke the sexton, in a deep whis-
per, 81 remember well when made those two
graves. There was no sorrow to fill the graves
which here made, for they who sleep here died
amid the sweet breathings Of peace and honor.
They were good. virtuous people, and when they
were gone, our townsmen mourned, for our viii
lage had lost two of its most noble spirits. o,
| love to come and stand over those graves, for
know that God smiles upon them. There is |
no faint nor dishonor here. Malcolm, do you 4
know who rest in these two grayes7"
The youth did not answer, nor did he raise
his head, but with one deep, wild cry, he sank
down, and there he lay across both the graves,
weeping and sobbing like a child. His FArHER |
4. /
For a while the old man gazed tearfully upon |
the scene, and then he took the youth by the
arm and aroused him up.
The youth followed his guide out from the
church yard, and after the gate was closed they
passed on to the street. Here Adam Stanford
stopped, .,,.s,.s;; -..se--, is;lste d, rsal.-,
"Now, Malcolm" he said, you can return
to your companions at the tavern, but let me
pray you, never use my name again zz you did |
this evening When you again think Of poor |
old Adam Stanford, think only of what he has
told you in the. church-yard; think of what he |
has seen and Of what he has suffered, and of
that you may in welcome speak" yilo b
The old man turned partly away, when MAI
colin sprang forward and caught him by the
arm. -,..f I. --ft.--.-r.l
"Uncle ADAM" he uttered, in choked and |
broken accents, " o, forgive me for what have
now said and what have done. Ii cannot 7
tell you all now. cannot speak, but ] shall 60 |
to the tavern no more. O. God bless yeu! God
bless you!''
- 90 as. a. 80. sinso - 1
The clock struck nine. and Alice Warren fol- |
ded the hands Of her little boy together. and
babe. him say. his prayers. Her youngest girl |
vas asleep in theeradle. The first words of the
prayer were uttered" Our Father, who art in
Heaven, when there came the sound Of foot.
steps upon the plank walk in the little front gar
den. -
les papa" said the boy. letting his hands
drop upon his mothers knees and bending bis
ear to listen. But the mother dared not speak
At last the door opened, and the husband en-
tered. Alice cast her eyes tremblingiy up, and
saw the big tears that we're rolling down the
cheeks Of her beloved. Instinctively she sprang
forward and clasped her arms about her hus-
bands neck. - fgiuif- i03J--ii 81
Malcolm. MsIcolmY she cried, "vhAt has
happenedi Tell me-O, tell men'
Malcolm Warren sank into chair, and as he
did 80, he drew his wife Into his lap.
g AIice-o. Alices' heustered, sobbing and
weeping as he spoke, " can you forgive me for
all that is passedi'