East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1859-08-11

but you did not speak the whole truth,
for the whole truth you did not know,
and / have brought you here to whisper
the truth into your ear.
Malcolm Warren looked up into the
old mans face, and as he saw how solemn
was the expression that rested there, he
forgot the bad company he had left be-
hind at the tavern, and his thoughts be-
came serious.
Malcolm resumed the sexton, Il can
look back now into the past, and see a
score of young men who commenced the
race of life with me. We loved to learn
the excitement of the intoxicating cup,
and we thought not then of the dangers
we were courting. Years passed on, and
| saw those twenty men sink into the
arms of death, and / buried them all
here. Malcolm Warren, they all sleep IA
6rmknd's grareSi One after another |
saw them fall, and at length | was eft
alone of the party who were wont to as
semble around the bar-room fire.
A deep groan escaped from the young
mans lips, and shudder ran through
his frame.
'All gone |? he asked.
'Yes, all = the old man uttered. But
this is not half, Malcolm. Their wives
and children that died, and they, too, lie
here! o, how well l can remember when
i 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 begray-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. He was
a 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. l once
heard his young wife beg of him to re-
main at home with her, but he refused
her the boon. She told him that she
was cold and hungry, and that her chill
dren needed clothing, but he needed her
not. a few short years afterwards, that
wife's heart broke, and she died, and her
children Tho husband and fnther L
rv,>.su one cold n.stt lying by the road
side, and he was dead These are their
graves for buried them altogether
You can see the wife's grave next be-
yond the gray stone of the husband, and
those two little graves are where lie the
frozen boy and girlp
The old man drew his sleeve across his
eyes to wi pc away the tears, and while
he did so, Malcolm bowed his head and
groaned mournfully.
Malcolm Warren he said, there was
once a full regiment of stout soldiers
followed Napoleon Bonaparte into Rus
sia. There were many other regiments
also, but of this one in particular have /
read. Of that whole company of men,
only one solitary individual lived to re-
turn to the home of his birth. All the
rest died on the way They were starv-
ed and frozen, and they dropped by the
vayside. Now, suppose some thought
ess youth should point TO that single
living soldier, and say that amid the
eternal SHOWS of Russia there is no dan.
ger, because that man had passed them
md still lived. Like that single frag-
nent of ahe regiment, do stand here
/ living man.
The youth gazed upon the face Of the
lged speaker, and new emotions were
working upon his features.
Come, Malcolm, L would show you
me more spot before we CO.
The old man leaned upon his staff, and
moved slowly among the graves, and in
did the youth follow. AT
ength they stopped by spot where two
raves lay side by side. The slabs were
f marble, and they glistcned brightly in
he moonlight.
Malcolm spoke the sexton, in a deep
Whisper, Il remember well when made
hose two graves. There was no sorrow
o fill the graves which here | made, for
hey who sleep have died amid the sweet
reathings of peace and honor. They
'ere good virtuous people, and when
hey were gone our townsmen mourned
or our village had lost two of its most
oble spirits. o, / love to come and
land over those graves, for / know that
'od smiles upon them. There is no
lint nor dishonor here. Malcolm, do
on know who rest in those two graves?'
The youth did not answer, nor did he
lise his head, but with one deep, wild
ry, he sank down, and there he lay i
cross both the graves, weeping and sob
ing like child. His father and mother
ept there s
For a while the old man gazed fearful i
: upon the scene, and then he took the 4,
outh by the arm and reused him up. '
The youth followed his guide out from q
ne church yard, and after the gate was
losed they passed on to the street. J
Iere Adam Stanford stopped.
Now, Malcolm he said, you can re- {
lrn to your companions at the tavern, {
ut let inc pray you, never use my name !
gain as you did this evening. When |
on again think of poor Adam Stanford,
hink only of what he has told you in
he church yard think of what he has
cen and what he has suffered and of
hat you may in welcome speak,
The old man turned partly away, when
Ialcolm sprang forward and caught him
y the arm.
uJncle Adam he uttered, in choked