Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-11-14
A RETROSPBCT.
lS4T AND 1861

al understand you | passed through all that
years ago!' said gray-haired, care-worn
mother, TO whom we were mourDfully talking
about the boys enlistment "But there's some
comfort for YOU. There's something to die for
now this is a war for rights and liberties; that
was cruel war for conquest that took our chill
dren in 1871.
81 never shall forget the day Charley came
to ask me if he might enlist 1t was IA wet,
gloomy day in early February 1t had been
raining steady all the week. This was Wednes-
dav, and now the wind had freshened little,
and the clouds were moving, but it was heavy
and stormy still 1t was dark by four o'clock,
and l was hurryng 10 get my fine work done
before dark-thinking about him all the time.
He had been out of work six weeks. had
done everything | could think of for him had
applied everywhere, and got the cold shoulder
from all our rich relations. | knew he was al
most discouraged, and | didn't dare ask his
father to let him stay home. All six of the
girls were home then, and work was dull.
81 was trying hard to contfive some plan
just as the door opened, and he came in. He
sat down with such a tired. discouraged look,
knew in minute he hadn't had any luck The
girls were sewing and singing by one window,
and | at the other the children hadn't come
home yet. l had just put down new carpet,
and put up new cooking-stove; we looked
pretty comfortable for the hard times. Well,
he sat there and looked around and noticed
everything. He was great home boy, and
thought there was no one smart his
mother.
"'Where did this new carpet come from,
mother" said he.
~ earned it.
"'And the stove, tooP
"Yes, that old affair was fairly burnt out.
"'You re great woman he said.
81 wish was urpot pnouuh n yet Won n uOol
place, l sal
"'llave you been to see the Joneses9
"Your father said he'd speak to them.
"'Yes they can't do anything for me- and
he kind of choked up little.
81 kept stitching and thinking and the
girls, poor foolish things kept singing; and he
sat still, watching US. knew his heart was
full, but hadn't guessed what it was full Of
By-and-by, clearing his throat suddenly, he
said Mother, believe I'll enlist, if You'll only
say SOL
"RRIiSt!" cried the girls, turning pale.
80 Charley was all l could say. The word
fell like death on me. 1t was the first time he
had ever mentioned it.
"When he saw how we took it he was full
enough to cry, | could see He was always
easy touched, and he loved his sisters and his
mother, as thought, with unusual affection.
"My work was done for that day. lwoudn
give way 10 tears, though wanted 10. 90 al
ter while we all talked about 1t, and tried to
persuade him away from the notion. talked
about the country aud climate, and told him l
knew he wouldn't standit, and not to think any
more about 1t. The girls cried, and SAID every
thing they could think OF They tried to joke
little about .soaebody they thought he waited
on lie smiled little, and threw 1t all back
and talkel very brovelyi but knew he only
put it on, and that be didn't want to go any
more th'h we wanted 10 let MN 60 FOR why
IN the world should young man want to JOIN
IN sueh war as that' II he could heip
Ghy year, you see mother ne sad ANA
lnen Z snail seI my bounty i;n land and give you
an laIm ana perhaps IN get promoted ana
lnen Wnen ~ g1ue A''cS 'l'ies W,l DC eoou, ana
'nli'R VIM sooc o5','''" Oh! yes "io'hef'
anu ~, snu' oo .".'s W. h., ..u.o, -,
I9uIu nI' S". ~ a., o,naa ai e",Mou , W.
long Tter GaLA' s'u an III. s'nee a1 w.t..
81 e 81 ~ ~ III; Ia' a." af L""'a
~ 'an'' - ~, CLe1eo ,Ls H. IT,
,hh. .' loI''u Cnul, ,, i L i,,, %"r3
mcS af,o MS "oS 'Iu luz m" h "J %or Iuo"
II Ifhe hd! nIu 'e,; ;I ~ a'u wy "ooat !;
tLo, ninb, GSol om'! sI,' ome o', -
He ,ho o" n,G "'Sn. my oesm ai. ,,
toors and b,,nr ,iG,opoa 10 'Oioo O"'" '''
.,Rv'ond -bv ,oIJ h;,u mhc,,, :, ,,d l,o ,,,
=, - ou' ~ anu "' o"'!