The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-24
Do We Miss Them

If we walk in Broadway, New York, Or
Washington street in Boston, the crowd We
meet, passing up and down, is as large as it
was year ago. The stores and shops arc
all open and everything wears the air of bust
ness and buste Yet each Of these cities
has sent thousands upon thousands of YOUNG
men to war. 1t is the same in village and
town. Tho plough is handled by sturdy
hands, the anvil rings under the hammer Of
the dusky smith, the spindle sings in the mill,
and the tramp Of men and women does not
ease upon the pavement. Yet every village
and town throughout the loyal North hs.
contributed to swell the army Of the govern.
mcnt. The places Of the absent are filled by
others, and we scarcely miss the thousands
who have gone with arms in their hands to
save the nation its proud name and its blood.
bought Freedom But there are those who
miss the absent soldiers.
The wife misses her husband, and she fol.
lows him with her daily prayer, appealing to
! Heaven to protect him and return him safely
home. The father misses his SOD, whom be
has offered upon the shrine of patriotism,
sacrifice for his country. The news of every
battle, the shooting Of every picket, the cap.
ture of every federal soldier, has painful
interest for him. He looks over the list Of
dead and wounded with breathless anxiety,
fearing that the next NAME will be that Of bis
son. The mother misses her boy, and she
mourns over him as one dead. The dasuerreo.
type he has left her is often wet with tears,
and she dwells over the letter written by him
IN camp as treasure more valuable than
diamonds. She breads to hear of the coming
battles, fearing that the boy she idozes will
fall upon the field. The terrible suspense
which hangs over his fate from day to day
wears deep burrows 10 her cheeks, and yet
she feels happiness in thinking that he has
gone to defend her country.
The maiden misses her lover and signs for
him, like dove moaning for her mate She
felt proud Of his fuc uniform and stately
walk, his bright bayooet and gilt buttons, but
now that he has gone, fear triumphs over her
hopes, and the hours are darkened by his
absence. In every family from which
soldier has gone there is dear one missing
In some, aye, in many the missing will never
return The turf Of the sunny South will
grow green above them, and their blood
will enrich tho enemy's soil. They will be
missed at houe, ii not on the crowded thor.
ghfare, but their memory shall not perish
while nations gratitude doth last.
There is hardly person in all the land
who has not son, father, brother, hus'
Dand, or some relation, or dear friend in the
army. Why shall not that friends heart be
glad by some such token of kindly regard?
We will undertake, in behalf OF any individ'
ual who shall furnish the means to do il, 10
senu the tokens OF his benevocnco to their
desired destination, whether in the shape OF
periodicals, tracts, or books.
1t Is strangely in contrast with the ordn'
airy habits OF an American freeman to become
merged In great living machine governed
ana controlled, for veal or woe, by a power
which, Tor the time, is necessarily Of the ma
tutc OF dcspotism. But such, in the very
nature OF the case, is war. 1t Is, neverthe'
less, the province Of wise craftsmanship
TO keep alive the feelings OF the citizen through
all the vIcissitudes OF war, especially in re-
publican government. We know OF no better
method of doing this than by the course here
recommended. We thus keep alive the IN
prcssions of home and all its pursuits, feeling
attractions. and associations Without this
lighting degenerates into trade, and the SOL
der becomes cold, hcartlcss being, only hs
tor the work of destruction. What we want,
on the contrary, u.s., that when this dreadful
strife Is over, the soldier shall return with
alacrity 10 the peaceful avocatons Of 40
American citizen.- Western Christian ~
cocate.