Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-02-15

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You'll remember how the morning will
never rise, and the night will never fall,
in which she doesn't pray G God to take care
of her boy and you won't forget the little
redcovered Bible, l put into corner of
( the bundle ?''
tho, L won't forget it, Come now,
mother, give me a real, hearty, cheerful
good bye. Don't look on the dark side
Maybe | shall be back before the years
over, and then if he's done his duty, as a
brave man should, and maybe get promo
ted, you'll be proud Of your soldier boy ?
"But you're all I've got Martin, and if
anything ShO"M happen to you, it would
break my heart-it would break it, Mar.
! tin
Don't talk of anythiug's happening,
mother, except what's good. Come cheer
up, for l want last smile, instead of a
last sob and there isn't another minute to
spare ~
Mrs. johnson swallowed down her sobs,
and drawing down the sunburnt face to
her lips, she id, with tremulous smile.
"God bless you, my precious boy !"
"God bless you, mother y he couldn't
trust his voice to speak another word, and
he dashed away.
She stood in the door and watched him
udtil he was out of sight, and she saw
him brush his hand across hs eyes seve.
raj times before lie turned and waved it to
her. Once her voice followed after him.
Don't forget the dOughnut,, Martini"
vi shan t, the next time IN hungry"
They were the last words she heard. -
A moment later and he was out of sicht.
and Mrs, johnson went in and closed the
door. God help her
SIS there any tidings from the war
Squire Farnham asked Mrs. johnson,
as the gentleman entered her cottage, one
pleasant morning in tn early autuMn.-
Farnham was bluff, rubicund faced cor
! pulent, good hearted sort Of man. That
very morning short paragraph in the
country newspaper had caught his eye, ,and
! it ran,
Martin johnson Of the third Vermont
Regiment, was shot by scout last night,
while Oh guard duty
The Squire saw at the first glance til at
the terrible tidings had not reached Mrs.
! Johnson. lie had ridden over to coudole
with her, and it had fallen to him to break
the news to the stricken as best he could.
EVA |, yes said the gentleman taking
chair i'll the small parlor, and teelir 2
very awkwark, ave We had some news
There was something in the tone which
made Mrs johnson look up with a throb
OF fear in her heart, 81, it bad news !''
she asked
"AlrS. johnson, | m sorry for you, from
my soul !. said Squire farnham.
Perhaps wosan would have broken
the news more tenderly, but the Squire
was blunt man, and did it after his fash
ion.
Mrs. Johnson's, lips grew very white
she came towards the Squire, and said in
a rapid trembling voice,
"uave you heard anything abou. my
boy?'
Mrs. johnson, he $ gone!'
She did not shrek or am,-she sat
down in the nearest chair, aud lifted Up
her wthcrod hands, aud while the tears
swan down her pale cheeks, she moancd.
"Don say SO, Squire Farnham, don't
say my boy has gone, God has got all
the rest, and | thought He'd leave him to
my old age!
"No, no, it cant be that Martins gone,
that shall never hear his bright, quick
step, on the walk, or see his dear face
come bounding in at the door. lie was
ell Id got in the wide world, and l was
so proud of him, and loved him so.
"My little Martin, whose yellow curls
used to wind around my fingers, when
he was baby, and crowded in my lap
my little Martin, lying away of there still
aud cold, with no mother to bend down
her face over him when he looked up and
called .or her the last tilne--oh don say
my boy is gone, or my heart viii break [!
moaued the poor mother, as the truth be-
gan 10 dawn more tully Oh h0r.
Squire Farnham waa u strong man but
he bowed down his head, ana erred ike
child
At last he looked up, for there was a
sudden fail. Mrs johnson had tainted
"God help her, he SAID us he lifted her
in his arms, and laid her on the bed in
tho next ROOM She has said the truth
her heart will break !"
De I reader, on the golden background
OF the last summer days how many such
dark scenes have been painted
rl,,. L.. ,,s,l. .N,t,