The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1862-01-29
As thy Day is, SO shall thy
Strength Be.
A TALE OF THE WAR.
BIZ r. 8. ARTHUR.

Written for ths War Press
War! The very word sent shuider to
the heart OF Mrs. Irwin. From child up,
it had been associated in her mind With all
that was horrible and wicked. To become a
soldier, seemed, to her perception of the case,
to involve cruel instinct. She saw no glo-
ry in the profession Of arms. Toy drums
and swords were never seen in the hands OF
her children, except through the unwelcome
agency Of aunts, uncles, or friends; and they
were, in these cases, soon removed, with SO
Der homilies on their bad significance.
II will teach my children" she would
say, ITO love their enemies; not TO hate and
destroy them. To be ever on the side oi
peace and good will to mankind; not on the
side Of hatred and destruction
I'D Mrs Irwin read tracts and books publish
ed by peace societies, and in the argument
against war crowded her mind with facts,
statistics and reasons to degree that made
her formidable debater on the non-com
bative question, with almost every one tina,
happened to be drawn into an argument. II
was useless 10 talk to her about the undyine
antagonism between good and evil and The
necessity otexternal as well as internal com
bats; Of national regeneration through the
baptism OF blood; Of stable peace only
through the destruction ofenemies. She de-
MED the positions. All wars were wrong
she contended, and might be avoided.
Not in anything had Mrs. Irwin swervec
from her peace principles, up to tho periot
when Sumpter fell. But that event was lik
throwing, suddenly, into a strong, smootl
current, a broad obstruction. Her whole be
ing was in a tumult. She caught for breatl
like one in danger Of suffocaton. She fel
as though the firm foundation on which sh
had been Standing for years, were crumbln
undergh her feet. Mrs. Irwin loved her coun
try and revered its flag; and this assault upo
Z. the one, and desecration Of the other, fire,
her soul with indignation; and when her old
est boy, not yet in his twenty frst year
said to her with clenched hands and fashin,
eyes.
N "Mother, this must be avenged"
She did not answer, but sat with pale lip
and face, looking at him in such trouble anc
beWilderment Of mind that no thoughts be
came coherent enough for swords, until h
added, as he drew his slender form to It's ut
most heghth g,
"And there is one ready"
o@''John! John!'' fell in weak remonstranc
from Mrs Irwin. "Don't speak SO! don
LET q ,murdorous spirit bear you away"
"Doh't say murderous," replied the boy
with SO much rebuks in his tones that hi
mother answered quicSly-- @
"Aspirit ofreyenge, -then, John. Ven
gsancefs mine, saith The Lord, ard will re
pay u" ~
Smother, shall we tanely submit to Sc
this nation destroyed, and its flag, which hs
been honored throughout The world 70
eighty years, shot at, rent, and trampled up
on11 The boys eyes cleaned aercely. :
7''For one, 4 say MOI And have mistakel
my mothers heart, Il it does not echo bacl
the word. lido not forget the lesson yo
taught me years ago, that love Of country i
next to love Of God. And II we love an oh
ject purely, will we not defend II when assal
edY Nay, lay down our lives in its pro
teetion?'' e @ 81 ~
4sas In spite OF all her peace principles, ant
horror of war, there flowed in the mind 0
Mrs. IrEin such an admiration for this out
spoken patriotism Of her son, that even ht
read pride and approval in her humid eyes
"Warisan awful thing, John,' said Mrs
Irwin.sS8 ~
60, II know It is, mother. But there or
/ worse things than war; and that worse thinj
10 our door. You understand this as vel