The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-10-14
RAvENNA, o. WEDNEs DAY, OCTOBER IA, 1868.

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tired with her journey she did not know it
She only knew that tonight he was with her
--to-nlorrew might be flowing between them
the waters of that river from whose farther
shore comes back no echo.
As for him, secretly he expected to die;
but great content shone from his eyes. He
rejoicedin her presence, like achld lonely and
tired who finds rest in its mothers BOSOM
He did not fear what the morrow would bring
If death, there had never been a moment
when he shrank from it since he offered his
lifeto the need of his country. h
The morning came at length, and with it
the hour which was to decide his fate. Firm
ly he insisted upon sending his mother away.
The moment there was any fear of death he
told her she should be called; in the mean
time he was resolute to spare her the sight of
his suffering. She resisted for while, then
yielded to the force of his will. She never
could have known worse torture, however,
than her waiting. Was it for hours or mo-
ments-she could never tell-that she sat
there with shut eyes and elasped hands wait
ing for her summons. -.
At last the assistant surgeon touched her
arm. s u t55
HE has borne the operation, madam. much
better than we feared. We shall save his
leg, though he may always be a little lame
His arm is off, and, according to present ap-
pearances, we think he will get well. His
courage will go a great way-never groaned
through the whole of it" 10 e
She heard the words as one in a dream,
ciutching at one thought Her boy was alive
Likely to live. She tried to stand and could
not. She began to guess then what the ex-
| tent of the fear had been whose reaction was
cred again strength and composure with the
thought he was waiting for her, and then she
went to him.
Then she knelt by his bedside and felt his
left arm, all he had now, touch her neck
! The utmost exertiou of her rself-control could
not keep back sobs and tears. Manned and
halt her brave boy, of whose symmetry and
strength she had been SO proud!
She little knew what bitter, despairing
thoughts were struggling just then in his
heart. When twas all over, he had just be-
gun to realize how strong had been his un-
conscious hope to die. 1t would have been
so much better, he thought, than to live this
helpless, dsfgured hulk, shut out by fate
/ from manheod's work and wonlan's love-
:. Her passion of tears did him good. Rer1em-
bering how she loved him, he grew strong tc
live for her sake. Very gently he touched
her hair as he said
"Mother, you would rather have me as
am than not to have me at all ?''
How that question stilled her repinings !
How many mothers had given to the gooc
cause their all--how many were weeping a
that hour mad, useless tears, which neve
thrilled the cold foreheads of dead sons y
She had her boy with her still--she coul'
touch his lips-look in his eyes-he coul,
hear when she spoke. What had she to d
with sorrow? What was it to give an arm
and the grace of movement she had loved t
watch, when still she could keep her. boy, he
brave, true boy Smiling again through he
tears she whispered
"Charley, God is good think how desc
late must have been without you, and eve
as it is | am content"
Never had Captain Charley been SO true
hero as when he put aside his own sorrow, tn
downfall of his hopes, the wound to his prid
and resolved to strive to live not only, but t
be contented with life for her sake.
In the days that followed she nursed hir
back to health again. Never, after that fir
hour, did either of them breathe single rt
gret They accepted life with thankfulnes
not protests; and think at last Capital
Charley grew even to be glad that he hs
been allowed to make his sacrifice for h
country so costly. 9a
!, The last week of May she brought hi
home. The apple-trees were in flower, flu
of pink whiteness of glorious bloom. II
fields about their country house wore greer
and again, as when he went away, roses al
heliotrope nodded in the open windows, al
the bird, thrilling to old memories of sur
mer isles, trilled over them mutinous jul
lee of sweet sounds, which the wild robi
and gay orioles outside strove longingly
emulate.
And so, amidst birds and flowers and su
shine, Captain Charley sat down again
home. =1i aT
my work is over now,n he said, glanci
! patiently, not sadly, at the empty sleeve
. his side. ''Perhaps God thought you we
n the one, mother, after all, who needed me t
). most, and this was His way of sending I
: k."-Ha,pe7's Magazine.