The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-12-15
send them to his Mother,

the physician, as he was going his
rounds among the sick and wounded
in that hospital tent, and tho youthful
voice that asked the eager question
trembled with emotion. 1t was a boy
ish face into which tho physician turn
ed and ga1cd; but the death angel had
sOt its impress there, and the kind
hearted surgeon could only shake his
head. 1 ni I91.ta- r. tf..H ..... ri
II wanted to go homo once more
before Ldied. oh, mother! mother!"
The words werc full of agony, ard for
a fewmomcnts tho poor child lay with
closed eyes, and tears trembled upon
the long lashes, but they did not fall;
he crushed them back and lifted his al
most sightless eyes upward h. ...
o."My mother taught me TO die, bless
God for that! My homo in heaven is
always near" The struggle with fee
bic human nature was over. Angels
were present to comfort the dying sol
dior, and quietly and peacefully he
crossed the dark river upon the long.
last march that ended his early cam
paign. .... #t H.#.t ..H j. -..
There was q soldiers burial. Kind
hands followed the humble grave, and
laid him down praycrfully and tear,
fully to his rest; and when the brave
men turned back to the lonely tent,
the sword and valise of their youthful
officer met their eyes. f.. .sa.-a
What shall be done with theni?"
was the sorrowful question. a. .f
Send them homo to his mother"
And they came! 1t was the early
morning of a bright October day. The
broad sunlight lay all about the home,
over whose threshold the young Lieu
tenanthad gone forth one twelvemonth
before, so full oflifc and activity. ,
The door of the neat white house
stood open, and all along the floor Of
the wide pleasant kitchen, lay STRAIN
Of yellow sun shine, broken here and
there by restless moving shadow,
where the waving trees camo in bo-
tween the sunlight. The mother was
alone, and as she moved about her
morning work, she sang in low,sweet
voice snaches of hymns that she had
often sung when the dear boy, now
growing into manhood, nestled in her
lap, and she was hushing him to sloep;
and she looked as if expecting to see
his bright face coming in at the door,
or hear his CHEEKY voice calling from
the garden, Mother" .-,s.
Did she hear now hisper from the gar
den OF. Paradise, at that moment, call
ing, Mother, mothcr2' ..
Was thero not a guardian angel
lowering about her-a youthful face
now glowing with spiritual beauty,
lowering over her? Alas she saw it
nou ,.....l r.... ... ... .....
Tho stage came rattling along the
highway and her heart beat quicker at
the sound, for perhaps there might be
something from her darling boy. 1t
stopped before the little wicket gate,
and the driver came with n slow rcluc-
tant step up the walk. There was
something in each hand which he
brought, silently in and laid almost
reverntly on the table, Not word
broke the stiffness. The poor mother
looked upon them moment, and then
with sharp cry of agony sank down
beside them. ..
"My boy! my boyl 0 God, help mel
this isn't all that is lcft?''
She drew the valise to her almost
frantically, and lifted her white i'm
ploring face TO the driver. ....
"Ah! 1t needed not that solemn
answer one glance in that plying face
revealed the trtuh. Wondering at her
own strength, SHE eagerly opened the
valiso. There was the coat, with its
bright buttons and epaulets, that his
companions had folded carefully away
and as she held it up, she seemed to
see tho noble boy as ho had stood be-
fore her in that dress, and asked so
eagerly-"Now; mother, arn't you
proud Of your boy? You won't cry
any more, will you? I'm going to
fight for the dear old flag, my fathers
flag and mine; | want to go with your
approval and blessing" And then
she placed her trembling hands upon
his head and whispered through her
tears--"Go, my son, and God be with
you" And God has been with him to
the end. Then came his Bible, his lit
tlc pocket Bible that she gave him on
his birthday years before. Ho had
read il faithfully. There was here and
therc mark at his favorite chapters,
and thero wcre pencil lines drawn a
round many comforting texts that he
had repeated upon tedious marches
going right up to the enemy and they
had been his support and guido the
very last. A little packet Of letters,
his letter, SO full of hope, and trust and
count to absent son; and as she open
ed them one by one, che saw how some
tender passages, breathing her full
hearts love, or telling Of the old home
THAT stood with open doors to receive
him; were bletted with bitter tears,
which the brave heart could not hold
back. Her picture with its worn case,
| IN ~ tvhinh hia ,nyaa had frazeH an ma