Weekly Trinity journal. [volume] (Weaverville, Calif.) 1857-1972, 1864-04-30
NUMBER Is.
The Soldiers Letter.

The following touching letter was picked up
on the battlefield of Gettysburg. 1t contained
no signature, and bore no other address than the
sweet name " ELLEN l am thinking tonight of
the little home in the shadow of the old walnut
trees where the fame-light dances on my own
hearthstone, and my fair boy-babies fold their
small hands softly, and bow their bright heads
reverently while they syllable the low prayers
that ask OF God protection for their soldier
father Ellen, you must teach them to pray
thus:
How long, Our Father, must the noblest life
in Columbia veins gush on the blackened hands
of traitors?
How long must the crimsoned alter of patriot
ism reeL with the warm blood of the brave, ere
the stain is washed from the Nations escutcheon,
and the boast of American freedom is unsilenced
by the clank of chains :?
How long must the discordant jargon of con-
tending parties deafen the ear of an offended
God to the prayer that bursts in waves of burn
ing agony from the decorating bosoms trodden
down in the dust of our battle-felds
How long must the lambs bleed ere the shep-
herd wakens? God of mercy, support the right?
Send this prayer from their lips, Ellen, perhaps
their pure breath may bear it higher than mine
can. l think sometimes the whisper of child
hood has a strength the loud voice of manhood
never owns.
The strong right arm of the nation is out
stretched but, is its heart warm, is its head
steady? Are the chords of its brain strung to
one tension, do the pulses of its life beat to the
same time? Does the head think while the hand
struggles? Does the heart ache when the
bleeds Is the soul of the Nation awake?
All Ellen, there is an eloquence that speaks
above the clamOr of factious tongues An elo-
quence to which the soulless utterance of party
feeling is like the trembling of the forest leaves
when the thunders awake 1t is the elo-
quence of pain of suffering, sacrifice and death.
Who dares to picture eloquence, while its living
soul breathes in the ranks where freemen s hearts
weep blood for brethren in chains? There is
division feeling in the life that leaps upon the
sword There is no mean partizanship where
unselfish heroism pours its elOquence on the
wheted knife of Dsunion, till Columbia g broad
bosom is one indignat 1ush2
am sad tonight, my Ellen. There is voice
on my heart that sounds like the patter of my
chllren's feet in their home play haunts. There
is picture my soul like the smile of Holy
Writ. that makes my wife S face beautiful. And,
all day, one word-a word whose music is tone
from Ueaycn-has been written on the blue
skies. woven in the green sward, spoken to the
wave ly the breeze. and painted upon it by the
sunlight-that word is " Home p You see,
there il a traitor drop may heart that makes
ne brink sometimes, when duty calls, and al
ways whispers, g Ellenr You must not tell
my brown-eyed Eddie this. His lofty scorn of
traitors would be apt to challenge it.
had more to say, but my light is Pickering
low and the shadows creep upon my page SO
fast have only time to add prayer to Cod
that lie will bless and guard my baby boys and
Ellen.
Good night Sometime we she'll meet again "
AMENDMENT TO THE School LAw.-Section four
of the amended school law of this State reads as
follows
SEC. I. Each County Superintendent of Pub
lie Schools shall annually subscribe sufficient
number Of copies of a journal of education,
published IL California, and devoted exclusively
20 educational purposes, to be designated by the
Superintendent of Public Instruction, to furnish
each Board of School Trustees in his county with
al least one monthly copy of the same, and shall
cause it to be forwarded to the Clerk of the
Board of Trustees who shall keep it filled among
the records of his district. The County Super
intendelt shall pay for such subscriptions an
amount not exceeding one dollar per annum for
each district. by drawing his warrant payable
out of the County School Fund before such fund
is apportioned TO the various districts, for the
amount. which warrant shall be countersigned
or ndorsed by the Auditor, whereupon it shall
be paid by thc Treasurer. Each County Super
intendent shall bL allowed annually, for postage
and cXpressdge, sum equivalent to two dollars
for each school district in his county, which
shall be paid ont of the County School Fund in
the same manner as provided for the payment of
the annual subscriptions for journal of educa-
ton.