The Portland daily press., 1864-12-24
Saturday Morning, Dec. "a, 1864.
CAPTAIN CHARLEY. =.

"To think how H. you siespin town h
such happy mothers DO, -
VINO ke p Ihelf many sons 1t home,
While Ii had Dut thee."
There was sunshine in the room, and the
breath OF flowers. A golden throated bir
trilleda notes oT gushing, musical joy to the
roses and heliotropes IN the window below
hun. Il did not sound like the song OF q cageu
bird. Perhaps the sweet odor stealing up to
hin from the blossoms, the sunshine on his
golden wings, stirred some slumbering bird
memory OF mis-, and made him think he was al
home again in the summer isle round which
the purple sea breaks unanimously, and where
the roses bloom all the year. The furniture
was light and graceful. The carpet was gay.
Nothing Was sad there but the two faces
mother and son. FL a5sss \ ssss. .,.-
They had been talking long and earnestly.
Then for while they had sat in silence, which
the son, Charley Wayne, was the first to
break.
"II you were poor, mother, and really need
ed me, 1 would stay at home without saying
word" 5zaioasa fst tas ses759 -itTf
my heart is poor-my heart needs you-
You are my all. For the rest, If it viii keep
you, will sell all Ihaye, and give to the poor,
and you shall stay and work ior me-"
Charley looked up at her with eyes whose
meaning always stirred her soul, for they were
the eyes Of her youths love. over such eyes
grew the roses and violets of that same June
of 1862.
"Wnat would father have said, rnother?"
The question found It's mark. She we'll
knew whence came her sons quick courage,
his eyes OF earnest meaning, his heart true as
steel, warm as summer. Ii father were liv
ing he would not have been the last to follow
the bugle-call. Yet she did not want to utter
her own sentence of doom. laaa aids
She did not speak for a little while. She
seemed to see again the face Of her lost love-
to hear his voice, which had through the years
OF their life together, been guide at once and
comfort. She almost seemed to hear In the
still summer air the hedownward swoop Of wings
and TO feel upon her. brow touch of peace
and healing. She looked up again at Charley.
How strong he was asl-handsome, noble, brave,
just the stuff of which heroes are made. Had
she any right to deprive the good cause oil the
blows that stout right arm could strike? All
ter all, what were peace and security, which
only the sacrifice oil the right could purchase?
.ltthis life were all--but when the words spok-
en- here must echo through the everlasting
spaces, when the deeds done here make or mar
the life that never ends, could even love or
loneliness make her so weak as to purchase
the present with the future? She looked at
Charley still, but she could not see him for
the tears gathering in her soft, motherly blue
eyes. ao fe' - rvs ~ saes w a4f
s''Father would say "go," she whispered.
"and must say what father would, must
not? | must prove myself worthy to haye
been his wife. But he is dead, and IL should
los also, oh whom have / left ~ ss' n
p1 "6odP aa no hstsa gilk1saf afl eel iiiw
D.d Unarley speak, or was IL the voice Of a
strong angel calling down from the eternal
heights?
q Mrs, Wayne bowed her head reyerently, 81
1an0ad hu ~. xh<,,< ~sf L
love beyond hope or longing which might be
hers il she would. She dared not again call
herself alone in the universe. She only put
her nand out silently, and Charley took it.
sr~ Never fear mother. ALI who neht do not
fall shall come back TO you, aud you shall
sit, wnen you are old, under my vine and fg-
tree, and tell your grandchildren stories of
how their tather helped to saVe the country"
sHeaVen grant iLlD she whispered, trying
to be- brave, and smile, as he left her to tell the
boys OF the Twenty iIrst that he was ready to
accept the lieutenants's commission that had
been offered him. ' e
1t was q proud day when he marched away
with his men. Even his mother, al she watch
ed him from the window, and met the fearless
eyes which soitened into glance OF love as
they saw her face, felta thrill OF exultation,
pride ia her brave son, which ior the time kept
her tears back. But the tears came when she
ed him on-when the MONDAY silence fell
around her, and the MONDAY light, gay, glAr
{ ing, pitiIess, looked In, upon her woe. She
shnt her window blinds and drew. down her
curtains; for the bright day seemed knocking
her. Mute with sorrow she sank upon her
knees as if there we're prayer in the very atti-
tude, aud Then, think, Heaven comforted her.
70 her soul, at last, came a great peace.
She seemed TO draw near The eternal life, and
q a > nf an0l roe "a tAIt nj
as she had never felt before since the summer
day he died, TO Charley's father. She knew
that she had done what he would have coun-
seied; and she strengthened herself with his
approval, as she had done SO many times dur
eng their short lie together. So she grew
strong, having tasted the air of heaven, to let
In again the joy and light OF earth. ~
But the hardest trial came afterward. For
the extreme moments ofour life there is vouch-
saiedto our need heavenly mamma; it Is our
daily bread that we have TO toll and pray for.
AS the slow days went on, and she could not
hear her boys gay voice making the
great house cheery---could catch no echo of
his laughter, no CLEAN OF sunshine from his
facial her faith in Heaven, all her be- iefthat
she had done right, could not ease her longing
and heartache.
You know how it is when friend dies, and
you believe they have gone home to a happi-
ucsS Otelu6 WHlCA buO uiiSutccb uouio vi cdEIu
fade into nothing. II you could, you would
not take the responsibility of calling them back
to the sphere of doubt and waiting; and yet
Ihe least touch of their hands in the morning you
r. a : ksep day aud night: -Ea
Their teast step on the stairs still throbs through
you II ever 80 iahl.
Tnsir iea'. glt which they left to yoar childhood
IS now .arnsa ,, from toy to relic, and gazed at
WI e.N VI
Aud il Charley Wayne had been dead. his
mother would have hardly felt her soJitnda
deeper than she felt 1t Tor the frst'faw uosaks
after he went away. But as time nassoS On
she grew more accustomed TO her lon,iness'
and his letters began to give her confort IT,
was In an engagement now and then, and
came through safely. She began to hope She
sbonld see him again. fvUf ~YgTTr
Before 1862 was over, she heard Of his pro-
motion Captain Charley now. She had be-
come strong enough to feel glad aud proud
when she heard OF 1t. She wrote him cheer
ful letter of praise and congratulation, which
he put next his heart, and wore more proudly
than Lis new honors, He had never known
would he evsr know2-a dearer love; his
mother was still for him irst among women.
&, One day, early In March, he wrote her how
beautiful the Virginia spring was; how the
wild, bright blossoms We're opening soft eyes
to softer sky, and the birds we're singing q
song Of peace, peace, when for man there was
no peace. 7 sos y.
While she was reading his letter other ii
dlngs came a long dispatch from one who
knew and loved her boy; the story OF an ac
fon, such, as ln these days of great battles we
scarcely think OF, but in which Charley had
fntien. ahVHTh1V WJuut1eA. allan ak ala Vtyk,ld