Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1864-02-09
CiPrAIN CHARLEY.


roses and heliotropes in the Windows below
BIN. The furniture was light and grace.
lhL The carpet was, gray. Nothing was
red there but the two faces. mother ami
son. They bad been talking long and ear
pestly. Shen for while tney sat In silence.
which the son. Charley Wayne, was the first
% break.
If you were poor, mother, and really
needed me, would stay ct home withou:
saying q word
Ny heart is poor-my heart needs Won.
You are my ell. For the rest, 1 will zee
all have and give to the poor, and you
shall stay and work for me-
Vharley looked up at her with eyes
whose meaning always stirred her soul, for
they we're the eyes that always stirred her
youths love.
What would father have SAID, moth.
erT
The question found it's mork. She we'll
knew from whence came her sons quick
courage, his eyes of earnest meaning, his
heart true as steel, warm as summer. IL
father were living he would not have been
the last to follow the bugle call. Yet she
did not want to utter her own sentence of
DOOM.
She did not speak for little while. She
seemed to see again ths face of her Lost
love-tO her bis voice, which had, through
the years Of like together, been at once
! guide and comport. She almost seemed to
hear IN the etill summer air the downward
swOop eff wings, and to feel upon her brow
q touch Of peace and healing. How strong
be was-handsome. noble and brave; Just
the stuff Of which heroes are made. Had
she any right to deprive the good cause of
the blows that stout arm could striker AT.
ter al, what were peace and security, which
| ouly che sacrifice of the right could pur-
chase? If this life were all-but when the
verbs spoken must echo through the ever
lasting spaces, when the deeds done
here must make or mar the life that never
ends. Gould even love and loneliness make
her 90 weak as to purchase the present
with the futuref She looked at Charley
still, but she could not see him for the
tears gathering in her soft, mothorly tlue
eyos.
Father would say g0,' she whispered
and must say what father would, must
rot? mast prove myself worthy 10 have
been his wife. Bot be is dead, and If /
should lose you also, oh whom have !
leftr
Never fear, mother, All who eight do
not fall. ] shall come back TO you, and
you shall sit when you are old under my
vine and fig tree, and tell your grsndchil>
dren stories OF how their father helped to
save the country"
Heaven grant it, she whispered, trying
TO be brave, and smile as he lsfs her to tell
the boy of the 2lst that be was ready to
accept the lieutenant's commission that
had been offered him.
TWAS proud day when be marched
away with his men. Even his mother, az
she watched him from the window, and
met the fearless eyes which softened into a
glance oflove as they saw her face. left g
thrill of exultation, pride in her brave
son. which, for the time kept her tears
back. But the tears came when she heard
no longer the martial music that cneered
hin H911G nv The MONDAY silence fell
elaring, pitiless. looked in upon her. She
shut her window blinds and drew dowr
her curtains; for the bright day seemed
mocking her. Mute with SORROW, she ssnh
upon her knees, IS If there were PRAYER il
the very attitude, and then, I think, Heav
en- comforted her. To her soul, at last
came peace.
But the hardest trial came afterward.-
! As the slow days went on. and she coulC
not bear her boys gay voice making thu
great house CHEEKY, could catch no echo o
laughter no CLEAN of sunshine from BIZ
face, all her faith in heaven. all her belle
that she had done right could not ease be-
longing and heartsche.
: You know how il is when o friend die
and you believe they have gone home Il
happiness beside which the brightest hour
of earth fade into nothing. If you coul,
you would not take the responsibility o
calling them back to the sphere of doub
and waiting aud Jet.
The least touch Of their hands ia the morning yo
keep day and night;
Their step the stairs still throbs through yOl
Their least gift which they left your childhood
long ago years,
IL now turned from toy to relic, and gazed
through tears."
And il Charley Wayne had been dea
his mother would have felt her solitud
deeper than she felt it for. the first fe,
weeks after be went away. But 40 tim
i passed on she grew more accustomed to be
: lonlinese, and his letters began to give be
comfort. He was in an engagement no.
o and then. and came through safely. Sh
began to hope she should see him again.
Before 1862 was over she heard of hi
promotion-Captain Charley now she ha
grown strong enough TO feel glad an
proud when she heard Of it. She WroI
him cheerful letter of praise and coDgra
: ulatioD. which be put next to hia heart an
= wore more proudly than bis new honors.-
He had never knowD--would be ever know
J "a dearer love. His mother was still Il
). him among women.
y One day, early in March, he wrote be
hcW beautiful the Virinia spring was ho
the wild bright blossoms were opening so
y eyes to softer sky, and the birds wei
e singing q song of peace, peace. when e
u mao there was no peace. While she va
J, reading bis letter other tidiDgs came;
long dispatch from one who knew and To-
ed her boy the story of action such AZ
g these days of great battles We scarcoI
:hiDk Of, where only q few companies vel
Is engaged, but in which Charley had falle
severely Wounded-fallen, as she would I
It proud to hear, while bravely cheering O
lt bis men. He was wounded in the arI
u and leg, but was safely 10 the hospital, an
they hoped, would do we'll
u II is strange how much strength ie 10 u
J weakest and most loving typo Of women
. the hour which tries mems souls. do NJ
' think that Holmes, used to to the horror
of the dissecting room, made ready on
I, whit more coolly to start on bis search fC
= the captain than che on hers for Captai
! Charley. think that she forgot nothin
y that che could need, and. and do not be
lieve tear fell till all her preparation
y were over, and she sat 10 the cars on BIZ
way to him. What if her tears did fa
then. silent and bitter. behind her tbic
: Seilf There would be no stain of theI
! when be saw her face, which must /
% cheerful for his sake.
How the time went she never knew ii
y she stood beside bis bed him whit
and weak, with the impress of terribl
! pain on his fsee-Dut saw him alive in chi
. world.
How you must have hurried, mother, I
: : get here 90 soon I did not expect 70
Jet, but am glad you are here. The
9 will cuk INV arm off to.r.arrovv Thav can