The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-04-26
nNr nF MANY.

q "stA y ~ sttt
spair. making 81 of lile dreaTy aad
sad.
II was a right pleasant home, viii
ah beauiiiql surroundings e which
iilai Aogusi day, ibis bret unnoaaec.
n.em brought er aud desolai!ana d
lome made luminous by love, musical
by tie pratile OF swesl.iongned chil-
dren. holy by the voice q daily prayer
IA home where bright eyes looked
lovingly into liie's depths of joy ard
hope, ard brave hands performed with
cheerful indBstIy lfe's daily work.
Vines clang tenderly around tie low
piudows fowegs--sc scnFlei, pink, ana
gold --- fringed the peasant walks
and all day long, from the poplars Al
the door, birds sung their joeund airs
in the drowsy ear Of summer. dream
ing amidst the glories Of her own
nursing.
Bot il was dark now there were
shadows ON the faces which had been
bright sll tie summer through, and
there were sobs and sad plants wall
ing through the prayers Q. the stricken
mother ol the field, kneeling with the
I dear wondering ones around her.
] am dying, comrade. The voice
was faint, and bad a moan in it. am
dying; put your hand here on my
heart. Sec il has almost ceased TO
beat Dying, dying
Over the hills and along the val
leJs the battle rolled with noisy gran
deur. Through the thick smoke great
flashes Of smoke burst now and then
ike sudden sun lisings. But the ear
Of the soldier lying there on The fam
ing feld. was closed 10 the battles "a.
mutt Ia bis ears softer voices were
breathing. on his eyes a swceter
than battle glory was shining shining
from far 90 Ntw Hampshire hills,
where tie sun vas lying like bene-
diciion
.Lifi me upa little the weak voice
said So, and tie pale face bright.
ened for a moment with an expires
sion Of relief Tnen, Il have a home,
comrade IN dear New Ilampslre, aud
4 wie aud three liulc ones are wait
ing for noe there. | lad hoped 70 20
10 them IN hstl wlile-m time
would have been ont ii september !
have dreamed many night, lying un-
der the stars, Of walking up the yil-
lage street. and finding Tom, and
Kate, aud Susy, waiting for me at
tie gate their litle faces all ahame
wuh nE Solhetjmcs | have seemed
10 hear them praying for me, com
iada- praying with their Little bands
folded Oh their mothers knees; and
tile dark hours la9e AL been made
bright rs that thought, tie sight Of
that picture lying in my heart. But
al that Is over now. shall never
81 again III my great chair At tie ia
ble's head, nor Iie with my children
roupd me on the grass plat, lror uuder
ihe popuiarS. Al the d8ur."
A spasm checked bis speech for a
moment. His Heart was bleeding as
well as the wound ia bis side. Pre-.
sentIy. as III God were holding % 20
him The past, lie went on, dreamily:
u rememler well. comrade, the day
when Jenny AID | were married ii
was in iha old church on village green
you will see il if yon 90 there, with
4 graveyard full u weaiher-Leaien
tombsiones behind ii; June was blow
ing her sweet breath in at the win
daws, filing all the place with a deli
cious balm friends and neighbers
stood around; the white barred old
minisier--he had christened US both
when il was still summer with him
with happy face Knit Us together;
ard then with a bcneiieiion resting
upon our heads--I remember it as if
hut yesterday = we walked homc-
ward, Q, how ioyously, along the mar
row by-palh, under the apple trees,
whose bougIs seemed TO whisper bless
ings on Us as we vent Then, | re-
member, ! took Jenny 10 my own
little home, just on the village border,
and We began life's work together
summS II cur hearts, summer over
head, summer under cor feet. Then,
after while, eomrade, a boy came 10
us--a boy with hs mothers eyes;
and new song was put into our
mouths. How Ike a vineyard. purp
ling with luscious fruits, life seemed
10 us then' How we watched and
loved our boy How oar hearts
opened TO receive his sisters when
they came, seeming TO know be vas
yearning ior playmaes We used
10 Trims. Jenny and /. as we looked
into lbe fares 81 our darlings, that
God must have missed three ot bis
brightest ones after these our babes
had paudered down to Cur home
] be soldier paused again. tears ou
his clteek, BIS yoiee tremuioas. THIN.
Pot yoor arm under me comrade. be
said | will soon be done. Our ii-
,ie ones grew ~ around us; We had
10 uosk harder, for their sakes. than
before bui eohleti hehiened al our
toll Ne would Laye gsen our llAes
lef lhrm. Il yen hsve 3 flock Il home
ccmtade. you know uhsl that feeling
was. Well. We we're Happy, never
draining q gong apart. shep, sud
denly 4oa resaembeF title ol8 flag
80 q 81 "A T.