Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-08-11
rnE uNREnIrrfNG RRAYE.


Amid all the pomp and splender of mill
tary reviews, wheeling squadrons, and clat-
ter OF flying artillery, the heart that
the cruel war is oyer-.turns sadly to those
who shall come back to US uo more They
sleep IN faE-oH graves riff they have such
distinctive marks at all-and IL not. their
bones bleach on distant battle fields In re-
mote wilderness or oozy swalnps, untrodden
By human footsteps The soul siekens In
contemplating all the agonies and sorrows
and indignities to which they have been sub
jeeted since leaving their homes of peaceful
quiet VI hat hot pulses and passionate
hearts have been stilled forever since this
summer four years ago; what brilliant hopes
and antleipations; what glowing dreams of
military greatness; what ambitious longings
for the strife Of battles are felt no more for
cverl
Who is there that cannot recall one hand
some youth whose joyous laughter filled
some stately home with pleasure2 In all tht
pomp and pride of young manhood, with
frank beautiful eyes, and clear complexion.
and well rounded form, he appeared the en-
bodiment of health, too full of youth to be
food for death Love and days Of dreamy
pleasure, seemed the fitting pursuit for such
bright, beautiful Adonises But the distant
boom Of the cannon of Sumter struck his
ear and, throwing aside the college class
books, he rushed proudly away to the bat
tie Sweet-eyed Julietat the balcony kissed
fair hands to Romeo, and from windows en-
powered in honeysuckle and roses waved
white handkerchief lighting him on TO glo-
ry and to greatness The perfumes of hell
otrope waited from blossoming gardens in
his march recalled the former life Of pleas
ure perchance, but turned him not aside.
Everything about war at first was a glori-
Gus circumstance. The manhness 10 COM
mand men, to feel bright sword upon his
thigh, and the consciousness within of feel
ing that he dared to draw it in one of the
noblest causes that ever excited the enthusi-
asm of young hero; the courtly ceremo-
nies of parade and reviews, the glorious roll
of drums, and the thrill of brazen bugles
and futtero bright, starry banners present.
ed by fair ones at home as he started for the
wars-all this kept him constantly in a state
of pleasu1able excitement and hope. What
was gfander than to win name, and march
at the head, perhaps Of conquering col
Umnsl
What would they say at home to see him
coming back, a general perchance, and the
sword that fair Juliet had kissed and deco
rated with a ribbon from her hair, how gal-
liant to wave it in flashing salute, bow
ing from the saddle as he passed her house.
All! bright-cyed. eager boy OF ardent
hopes and noble ambition Where sleeps
the faultless form now that once gladdened
a mother fond eyes, and the touch OF whose
lingering fingers thrilled supremest ecstaey
through aching Juliet heart? The return
inc legions every day marching to expeetant
towns and welcomed with openarms as they
bravely bear their tattered, scared banners
back to those who gave them, miss you; and
the eager glances OF merry, waiting eyes at
home turn teaffully away 10 the darkened
par1or, away from the huazeira et~eets utstl
the gladsome strains of music.
Oh, the Bitterness of such moments to
those who wait and weep, or, despairing, sit
hopelessly down to deep despondeucy Ii
he had but lived to come back with them
even SCARED and wounded-lf be only had
come back
1t is the burden of many bitterly sor-
rowfdl heart Just in these days OF our tri-
umph, at the close Of the war. The return
of the armies with p@ans Of rejoicing greyives
| all the memories of the past The weari-
some waiting in muddy camps, the terrible
winter nights on picket duty, the sickness at
| heart, the lingering fevers Of camp and hos
pital, and the pining for the lost comforts of
home, were trials that were as llfe-consumlng
to some as the fierce deadly charge OF rush-
ing squadrons, or the fash of trained musk
etry ia the midst of hottest battles.
Peace to the gallant dead Eternal graf
itude to the noble and self forgetting heroes
who sleep in unknown graves far away from
familiar homesteads a nation Of count
less united republics shall, in the bright fu-
ture impending, do saintreYerence to such
costly sacrifices. And the pride Of being
connected by blood or kindred ties with such
nobles will be more chan Norman.