Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-02-09

lows are going over me, do you? Pve
planted it firm, and it don't yield no, it
don't yield, but the strain is terrible. God
send it may carry me into port; oh, Mr..
Allan, so it will 1t had seemed to me to-
day so dark, so wonderful, so inscr1table,
that he-my Bennie - Mr.. Allan,
there is good, wise purpose behindit all.
Can you see it |"
''To bring you near the kingdom" said
the minister.
"Oh, don't tell me that | can't bear it.
God is too wise; he knows a hundred
such souls as mine are not worth one of
Bennie's. l can suffer, if l am too great
sinner for Gods grace to save, but Bennie
Bennie! l have sat here all day, since
the news came, wondering, wondering, he
was so good a son." and Mr.. Owens voice
grew almost inarticulate with emotion
''Sueh dear, precious, noble boy! l
thought when | gave him to his country,
that not a father in all the broad land
made so precious a gift-not one. God
forgive me if my grief is sin.-Mr. Allan,
the dear boy only slept minute at his
post; | know that was all, for orBennie never
dozed over duty. How prompt and re-
liable he was !" and Mr. Owens eve wan
dered out over the brown fields, with such
a perplexed, wandering look. 81 know he
only fell off one little second, he was so
young, and not strong, that boy of mine.
Why, he was as tall as !, and only eighteen,
and now they shoot him because he was
found asleep when doing sentinel duty"
Mr.. Owen repeated these words very slow
ly, as if endeavoring to find out their true
meaning. 'sTwenty-four hours, the tele-
graph said only twenty flour hours. Where
is Bennie now?"
"We will hope with his Heavenly Faith
er," said Mr.. Allan soothingly.
eyes, yes, let US hope; God is very
merciful, and Bennie was so good do
not mean holy" he said, correcting him
self sharply, there is none holy, no, not
one;' but Jesus died for sinners. Mr.. Al
Ian, tell me that. Oh, Bennie, Benuie!'
The mother raised herself as she heard
his name called, and turning, said with
smile:
sDon't call so loud, father, Bennie is
not far of, he viii come soon."
"God laid his hand on them both, you
see" said Mr.. Owen pointing to her, with
out making any direct reply. "She has
not been Justly herself since. 1t is mer-
ciful thing she is sort of stunned, it seems
to me; she makes no wall. Poor mother!
if my heart was not broken, it would al
most kill me to see her so. Bennie was
her idol / told her often God had said
'FThou shalt have no other gods before
| me-" esr
Mr.. Allan looked in astonishment at the
bowed man as he came now and stood be-
fore him. These few hours had done the
work of years. The sinewy frame was
tottering, the eyes were dimmed and the
sorrow had written itself in deep wrinkles
all over his manly face. He recognized
the power of the great kind heart, simple
and almost childlike in its innocent, cling
ing affection; how could this be reconciled
with 1.-The stern, strong head--the head
that to common observers out-lived the
character of the man. "God have mercy
ion you; He is trying you in furnace
seven times heated" he exclaimed almost
voluntarily.
81 should be ashamed, father he said,
when am man, to think l never used
this great right arm,-and he held it out
so proudly before me,-for my country,
when it needed it. Palsy it, rather than
keep it at the plough
go Bennie, then; go, my boy said,
and God keep you God has kept him,
l think, Mr.. Allanr' and the farmer re-
peated these last words slowly, as il, in
spite of his head, bis heart doubted them.
"Like the apple Of his eye, Mr.. Owen,
doubt it not "
Blossom had sat near them listening,
with blanehed cheek. She bad not shed
a tear to-day, and the terror in her face
had been 50 very still no one had noticed
it. She had occupied herself mechanic
ally in the household cares, which her
mothers condition devolved entirely upon
her. Now she answered a gentle tap at
the kitchen door, opening to receive from
neighbor's hand letter. SIT is from
him, was all she said.
Twas like message from the dead
Mr.. Owen could not break the seal for
trembling fingers, and held it toward Mr..
Allen with the helplessuess of child.
The minister opened it, and, obedient
to motion from the father, read as fol-
lows:
"DEAR FATHER:-When this reaches
you l shall be in eternity. At first it
seemed awful to me; but l have thought
about it so much now that it has no ter
ror. They say they will not bind me,
nor blind me, but that l may meet my
death like man. l thought father, it
might have been on the battlefield for my
country, and that, when Ifell, it would be
lighting gloriously; but to be shot down
like dog for nearly betraying it to die
for neglect of duty !-oh, father, l won
der the very thought does not kill me-
But shall not disgrace you. | am going
to write you all about it, and, when l am
gone, you may tell my comrads. | can't
now.
"You know, promised Jenny Cars
imother | would look after her boy, and
when he fell sick did all l could for him.
He was ordered back into the ranks, ard
the day before that night l carried all his
luggage besides my own on our march
Towards night we went into double
quick, and though the luggage began to
feel very heavy, everybody else was tired
too, and as for Jenny, if had not lent
him an arm now and then he would have
dropped by the way. l was all tired out
when we came into camp, and then it was
Jemmy's turn to be sentry, and l would
have taken his place, but l was too tired,
father. 1 could not have kept awake if
1 had had gun at my head, but l did
not know it until-well, until it was too
late"