Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1866-01-25
this deep, trouble you can still say,
The Maker of all doptb yynlI'n

when the skies were Cioudiess, and the
little waves just rocked my bark, to let
alone of it now-now, when the great
waves and pillows are going over me,
do you? I've planted it firm, and it
don't yield no, IL don't yield, but the
strain is terrible. God send it may
carry me into port; oh, Mr.. Allan, say
1t will. It has seemed to me to-day so
dark, so wonderful, so inscrutable,
that he---my Bennie Mr.. Allan, there
is good, wise purpose behind it all.
Can you see it?" VI .E 81
ITO bring you nearer the Kingdom"
said the minister. an
oh, don't tell me that I can't bear
1T. God is too wise He knows hun
dred such souls as mine are not worth
one of my Bennie's. l can suffer if
am too great a sinner for Gods grace to
save, but Bennie Bennie Il have
sat here all day, since the news came,
wondering, wondering; he was so good
a son,"-and Mr. Owens voice grew
almost inarticulate in its emotion
such dear, precious, noble boy /
thought, when gave him to his coun-
try, that not father in all this broad
land made so precious a gift,-no not
one. God forgive me if my grief is a
sin. Mr.. Allan, the dear boy only slept
a minute, just one little minute, at his
post know that was all, for Bennie
never dozed over duty. How prompt
and reliable he was!" and Mr.. Owens
eye wandered out over the brown
fields, with such perplexed, wonder
ing look. al 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 be-
cause he was found asleep when doing
sentinel duty" Mr.. Owen repeated
these words very slowly, as If endeav-
oring to find out their true meaning ::
Twenty-iour hours, the telegraph
said, only twenty-four hours. Where
is Bennie now ?"
We will hope, with his Heavenly
Father" said Mr.. Allan, soothingly.
Yes, yes, let us hope God is very
merciful, and Bennie was good do
not mean holy" he said, correcting him
self sharply there is none holy--no,
not one, but Jesus died for sinners.
Mr.. Allan, tell me that. Oh, Bennie,
Bennie!" .- !
The mother raised herself as she
heard his name called, and, turning,
said, with a smile Don't call SO loud,
father Bennie is not far off he will
come soon." g.
God laid his hand on them both,
You see," said Mr.. Owen, pointing to
her, without making any direct reply
" She has not been justly herself since.
1t is a merciful thing she is sort of
stunned, it seems to me she makes no
wall. Poor mother. !. if my heart was
not broken it would almost kill me To
see her SO. Bennie was her idol. /
told her often, God had said, Thou
shalt have no gods before me-"
Mr.. Allan looked in astonishment at
the 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 sudden sorrow had written itself in
deep wrinkles all over his manly face.
He recognized the power of the great,
kind heart, simple an almost childlike
in its innocent, clinging affection; how
could this be reconciled with the stern,
strong head-the head that to common
observers outlined the character of the
man? Godlh mercy on you He
is trying you in a furnace seven times
heated" he exclaimed, almost involun-
tarily,
&c should be ashamed, fatherr he
said, when am man to think lnev-
er 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 l
said, 'and God keep you,' God has
kept him, i think, Mr.. Allan!n and the
farmer repeated these last words slow
ly, as if, in spite of his head, his heart
doubted them.
"Like the apple of his eye, Mr..
Owen, doubt it not!" 8f0s
Blossom had sat near them listening,
with blanched cheek. She had not shed
tear today, and the terror i'll her
face had been so very still no one had
noticed it. She had occupied herself
mechanically in the household cares,
which her mothers condition devolved
entirely upon her, Now she answered
gentle tap at the kitchen door, open
ing it to receive from neighbours hand
a letter. 1t is from him. was all she
said.
Twas like message from the dead.
Mr.. Owen could not break the seal for
his trembling fingers, and held it to-
wards Mr.. Allan, with the helplessness
of child.
The minister opened it, and, read as
follows: 8
" Dear Father when this reaches
yon shall be in eternity. At first, it
seemed awful to me but have
thought about it so much now that it
has no terror. l thought, father, it
might have been OH the battle field,
for my country, and that, when | fell,
it would be fighting gloriously 1; but to
be shot like dog for nearly betraying
it, to die for neglect Of duty !-oh, faith
er, wonder the very thought does not
\ kill me. But shall not disgrace yom
l am going to write you all about it
and, when l am gone, you may tell my
comrades. can't now.
You know, promised Jenny
Carr's mother, would look after hel
boy, and when he fell sick, l did all
could for him. He was not strong
when he was ordered back into tho
. ranks, and the day before that night.
carried all his luggage, beside my own
on our march. Toward night we wen
in on double quick, and though the lue
{ gage began to feel very heavy, ever,