Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-02-17

waves and pillows are going over me,
do YOU? I've planted it firm, and it
don't yield; 10, it don't yield, but the
strain is terrible. God send it may
carry me into port; oh, Mr.. Allen, so it
will. 1t has seemed to me to-day SO
dark, so wonderful, so inscrutable, that
he-my Benniel Mr.. Allen there is a
good, wise purpose behind it all. Can
you see it?"
ITO bring you nearer the kingdom, -
said the minister.
"Oh, don't tell me that, can't bear
it. God is too wise; he knows a hun
bred such souls as mine are not worth
one of Bennie's. / can suffer If i am
too gleat a sinner for Gods grace to
save, but Benniel Benniel / have sat
here all day, since the news came,
wondering, wondering; he was SO good
son" and Mr.. Ovens voice grew al
most inarticulate with emotion. ''Such
dear, precious, noble boyl I Thought
when / gave him to his country, that
not father in all this broad land made
so precious gift mot a one. God
forgive, me if my grief is sin. Mr..
Allen, the dear boy only slept minute,
Just one little minute, at his post; L
know that was all, for Bonnie never
dozed over a duty. How prompt and
reliable he wasr and Mr.. Owens eye
wandered out over the brown fields,
with such perplexed, wondering look.
ST know he only fell off one little Sc
cond; he was so young. and not strong,
that boy of mine. Why, he was as tall
as I, aud only eighteen? and now they
shoot him because he was found asleep
when doing sentinel duty" Mr.. Owen
re peated these words very slowly, as If
endeavoring to find out their true mean
ing. ''Twenty-four hours, the tele-
graph said-Only twenty-four hours.
Where is Bennie now?"
Eve will hope with his heavenly
Father" said Mr.. Allan, soothingly.
.Yes, yes, let us hope; God is very
mercifuI, and Bonnie was so good do
not mean holy" he said, correcting
himself sharply, there is none holy, no,
not one, but did Jesus died for sinners.
Mr. Allen, tell me that. Oh, Bonnie,
Benniep
The mother raised herself as she
heard his name called, and turning, said
with smile:
''Don't call so loud father, Bonnie is
not far off, he will come soon.
"God laid his hand on them both,
you see, said Mr.. Owen, pointing to
her. without making any direct reply.
She has not been 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. Ben
ME was her idol. TOLD her often God
had said '.Thou shalt have no gods be
fore me-"
Mr.. Allen looked in establishment at
the bowed man as he came now and
stood before him. These few hours had
done the work of years. The sinewy
frsme was tOttering, the eyes were dim
med, and the sudden sorrow had writ
ten itself in deep wrinkles all over his
manly face. He recognized the power
Of the great kind heart, simple and al
most 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? "God have mercy
on you; He is trying you in furnace
seven times heated" he exclaimed al
most voluntarily.
81 should be ashamed, fatherI' he
said, "when / am man, to think |
never used this great right ARMAND
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, Bonnie, then go, my boy" 1
said, ''and God keep you. God has
kept him, think, MIR. Allenp' and the
farmer repeated these last words slowly,
as if. in spite of his head, his heart
doubted them.
Like the apple of his eye, Mr.. Owen,
doubt 1t not!''
Blossom had sat near them listening
with blanched cheek. She had not
shed tear to-day, and the terror in her
face had been so very still 10 one no.
ticed it. She had occupied herself
mechanically in the household cares,
which her mothers condition devolved
entirely upon her. Now she answered
a gentle tap at the kitchen door, open
ing to receive from neighbours hand a
letter. ''It was from him." was all she
said.
Twas like a message from the dead.
Mr.. Owen could not break the seal for
his trembling fingers, and held it
toward Mr.. Allen with the helplessness
of child.
The minister opened it, and, obedi-
emit to motion from the father, read as
follows:
"Dedr Father:- When this reaches
You / shall be in eternity. At first it
seemed awful to me; but / have
thought about it so much now that it
has no terror. They say they will not
bind me nor blind me, but that may
meet my death like a man. thought,
father, il might have been on the bat
tie field for my country, and that, when
fell, it would be fighting gloriously;
but to be shot down like dog for
nearly betraying it. to die for neglect
of duty oh, father, wonder the very
thought does not kill me. But I shall
not disgrace you. am going to write
all about it, and, when / am gone, you
may tell my comrades. i can't now.
l know, promised Jenny Carr's
mother would look after her boy, and
when he fell sick / did all / could for
him. He was not strong when he was
ordered back into the ranks, and the
day before that night carried all his
l F5Gafas bfs sides my own on the march.
quick, and though the luggage began
to feel very heavy, everybody else was
tired too, and as for Jenny, if hadn't
lent him an arm now and then, he
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