The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1866-01-04

sick in one of the Washington hospitals,
and not expected to recover, and she is
going right on to find him."
have fold you before abor1tS INV poinc
to see Fanny that sorrowful morning, how
| bewildered she seemed by the terrible
shock. She sat So still, looking 40 strange
| never shedding a tear, till her poor. little.
! fiitherless baby woke and cried. That
\ seemed to rouse her from the dreadful an
athy, to realization ofher loss. and she
cried and sobbed, till she seemed to have
scarcely strength left to breathe. Then
with the poor frightened little one, who
had cried, till it was too exhausted clasped
CLOSELY too har cha ad~a..--- = : H. "A.
mother had come in by that time, and /
left her and went to Esther Halls.
sfiss,ad expected her ybrothet ir,ms lrt
ThanksgiSins,, and they were going to
spend it together, with married sister,
who lived fifty miles away. This. was
Esther's only brother, and she works hard
at her trade all the year, having but little
recreation and few friends, and had antic-
ipated this'visit with James, for many
weeks. Now. instead, she must take this
long, sad journey to see him die. Ifound
her very calm. however, and very busy
getting ready to start i'm the afternoon. She
was one oftha kind who bear up bravely.
as long as there is anything to be done.
She was packing what things she would
need for herself or could use for his COM
fort, and after going back to mothers for
the things she had offered. I sat down and
finished off dress that Esther wanted to
wear. When that was done, it was two
O'Clock and time for the stage, that was
to take her away,tso started to go back
a gain to-tnother's for by that time I had
come to feel really thankful that my troub-
lie was not so heavy as it might have been,,
and / had resolved to show my gratitude
to God for the blessings that still were
mine, by being, at least, cheerful and pa
tient, if could not be joyous and glad.
had gone but a few steps toward home
when met old Mrs. Snow, coming from
church. with a letter in her hand. - She
stopped at the gate Of her little house, as I
came up, and said she was so glad to meet
me just there, and wouldn't I please 70
come in Just few minutes and read to her
a letter that she had just got from her
Thomas. 'You see, dear she said, "the
neighbors are all busy about their dinners
aud couldn't trouble any of themlto read
this, till by and by, but my dinner will be
SO much nicer, il I car only know that my
dear boy is alive and WELL, ,-s-.-
OF course went in, and read the letter.
1t was manly and affectionate, and bro't.
news of good health and comparative COM
fort, and it gave world Of satisfaction to
the poor, blind, widowed mother.
But the crowning joy was vet to come.
As was putting on my things To go, Mrs.
Snosvaiskad fnn to- read the letter once
RBsask BACK IN the ef,eetobbs e1t enconnteresda All IL
other half sheet Of paper. which I had not
before discovered. Iopenedsit and my
eyes fell at once on these words: ':There
We're five escaped prisoners came into our
lines, last night, and one of sthem'is from
our town Lieut.. Conway. They We're
badly used up when they Were brought in
but we did what we could for them, and
to-day they. ara quite smart" You may
he sure did not tarry long then, for felt
sure there must be u letter for me at the
office which had arrived since left home
in the morning. Good Mrs. Snow sympa-
thizeh warmly in my joy, rs 1 bale her
good bye, and walked quickly to the Of
flee and secured the precious letter. telling
me that you were safe, fnier the old flag
once more, and hoped to be at home in a
week. Such load was lifted from my
heart.
There was panse Of some minutes after
Mrs. CONWAY ceased speak, ng, and then
her husband said: ''- y
eyes, Agnes, do feel very thankful for
the many blessings that belOsg to our lot,
especially when think of the many who
are mourning this year for friends taken
away, and homes broken up. employment
and health gone. while we have life and
limb preserved, and our happy home re-
stored. I should like to do something to
make a Thanksgiving this year. for those
who have not been as fortunate'' gglSA
"I have been thinking SO, too" she re-
piled. "and for ore thing, should like to
send a box to good Mrs. Snow, with as
nice Il dinner as could put mp, for herself
and Thomas. To be sure he has returned
home alive, but. with his right arm gone,
and she so blind, it is not likely they can
get much Of a dinner for themselves this
year, vsE -H i'm
'.'Thpt isa cool idea, AMI is there any
thing we could do for poor Fanny Wells?"
81 don't know. inleed, unless should
send for her to come and make us visit
at Thanksgiving time, with her little boy.
Now her mother is deal, she has very few
friends about her, and IS very lonely. 1t
might do her good to come.''
After some conversation, this plan was
also adopted, Mrs. Conway saying she
would write the letter that evening.
SPY the way said Mr.. Conway. sud-
denly. after another pause, "whatever be-
came of Esther Hall and her brother?"
''Oh, he got we'll, after all--thanks to
her careful nursing, and after he was dis
charged he and Esther and their sister and
family, all went out to Missouri to live,
and have no doubt they will do good
deal toward reconstructing the state.''
~. e :. J.T.AI.
y DEATH OF A SoN OF RoBERT RURNs.-
Lieut.. Col. James Glencairn Burns, the
youngest son of Robert Burns, Scottish
poet, died at Cheltsnham, England, on
Saturday. Nov. Is. Although not inher-
iting any of the poetic genius of his father,
he was an agreeable and accomplished
man. naturally proud of the name he bore,
and which carried with it a happy prestige
wherever he went. During later years he
resided chiefly ut Cheltcnham, but he paid