Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-01-09

AN INCIDENT OF THE LATE WAR.

Asleep at His Post.
AN INCIDENT OF THE LATE WAR.
Mr.. Owen, a pious farmer of Yer
mont, gave his son, Benjamin to the
Federal cause, in the late federal
struggle. One day a message arriv-
ed. which fell like thundebolt upon
the anxious yet hopeful family.
The lad had been found asleep at his
post and was condemned to be shot.
The terrible news soon spread in
the village, and the good minister,
Mr.. Allan, came at once, to see if it
were possible to administer consola-
ton to the heart broken parents.
oh, SIR cried the sOrrowing old
man, such dear, precious, noble
boy! thought when gave him to
his country that not a father in all
this broad land made so precious a
gift-no, not one. God forgive me
if my grief is sin. Mr.. Allan, 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 re-
liable he was1 and Mr.. Owens eyes
wandered over the brown fields with
such a perplexed, wondering look.
i 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 1, and only eighteen,
and now they shoot him because he
was found asleep when doing sentin-
nell Mr.. Owen repeated these words
very slowly, as if endeavoring to find
out their meaning. 'Twenty-four-
hours-the telegraph said only TWEEN
ty-four. Where is Bonnie nowT
We will hope with his heavenly
Father said Mr.. Allan, soothingly.
Yes, yes, let us hope. God is
very merciful, and Bonnie was so
good do not mean holy he said
correcting himself sharply; there is
none holy-no, not one, but Jesus
died for sinners. Mr.. Allan, tell me
that. Bonnie, Bennie.'
The mother raised herself as she
heard his name called, and turning
said, with q smile: Don't call so
loud father, Bonnie is not far OFF, he
will come soon.'
God has laid his hand oh them
both, you see,' said Mr.. Owen point
ing to her without making any direct
reply. She has not been just her
self since 1t is a merciful thing she
is sort of stunned, it seems to me,
she makes no wall
Mr.. Allan looked in establishment
at the bowed father as he came now
and stood before him. These few
hours had done the work Of years.
The sinewy frame was tottering, the
eyes were dim, and the sudden sor-
row had written itself in deep wrin-
kles all over his manly face. God
have mercy on you; he is trying you
in a furnace seven times heated! he
exclaimed involuntarily.
The daughter, fair young girl,
Blossom, as they called her, had sat
near them listening with blanched
cheeks. She had not shed tear to-
day and the terror in her face had
been so very still that no one mott
ced it. She had occupied herself
mechanically in the household cares
which her mothers condition de-
volved entirely upon her. Now she
answered a gentle tap at the kitchen
door, opening it to receive from a
neighbours hand a letter. tits from
him. was all she said.
Twas like message from the
dead.
Mr.. Oven could not break the seal
for his trembling fingers, and held it
toward Mr.. Allan with the helpless
ness of child.
The minister opened it and obedi-
ent to a motion of the father, read as
follows:
Dear Fathe~: When this reaches
you / shall !, in eternity. At first
it seemed awful to me, but l have
thought about it so much now that it
has no terror. They say they will
not bind me nor blind me, but that
1 may meet my death like a man. ]
thought, father, it might have been
on the battle field for my country,
and that when I fell it would be
fighting gloriously; but to be shot
down like q dog for nearly betraying
ito die for neglect of duty! | won
der the very thought does not kill
me! But i shall not disgrace you.
/ am going to write you all about it,
and when am gone you may tell
nv comrades. can't now.
You know / promised Jenny
Cars mother / would look after her
boy, and when he fell sick | did oil
/ could for him. He was not strong
when he was ordered back into the
ranks, and the day before that night
carried all his luggage besides my
own on the march. Toward night
we went double quick, and the lug
gage began to feel heavy, every body
else was tired too; ard ~ for Jenny,
if / had not lent him an arm now and
then he would have dropped by the