The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-11

Come. let the burial rite be rsad-the funeral
An anthem for The Queenliest dead that ever died
dirss for Der. the doubIy dead, in that she died
- Edgar A. Poe's "LsnoS"
The two years which Mrs. Ashley had stipulated
should pass before the marriage Of her daughter,
are ovst. The day TO which Helen and st. yoha
had looked forward 90 eagerly and conddentially
had ct length arrived. -.
Let M hasten to beautiful Ashley Hall, to wit.
ness the gay revels there. Aswe near the place
we do indeed hear sounds OF merriment, bat can
those loud voices and that coarse laughter pro
coed from the polished and highborn guests who
were wont TO grace the noble old mansion. We
pass through the broad OAK avenue and observe
with wonder how neglectedis it, appearance. By
without psusing to notice that the lawn is over.
grown with weeds, the beautiful flower garden
rum, and even many Of the orange trees cut down,
our gaze % riveted on the house Itself. On the
psazs n the SsroF 0uDsns u II: luxurious
dirty, bali. dressed negroes. One of them is strik.
ing on the piano, while others dance TO the an
couth sounds. Can this be the home Of the Ash
iey's. Afas It II now IN the hands of our cruel
and vindictivs foes. who have Abandoned it to
We turn with horror from 90 revolving scene
to seek the noble family now driven into exile and
Far away, in one Of the upper districts of South
Caroline thsEs ], We 4o os 5n Couch drawn
and psld face We can scarcely recognize the
once blooming Helen. The rounded, graceful
fern 10 wasting to shadow. and the wistful,
brown eyes retain netting OF by-gone days, save
their gentle, loving softness. Their brightness
has been dimmed by bitter tears, and sorrow and
suffering have almost entirely quenched the hope
that once shown so purely in their liquid depths.
The beautiful hair is still drawn back IS of yore,
and You may plainly trace the blue veins in the
fair temples. Besides her sits her mother. In
spite of the close cap, you see that sorrow has
thickly streaked her hair with gray. The stately
form is bowed and the face is worn and weary.I
And why Is st. John absent from his promised
bride, now that she ID i'll, IN poverty and exile |,
Alas be has fallen. one Of the many victims on
the altar OF freedom. he rests where he FELL on
the bloody field Of the second Manassas. simple
cross marks the place of his grave. raised by his
comrades, that he may, ct some future day. be
is cut:
Private Allan Ct. John. Palmetto Guards, I'd
Yes, with ali his talent, wealth and aristocratic
birth. st. John died private. Possessed Of
neither military education, nor peculiar military
skill be sought no office, but was content to die
with no higher title than that of gentleman pri.
yate yet, mstbiDks, no purer, nobler name can
be borne in such struggle for liberty. For his
country, and for her alone, he fought; and no
thought OF self mingled its alloy with the pure
gold of his patriotism. -, IL ----.
A few short months after the date of our last
chapter, when South Carolina called upon her
sons to rally around the walls of Sumter, St John
fastened to join the patriotic band under the
command of the gallant and lamented Captain
Cuthbert. As member of the Palmetto Guards
he fought until death laid him low. A few weeks
after his fall, his place in the company was sup
piled by Charlie, then scarcely seventeen. The
boy had long been anxious to join the army, but,
on account Of bis youth his mother had hitherto
refused her consent Now, however, when he
heard of the death of his friend bis almost brother
and saw his sisters anguish, he passionately i'm
plored his mother to hold him back no longer.
and she, seeing 1t was best, yielded up her trea.
sure to her country's service. He had not been
in Virginia more than SIX weeks, when he was
summoned homo to his sisters death-bed. That
evening was the earliest time possible at which he
could arrive, and mother and sister we're both
anxiously watching for him. They had been silent
fer the last half hour. when Helen spoke: /
Mother, If Charlie does not come to day, |
shall never see him again. for feel that shall
not live until to morrow. To-day was to have
been our Wedding day you tnoy md taGlg! 1t
ffaeonld Be in AsaYen.p 80
7 sne paused, then softly repeated:
"Nesrer my Fathers house.
Where the many mansions be
Nearer the Great White Throne;
Nearer the jasper sea;
Nearer the bound of life,
Where We lay our burdens down
Nearer leaving my GROSS
Nearer wearing my CROWN
mother, do you remember how we used to
sing that at homer Il was AIlan's favorite. I
recollect his telling me once that Heaven never
seemed 20 near him as when ne sang that. Now
thank Him that Allan will be there to meet me !
Do you know, mother. on the night that was
seventeen, told him in the dear old orange grove
that could not live without his love and you
oao ms inhf lat
weak creature without my Allan, and 90 He is
taking me to him. Do not cry SO, darling mother
Have you not taught me that /" to live il Christ,
but to die is gain -" ss' esa
my child my child How can give You up {,
You who have been my comfort through SO
oh God, to say, Thy will, not mine, be DONE"
" But mother, you will have Charlie here, and
two children In Heaven with father. Surely you,
whs have always lived SO near to God, will not
find it hard to think your treasures are with hin.
Oh, mother, dear mother, let me 20 home!' n
Der voice ceased, and drawing her mother down
to her she strove to kiss away the binding tears
So absorbed were they that the opening of the
door disturbed them not and Charlie stood some
his presence. In an instant, however, he was
clssped in his mothers arms, and she was kissing
him with ali the passionate fervor Of q mothers
love for an only son. When she released him he
turned to bis sister, but, shocked at the change
down bsside her in. an agony Of uncomfortable
sobbing. - Hti AR OH
! She held him closely, kissing again and again
the cheek already imbrowned BY bis fe v weeks
exposure TO the hardships of q soldiers life. At
length, his Mother, fearing the excitement would
prove too piuch for Helen, drew him away until
be could regain composure. ara asua-r.I,
The sun was slowly setting. Still on couch
BY the window lay the dying girl. But now she
was supported 10 her brothers. arms, and her pale
cheek rested on his gray jacket Softly abe
:" Mother, Charlie. will you sing, There is rest
They COMPLIED: and sadly the strains of that
sweet hymn sounded in the chamber OF death.
When IL ceased, she said, II
.Thsnk yon. oh. thanh you how swoet it is to
" Pain nor sickness there shall enter,
Grief nor woe my lot shall share.n --
And, mother, you and Charlie viii Join Us
here, in the Christians home of glory; will you
not, But, oh, II is so hard to say good bye, even
though know it is only for q little whfe 1 wish
could have seen our dear, dear country, our
beautiful sunny South, free once more but God
knows best. One more kiss, mother, dearest and
now you, Charlie. my own kind brother, my darl-
ing soldier boy. Mother, Charlie If 1t is ever in
-four power, let Allan and me rest together in the
old graveyard at Ashley Hail. beside dear faher.''