Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-11-19

country, when it so needs their aid y
asked her husband.
"Ob, / can not / can not" she sob
bed. "My boys! bone of my bone
flesh of my flesh, life of my very life;
they must not 60 to be shot by the crue
rebels-it is more than l can bear.
All tried to comfort her. but in vain
her tears only fell the faster. AT length
a sweet young girl stole unobserved to
her side, and, laying her fair head upon
the weeping woman's shoulder, whisper
ed softly through her tears:
Mother-for may not l, who have
never known a mothers love, call you SO
now?-mother should we try to keep
them back? 1t is harder to yield them
up, know, than to give our own life
blood, but duty calls us to make the sac.
rifce."
Then Horace, who had stolen to
Roses side, said " Mother, if Rose can
give both her father and lover to her
country, can not you, from all your ckil'
dren, give Harry and me?"
Soon, through the influence of their
gentle, caressing words, aunt Margaret
became comforted, though not resigned
She was not made of the stuff of the
Spartan mothers. She could not rise to
the sublimity of the occasion. 1t was
not in nature like hers to suffer and be
strong. Life with her had passed along
in one smooth, unruffled current. She
had not been made hoier and nobler
through the ministry of suffering. This
was her first real sorrow.
In onsl short week the regiment left
for the Potomac. With it went Parsou
Wheeler, Horace, and Harry, and many
other young men-the flower of the
county. Rose came to pass the time oil
her fathers absence with the Went
wortbs; the family, who loved the gentle
young girl like daughter and sister,
would have it so.
Days, weeks, and months dragged
slowly on. Aunt Margaret had grown
strangely quiet and gentle, but all who
saw her knew that the mother heart was
pining for its loved ones. Her once
plump, rosy cheeks grew pale and thin,
and day and night she had no rest
Uncle Oliver. too, looked graver than
was his wont, but his grief and anxiety
found no expression in words.
Dick was installed prime manager ,oi
the farm, but even this exalted dignity
did not satisfy his vaulting ambition
He sighed for martial honors, and long
ed to win reputation at the lannon's
mouth. He read all the war news with
the greatest avidity, and came to the sage
conclusion that the Government would
soon 90 to wreck and ruin if it did not
accept his services, which had many
times been freely offered, but as many
times rejected, on account of his extreme
youth. His great anxiety now was fol-
the war to continue long enough to give
him chance to 90. 1t was too mor,ify
ing, he declared, to have the whole thing
fought out and settled, and he have nc
hand in it.
Meantime, the twins-adorned with
paper caps, and armed with tin swords
and toy muskets--played soldier, and
enlisted under their command all the lit
tie urchins in the neighborhood. One
day they would throw up bieastworks in
the pasture and orchard; the next. the
barn and granary would be transformed
into rebel stroDgholds, which they were
to take at the point of tie bayonet.
Martial aspirations and dreams Of
glory are not for woman. So the girls
stayed patiently at home thinking of their
lovers in the Fl Id, and working with al
their might for the soldiers. Soon aunt
Margaret became enlisted in the great
work of the Sanitary Commission, and
most efficient helper she proved.
Two years had passed, bringing now
victory, now disaster, to our armies in
the field. Horace and Harry had been
home once on furlough, and brave, hand
some, soldierly young fellows they were
Harry still gloried in the name of pri
vate, but Horace wore captains uni.
form. All at home but Dick and the
twins were proud of the young officers
promotion. Dick declared that, if h
could only have had Horace's chance, be
should have come home a Brigadier
Willie and Tommy were of the opinion
that they should have returned deckec
each with the twin stars of Major Gen
eral.
The boys went back to the army strong
of limb, buoyant of heart. and filled will
patriotic ardor. In three short months
Harry came home again, pale, haggard
leaning YEARLY upon crutches, and Grip
pied for life. But bis brave heart re
manned unchanged, and his chief regre
seemed to be that he could no longe
fight for his country.
Dick, having now arrived at the re
quired age of eighteen, insisted upor
going in his brothers place; and, amic
the signs and tears of his mother anC
sisters, and the loud hurrahs of bis twin
brothers, he went away in triumph
whistIing " old John Brown" Will,
aud Tommy gazed longingIy after The
departing hero, and INDUCED in brighter
dreams than ever of the time when they
too, might go forth to "the pomp anc
circumstance of glorious war;"
Months passed, and all went well with
our young captain. He was the idol o