Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-07-12
BEN'S LEGACY.

| Lnc TN regiment, OnlO EOlunCecIS.
One night the boys were sitting
around the camp fires, after a hard
days march, when the mail came
in, bringing letters from the dear
ones at home.
Ben received letter, but instead
of it being from his mother, as he
expected, it was from quite differ
ent person:
| DEAR OLD FRIEND BEN:--When this
comes 10 you, across the lines shall be
sleeping in a soldiers grave. The fact
that we stand on opposite sides in this
struggle will, I fee, make no difference with
you as concerns the request am about
to make You know that since the death
ofmy wife my little daughter Ella has been
my only care. When l am gone she will
have no protector. Will you take her
to your mothers home? l leave ample
means for her support. For the sake of
Me past, charge you to care for my lit
| tie darling. HARRY SMITH"
Ben Granger and Harry Smith
had been the best of friends since
their first acquaintance, up to the
breaking out of the war.
Then they had chosen opposite
sides; each, no doubt, thinking he
was right.
Their friendship had commenced
twenty years before, at college.
Harry was ten years the elder,
and when they left college together
was handsome, bearded man of
twenty-eight, while Ben was a
smooth-taced boy Of eighteen.
Since then the friends had not
seen much of each other, for Harry
had married and settled down in the
city, while Ben had stayed in the
country and lived happily upon the
old farm with his mother.
"Poor Harry" said Ben, as all
these old memories came back to
him, sitting there by the camp fire,
with the letter in his hand "Poor
Harry! / will care for little Ella as
faithfully as though her tnther had
fallen in battle by my side. These
arc terrible times when the best of
friends are trying to cut each others
throats. Yes, little Ella shall not
want for a father while l live"
"What news from home, Licutcn-
ant Benz" said the chccry voice of
Charlie Lee, Ben's messmatc, who
came up while Ben sat gazing into
the fire. "Come, man, why do you
look so glum? How's your mother,
and all the folks?'
"My letter is not from home
"Oh! from your sweetheart, per-
haps. But no, you said you never
had one. All! l have it! You are
going to be promoted, and your let=
ter is from headquarters"
"Wrong again, Charlie. 1t is
from neither sweetheart or head
quarters"
"Then give it up"
"Herc's the letter. You may read
it for yourself"
Who ever saw y soldier who
would not read q letter when it was
offered him?
Ben saw the serious look that
came oyer his friends face as he
read the letter.
81 declare, Ben, it's quite ro-
nance; equal to the books. But
won't you, an old bachelor, verging
upon forty, feel rather awkward
with such charge as this upon
your hands; for, of course, you mean
to take hcr?"
"Of course; and as to the awk-
wardncss, 1 would do anything for
the writer Of that letter, and be-
sides, she will be companion tor
my mother in her old days"
"True, had not thought of that. "
That night Ben wrote long let
ter to his mother, telling her of his
friends $ request, and desiring her to
write immediately to the lady teach
er in the city who had the girl
in charge, and inform her Of the
child's great loss and her fathers
wishes concerning her future life.
Two months later he received an
answer, stating that Ella had ar
rived from the city, and appeared
contcnted and pleased with her new
home and friends, but was very sad
ut the loss Of her dear father.
Ben had not seen the girl, thus
ieft unexpectedly !pp bis hands, for
some years, and then only once.
lie remembered her as a bright;
wipsome, galden,hairea little eraa-
tpre, the pet and delight OF every
one who knew her,
| Evef%fter this his letters home
carried few words for little Ella
and in each one he received his
mother spoke of her in such glowing
terms that he often found himseli
thinking Of the time when he coald
60 home and see his 'littfe charge
thus left unexpectedly under his
protection:
The time came sooner than he ex
pected, In the battle Of Corintl
both Ben and Charlie Lee wcr,