The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-11-14


brothcr--,Alkiu' IKE nobody ever tAlke,
10 me before, an a.tclIln nc things tha
nobody ever iclled me Of before al tha
time, Colonel, ! never touched not even
her dress didut dare to. An some
times, when she'd lay her hands on ms
shoulder, ia fcel--fccl Ike as was 20
Ing away, far away, far out Of myself
Thcn she went home, up above whei,
she belonged.
One Sunday night she had been singln
hymns-hcre, right In this yery porch
She heard little Forty-Eight cryln' In
the bedroom, an she gets up an saws I'm
wanted, I'm called an looked up Al her
face jist thon-iIst like an angels face
an she says, Goodnight, sam - ! IN
wanted-I'm called. And she went in.
Next morniu the lelenant came out
here where was. Tie was white an
/ tremblin'. lie beckoned me, an led me
into the bedroom; an there She lay
dead her little babby asleep on The pil-
low beside her--her pretty little hand on
babby's bright curls, an the happy smile
on her lips, just SIS though she were see
In holy things IN her dreams. She had
been called. The Lord wauted her. ]
couldn't feel my own sorrow an loss, she
looked so happy.
The leftenant, he didn't take on much
leastwise, not like folks generally does
be ist seemed to keep a-thinkin' how
long Il would be before he fined her. An
as for me, though Iknowed she was gone
yet I didn't seem TO lose her--ain't vet |;
she was around me all the time, jist the
same lis yet I've only got to shut my
eyes and can see her--I've only got
to smut my ears an can hear her.
We buried her dug her gravel
dug his. Thank God these rough hands
of mine could do for them even to the
very lastl
The parson prayed over her when we
buried. don't know as I'm right but
It seemed to me like prayers wasted.
There wasn't no call for prayer for her;
the Lord knew hcr-she was near kin to
him.
But still, she stays around me. She
knowed the leltenant know'd, how T.
well--loved her. don't mean loved her
like men talk Of lovin' women. | don't
know as can tell jist what mean it's
jist that she seemed to be light an breath
an life-eyerything-to me. II means
that I'd have died for her any moment.
She lays over the ground she's up
above, a-singing her sweet hymns; an
yet she's here with me.
Last year, when the ice broke up all Of
a suddin, an I'd jumped into the river an
fetched Squire Edgar's little boy ont,
was near freezin'-'bout used up an the
squire handed me tumbler of brandy,
Without thlnkin', was a-raisin' II 10 my
lips, when, plain afore my eyes, plain as
see you, colonel, seed her-seed her
standing lookiR sorrowful at mean
heard her say, Sam, Sam, plain as could
be. jist dropped that ticker on the floor,
an then | seed her smile, an | was warm
an strong agin' in an instant.
viii you always remain here, sam2
asked.
Always, sir, always, until I'm called,
Them graves is my special duty, an
when I'm took, Forty-Eights to tend to
them. An there'll be one more that he'll
look after little sometimes. I've bought
a lot right next below where they lay
that's my place. My body will rest
at her feet. My pension am what earn
Pm saving up for her boy: thatll start
him here, where he's to live. lie knows
all about it, an he'll do his duty. Hell
never leave this town unless Uncle Sam
needs his sarvices, an then Uncle Sam'lI
get soldier worth havin,' But except
for that, he'll lnever leave the spot where
his love and duty binds him. II he goes
for TO sarve his country, the Lord won't |
let them flowers wither on her grave; an
if he stays here, it'l be his duty to tend
to them when I'm gone. She always
loved flowers 50 an I'm sure she sees
them for feel an see.h her when Pm Sit |
tin there.
Colonel do you think I'm wrong I've |
often wanted to ask some one. She's an |
angel now but don't YOU think that she
can see them Don't you think that she |
does watch INC as I'm tryip to do right, |
to live as she would have NC, an' TO keep |
my promises 10 her and to bring up her |
boy some day to meet her an tho leiten-
ant up aboyei-Don't you think she il
with us2--don't you?
answered him, Yes.
And in my soul ! believe that the pure
spirit Of the gentle wife and mother Ia
ever present watching over her brave boy |
aad joyous with perfect joy in watching
even as the old soldier watches and |
cares for the sweet flowers that bloom
upon her grave-oyer the fruits Of simple
truths aud the new life she sees taking
root and blossoming IN the soul Of faithful /
Sam.
In vain do they talk Of happiness who |
never subdned an implnse In obedience
TO principle. lie who never sacrificed |
a urpgent ia a future tyap1 ar a f,eranuaI 4