Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-02-02
The Little Drummer Boy.

I UtdNN1uA
| ", fathers, brothers, husbands and low
ers left their avocations and pleasant
homes to respond to that stirring call
rt,Io Rennv "the only child of his
n,o,ber and she a widow" sought that
mothers presence with the question,
"May | go?" The mother, descen-
dant of soldier of the Revolution, with
all the patriotism of that stern old stock
warm within her, pressed her boy closer
to her warm heart, and replied, You
are but child, my son, your country
expects nothing from such as you" But
the boy responded, Fourteen years, and
nearly all of them spent without faith
er's care, your scant means and hard
toll have made mea man before my time
may go mother?' Conflicting emo
tions battled in the mothers breast
How deny her brave boy; how consent
to part with her sole hopel "My child,
what can you do? You are far too frail
and slender to bear the burden of mus
ket and equipment" Ready with re-
ply, Bonnie answered, II can drum,
MOTHER" and so sent one strong man in
to the ranks to fight for freedom.
When gallant Co. H., left the town of
W, no prouder heart beat in those
ranks than little Bennys. Reveille and
tattoo rang out roundly and deity, from
the drum that was presented Benny by
his playfellows the night before the COM
pany left to join their regiment now
gathering at the State Capital. Very
gay looked Benny in his new regiment
ais. All unknowing of the perils he was
to encounter, the privations he was to
endure, he babe his mother a cheerful
goodbye and was gone. The fortnight
he spent in camp, convinced Benny that
a soldiers life was one continual whirl of
pleasure. The cleaning bayonets, burn
ished sabres, prancing warehouses, and
handsome neatly equipped officers and
men, with their acoutrements cleaning
in the sunshine, made up a scene both
grand and thrilling. War would be
pleasant did it consist only of reviews,
parades, and drills; but the pride and
pomp and circumstances of glorious
war" consists not only of pageantry
and grandeur, and show, but also of
blood, and carnage, and death.
While the mother sat alone in her now
desolate cottage, away in Virginia hel
little son was receiving his first baptism
Of fire." The mothers heart stood still
when over the wires flashed the news Of
the defeat and disaster of Bull Run
The days dragged by until letter was
put in her hand, containing the single
line, +" / am safe mother; thank God"
The days slipped rapidly away; th'
! months rolled into eternity, two year
r had been added to the ever accumulat
E ing past, and soon Benny was granted
c furlough for bravery in the face of tn
6 enemy" Very many plans did the font
mother lay for her boys pleasure whel
' he should return to her. His school
y mates arranged picnics, parties, boa
e rides and base ball: in fact, merry-mas
q ings enough were planned to have Taste
n three months, instead of the single shor
i. one allotted for Benny's stay. "Nex
# week" he wrote, shall be with yol
dear mother; am wild with anxiety t
n be home once more ! can hardly wait fo
n the day to come" We all remembe
e. July day, when Lee marched his me
" into Pennsylvania. That march, thong
v gloriously repealed, brought bitter Sol
IS row into many homes, carried grief an
Ie mourning to many tender hearts. Whe
IN the invading foe was driven back. route
nt dispersed, flying in the greatest disorde
m these words reached that heart-broke
w mother in w.
rs "Gladly would / have been spare
n. writing you words that will destroy Il
peace of your quiet home, but promi
ne made your noble boy on the eve of ba
wv tie, that if i'll 6efell him I would send Il
message, renders the duty Imperative
He fell at noon on the first days fgh
lb a musket ball pierced his brain. All II
he morning amid terrible rain of ball al
i shell, he never faltered, but stood amor
'e the carnage like an old soldier. fit CT
us console you, in the least, at this tryil
Ks, moment, to know he was held in the te
on derest affection by rank and file, rest !
IN sured of that fact.
Vn Respectfully, A. C. F.
is Colonel 18th Regiment - Vols"
,al All, sorrowing mother, we cannot L
ok derstand why our dear ones must be c
nd off from sphere of usefulness when tn
lev are so active, promising and loving, /
ec. God knows. He doeth all things vel
Law We cranot know why dear faces nj
= be changed by death, and hidden fir,
,bt our eyes forever; they have eluded
oat watch aud wait for them in vain -
.s Gentle eyes we close below
Tender voices heard once more,
lat Smile and call as they go
On. and onward still before.
his c,......,, ~, ,.,.,o
and Smiling eye and waving hand.