Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-08-01
Miscellaneous Reading.
HER STORY.
nY wAsnrNaroN nrAnnr,

nj WASHINGTON GLADDEN..
HsRE at the gate let us stand and wait
-. I'LL the grand procession pass;
Ihe marshal hrst, In marvellous state,
mn WIN the drums and the sounding brass
lhen the veterans brave, In blue, draw near,
With sober, soldierly air;
And the halt and the MANNED are riding here,
And the priest and poet there.
And now the troop Of children comes,
In wayy, hesitant fles,
All bright with the blush Of the early blooms,
All wreathed In roses and smiles.
They are halting now at the graves Of the boys,
And dirge will be softly sung;
And the parsOn will give tc faith voice,
And the poet TO love a tongue.
But you and l. my Harry and Bess,
VIII turn from these well-meant words,
Apart through the woodland silences--
Alone with the breezes and birds.
Here at this grave, where the pine boughs grieve,
Where the solemn south winds roam
Our rosemary and our rue wen leave,
And carry our hcart's-ease home
Did promiseS Well, there's nothing new.
But the joy and the pain are one,
-. down on the bank here, Bessie, and you
Lie on the grass, my son.
t0urteen next month You were only four
When your father went away;
and you, little queen, were scarcely more
Ihan babe that desolate day.
A sudden and terrible call had come
For an army OF volunteers;
And the tidings brought 70 our happy home
Hard struggles and bOdiDg fears.
That night he sat in solemImood
And held you both to his breast;
saw on his brow the shadow brood
And darkcn-I knew the restl
lie carried you up to your crib that night,
And watched with you till you slept;
Then praying that God would guide him Alright,
The strong man wrestled and wept.
found him praying, and left him there
Alone with his father and you;
The Helper lifted his load of care,
And lightened his sorrow too.
Aud then he came forth and told me all;
could neither strive nor cry;
He would follow his suffering country's call,
Who would dare to forbid? Not l.
You know the story-the parting word,
The year that drearily passed,
The drowning pain Of hope deferred,
The binding blow at the last.
But here is picture You never saw
On this side mother and Bess,
Hal on the other; the little flaw
Is the dint Of a ball, guess.
He carried 1t always here, by his heart;
: And when they led him away
Faint, from the field where he bore his part
So gallantly on that day
When they laid him down in a sheltered nook
(The chaplain told me this),
lie drew II forth, and with many look
And many passionate kiss,
lie gazed till he heard the order Rest"
And then, when his spirit passed,
IL uFOppeu from MS nanQS upon Ills breast,
And they found it there at the last.
That is all, my darlings, I have to tell
Like another diviner friend,
Having loved his own in the world SO well,
He loved them unto the end.
The love that he left to you and me
Is our fortune and our pride;
The truest, manifest man was he
And he loved us all till he died.
Come hitber Harry! I'll lean on you,
His brow and his mouth are there;
And yours little Bess, are his eyes Of blue
And his wealth Of golden hair.
SO here at his grave, where the pine boughs grevC
ErgWhere the solemn south winds roam
>Our rosehary aud our rue we'll leave,
And carry our hearts-ease home.
-COngregQtiondlist.