The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-09-07
ma'am, and was killed and wounded a
the battle of Bulls Run I"

ma'am, and / was killed and wounded at
the battle of Bulls Rum !"
"You don't say SO ?" / cried, good deal
overcome by this somewhat unexpected,
not to say startling, statement II am
truly sorry to hear of your misfortune,
Major Wobison. But come In to the par
Tor, sir, and tell me all about It,"
In the child limped aud for n whole
month he went round the house lmping in
the full belief, to all appearance, that he
was major WobisoD, killed and wounded
at the battle of Bulls Rnn!'
Gle jes's at scars that never felt a
wound, and / suspect even the door. mat
laughed at such soldering as that. But it
was sadder, soberor matter when. by and
by, real bronzed and bearded soldier
came home from the wars, with real
minnie ball in his leg aud real crutch
under his arm. We did not laugh then
but only cried Glow long, 0 God. how
long !" even while we thanked him under
our breath that our beloved was only
wounded-not lying cold and stark among
the slain at Malvern Hill.
And now 10 think that next month MA
jor Wobison" goes to college, notwithstand-
ing his untimely demise and the wounds
that followed after And all the rest of the
childish feet have gone to other homes and
are trampling on other door mats
But il is not the house children only with
whom the mat has had dealings. No friend
has entered our dwelling whose feet has
not pressed it. What long and shadowy
procession steals by me silently as | sit here
in the twilight A handsome, dark-eyed
matron, still erect and stately under the
weight of her eighty odd years. A beauti-
full old man with wondrously radiant face,
and glory of silver hair by which it must
be we shall know him even among the
heavenly host. A fair young mother with
her first born on her breast, and no fore
shadowing of her grave saddening her soul
lit eyes. A stately pair who had heard not
then the meaning of the sea under which
they were to sleep, fair women aud brave
men, young girls with all their happy
dreams, and youth rejoicing in their
strength, these and others file slowly past
me, coming and going like shadows on the
grass.
Some whom the world delights to honor
the old door-mat has upheld proudly, feel
ing that the very dust from off their shoes
was as holy chrism-kngs who wear in.
visible crowns and rule over kingdoms
bounded by no sea-priests who minister at
universal affairs, and seers who behold the
things that are invisible. No spot wherein
their feet have frodden can ever be common
or unclean no cup whereof they have
drank but shall be sacred forevermore.
bridal train has gone out over the old
dOor-mat, and over it another has come IN.
1t has seen greetings and partings, love-
markings, condolences, smiles and tears,
joyous Christmas gatherings, and summer
festivals.
And yet there is one phase of human
existence Of which this faithful servitor
Knows nothing. The dark-winged Angel
OF Death has never swept over it, nor has
it ever been crushed beneath the slow and
solemn tread of those who we're carrying
out the dead to their burial. In the seclu-
sion to which 1t must be consigned ere
long, it will dream no dreams of coffin-lids
or pals, and all lis "reminiscences will be
of life and not of death.