Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-05-17

J
YOU all about it, and when l am gone
you may tell my comrades.
"You know Ipromised Jenny Carr's
mother would look after her boy, and
when he fell sick did all / could for
him. He was not strong when he was
ordered back into the ranks, and the
day before that night | carried all his
luggage, besides my own, on our march.
Toward night we went in on double
quick, and, though the luggage began to
feel very heavy, everybody else was
tired, too; and as for Jenny, If | had
not lent him an arm now and then he
would have dropped by the way. was
all tired out when / came into camp,
and then it was Jemmy's turn to be
sentry, and | would take his place, but
| was too tired, father. could not
have kept awake if had had gun at
my head; but did not know it until
WELL until it was too late"
("God be thankedr' interrupted Mr..
Owen, reverently. "Iknew Bennie was
not the boy to sleep carelessly at his
post
"They tell me to-day that l have a
short reprieve, given to me by circum-
stances time to write TO you'-our
good Colonel says. Forgive him, father
he only does his duty, he would glad
" save me if he could. And don't lay
my death against Jenny; the poor boy
is broken-hearted, and does nothing
but beg and entreat them to let him die
in my stead.
II can't bear to think of my mother
and Blossom. Comfort them, father;
tell them that l die as brave boy
should; and when the war is over they
will not be ashamed of me, as they
must be now. God help me! Good
by, father. God seems near and dear
to me; not at all as if He wished me to
perish forever, but as if he felt sorry
for His poor, sinful, heart-broken child,
and would take me to be better with
Him and my Savior, in better, better
lifeI'
CA great sob burst from Mr.. Owen S
heart. Amenm he said, solemnly;
"AmenrO
" Tonight, in the early twilight,
shall imagine see the cows all coming
home from pasture-Daisy and Brindle
and Bet; old Billy, too, will neigh from
his stall, and precious little Blossom
stand waiting for me, but l shall never,
never come. God bless you all! forgive
your poor Bennie" - ..
Late that night the door opened softly
and little figure glided out and down
the footpath that led to the road by the
mill. She seemed rather flying than
walking, turning her head neither to the
right nor left; starting not as the full
moon stretched queer, fantastic shapes
all around her; looking only now and
then to heaven and folding her hands as
if in prayer.
Two hours later the same young girl
stood at the Mill Depot, watching the
coming of the night train, and the con.
ductor, as he reached down to lift heI
in, wondered at the sweet, tear-stained
face that was upturned toward the din
| lantern he held in his hand.
A few questions aud ready answers
told him all, and no father could have
cared more tenderly for his own child
than he did for our little Blossom.
| She was on her way to Washington tC
ask President Lincoln for her brother :
life. She had stolen away, leaving only
a note TO tell her father where and why
she had gone. She had brought Ben.
nies letter with her, believing that nc
kind heart like the President S could re.
| fuse to be melted by it
The next morning they reached New
York, and the conductor found suita
BILE company for Blossom and hurried
her on to Washington. Every minut,
now might be year in her brother
life.
And so, in an incredibly short time
Blossom reached the capital, and was
hurried to the White House. The Presi
dent had Just seated himself to hi
morning task of overlooking and sign
ing important papers when, withou
one word of announcement, the doc
softly opened, and Blossom, with eye
downcast and folded hands, stood be.
fore him.
"Well, my child" he said, in hi
pleasant, CHEEKY tones, "what do yol
want so bright and early in the morn
ing?n
Bennie's life, please, sirr' falterec
out Blossom.
- Bennie? Who is BennieP'
"My brother, sir. They are going t.
shoot him for sleeping at his post.
80 yes;" and Mr.. Lincoln ran hi'
eye over the papers before him; &" re
member. 1t was fatal sloop. You Gee
child. it was a time of special danger
Thousands of lives might have beer
lost by his culpable negligence"
$50 my father said," said Blossom
gravely. "But poor Bennie was Sc
tired, sir, and Jenny so weak. HI
did the work for two, and it was Jem
my's night, not his; but Jenny was
too tired, and Bennie never thought
about himself that he was too tired.n
"What is that you say, childP Come
here-I don't understands" and the
President caught eagerly as ever a
what seemed to be Justification of an
oflense.
Blossom went to him; he put hi.
hand tenderly on her shoulder, and she
turned up her pale, anxious face TOWARD
his. How tall he seemed; and he wa.
President of the United States, tool
dim thought of this kind passed for {
moment through Blossoms mind; bu
she told her story simply and straight
forward, and handed Mr.. Lincoln Ben
ME letter to read.
He read it carefully; then, taking uI
his pen, wrote few hasty lines anc
rang the bell. Blossom heard this or.
der given:
"Send this dispatch at once"
The President then turned to the cir
and said;
$50 home, my child, and tell thai
father of yours, who could approve hi:
country's sentence even when it took
the life of child like that, that Abra.
ham Lincoln thinks the life too precious
to be lost. Go back-or wait until to-
morrow. Bennie will need change aft.
er he has so bravely faced death; he
shall go with you"
4" God bless you, sir!'' said Blossom.
After the President had sent the or
der, he was afraid of a slight delay; so,
with his heart full of Sympathy for the
family, he at once ordered his carriage,
giving the driver orders to drive as fast
as the weather would permit-for it was
one of those August days of heat and
dust. just a short time before the