Weekly Trinity journal., 1878-04-27
ASLEEP ON HIS POST.
AN INCIDENT OF TUE LATE WAR,

/ IKE thundefOol upon the anxious, Yet
hope al family. The lad had been found
asleep at his post, and was condemned to
BE- shot.
The terrible news spread in the village,
and the good minister, Mr. Allan, came
at once to see iflt were not possible to
administer consolation to the heart brok
en parents.
so! sir" cried the sorrowing old
man, "such dear, precious, noble boy !
thought when | give him to his coun-
try, that not a father in all this broad
land made so precious gitt-no, not one.
God forgive me il my gliel is >in Mr..
Allan, the dear boy only slept minute,
just one httie minute Mt his post | know
that was all, for Bonnie never dozed over
a duty. How prompt and reliable he
was ~ and Mr., Owens eyes wandered
over the brown fields with such a per.
picked, wandering look.
Il know he only fell of one little sec
ond he was 50 young, and not strong,
that boy OF mine Why, he was as tail
as |, and only eighteen, and they shoot
him, because he was found asleep when
doing duty"
Mr.. Owen repeated these words very
slowly, as if endeavoling to fad out their
true meaning.
Twenty four hours-the telegraph
eaiI ,,I,, tus.ut,, F.,, NNrL,.. 4; u -.
ME now ?"
We will hope with his Heavenly Fa.
ther," said MIR. Allan, soothingly.
Yes, yes let us hope God is very
mercitul, and Bonnie was 50 good do
not mean holy" he said, correcting him
self sharply" there is none holy, no,
not one but Jesus died for sinners. O
Bonnie Bennie -
The mother raised herself ms she heard
his name called, and turning, said with a
smile, " Doa't call SO loud, father, Ben
nie is not far off, he will come soon"
God has laid his hand on them both,
you SEQ" said Mr.. Owen, without max
ing any direct reply. She ha, not been
just herself since. 1t is mercitul thing
she is sort of stunned, it seems to me-
She makes no walls"
Mr.. A Han looked in astoni-hment as
the bowed man, us he now came and
stood before him. These few hours had
done the work Of years. The ,inewy
t anne was totteriug now, the eyes were
/ dlmmcd, and the sudden sorrow had
written itself in deep wrinkles all over
his manly face. "God have mercy on
/ you he is trying you in furnace seven
times heated !" he exclaimed, almost in
vo unfairly.
The daughter-a fair young girl-Blos
-om, they called hor-had sat near them
listening with hlunched cheeks. She haC
not shed II tear That day, and the terro
in her cheeks had been so very still tina
no one had noticed it, She had occupieC
ties, which her mothers condition de
volved entirely upon her. Now She ans
wered gentle tap at the kitchen door
opening it to receive from a neignbor'
hand retter. 1t is from him." WAS al
she said
" Twas like message from the dead
Mr., Owen could not break the seal fol
hls trembling lears, aud held it toward.
Nj, Allan with tho bslpessness of u
child
The minister opened it, and obcdient to
a motion from the father reud as follows;
"DEAK FATHER :-W When this reaches
you | shan be IN eternity. AT first il
seemcd awful to me, but have thought
about it 20 much that now 1t ha, no ter
ror. They say they viii not bInd me nor
biud me, but thHt ! may meet my death
ike man. ! thought, father, it might
have been on the battle fed tor my coun
Try, aud that when | Tell it would be
[ lighting glurl0u-ly but tO be shot down
/ like a dog tor nearly betraying 1t to die
for neglect OF my duty o, father /
wonder The very thought does not Kill
me ! But | shall not dlsg ace you | am
gong to write you all about it, aud when
am gone you may tell my comades.-
/ can I now.
You know / promised Jenny Carr
mother | would look after her boy, and
wheL he tell sick | did all could Tor him.
lie wa- not strong when he was ordered
/ back into the ranks, 80 that the day be
/ tuIe that nlghi carried ali his luggage,
/ beslde- my own, on our march. EDWARDS
/ night we went on a double quick, and
/ though The luggage hogan H. feel very
/ heavy, everybody else WAS tired, too
aud ~ tor Jenny, ii had not lent him
an arm now aud then, he would have
/ dropped by the way. | was tired out
whom | went into camp, and then it wa
/ JemmY's turn to be sent,y, and would
take his place but | was too tiied, Ia
/ ihcr. | could not have kept awake il /
bud had gun at my head. But | did
not know it until-well, it was too late :"
God be thanked - interrupted Mr..
Owen, reverently. u knew Bennie
was net the boy to sleep ca,elessly at his
post -
"They tell me to-day that / have n
short reprieye given TO me by cncum-
stance-tIne To write to you, our good
Colonel says. Forgive him, father-he
only does his duty.
s. can't hear TO think of mother and
Blossom. Comfort them, father. Tell
them ! die as brave boy should, and
that when he war is over they will not
be ashamed OF me as they must be now
G.d help me-, il is very hard to bear
Good by, father. God seems ntHwlnd
dear to me--not at ali as II lie wisMf me
u perish fureyer. hut a. if be felt sorry
Tor his poor sinful child, and would take
me to be with him aud my Savior, IN u
better, better life"
A great sob burst from Mr.. OWENS
heart. "Amen !" he said soeninly-
Amen y