The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-04-28
A Tragedy that Became a Romance.

Walking slowly along the shady paths
Of Central Park in this city, may be seen
almost any fine Sunday remarkable
couple.
They are mother and son. She Is
sweet faced and past the meridian Of
life; her hair is silver white. He is
young, spirited, and energy glows in
every feature, In striking contrast to the
abundant, snow-white hair that waves
over his brow, like crested willows above
an active sea-
An ordinary observer can readily see
that the species of devotion existing be-
tween these two is almost paramount to
worship. They idolize each other, as
mother and son never loved each other
before. She feels that she has recovered
her only child, by God gwen instinct,
from a night more lamentable than non
existence.
The father, whole-souled Southern
er, threw all Of his wealth into the chan
mel that flowed from Southern hands and
hearts to sustain their acts and princi-
pies, and when his life blood also ebbed
with the crimson tide of thousands, the
mother clasped her slxteen-y ear-old boy
to her heart and whispered, II still have
you; and remember, my boy, and be
guided through life by the recollection
you are the son of a hero.''
The proud boy lifted his head and re-
piled, 'sMother, the son of hero, and of
such noble mother, is no longer child;
he shall prove to his country the nature
of his Blood
That night the boy was not there to
join their solitary devotions, but in her
hand she held slip of paper, and her
agonlzed prayer formed only four words
-"God spare my boy!'
Fired with boyish ambition he had
gone to shoulder nflsket to fight, and,
If need be-, to die also, like a hero.
For year that one cry went up into
heaven, God spare my boy" Then the
desolating war ended-her boy came
back no more. No one had seen him.
The regiment his father headed before
he fell was the one she imagined her son
might have joined. He had not been
heard of, the few remaining soldiers said
his name neither appeared among the
captured, missing, or dead. But thou
sands of others passed into oblivion thus
in the fearful slaughter, and left only a
name in the hearts of the mourning few
The widow applied to the government
for news; the hospitals and prisons were
searched, the death records scanned with
the eager, fearless eyes that searched
T. also every face in tattered uniform. Every
cripple in blue or gray received bel
blessing for her boys sake, that it might
rebound upon him living or dead. Thus
thirteen years passed, and in charitable
actions the lonely widow hushed bel
hearts yearning and at last became re-
signed to ''bide the little time that sep
arated her from those gone BEFORE az
thousands of other widowed mother,
were doing.
One day she joined a party Of friend
in visiting State insane asylum. Their
were a few "harmless'' patients sitting
in the garden. One white haired MAJ
sat leaning against tree alone
Instinct, or whatever science o
physiology may call it, led tn
lady to his side. She peered into tn
face beneath tho silvery hair. The mex
instant She lay upon her knees befor
him, those longing arms tightly claspe
about his neck.
"Dear God, thou dldst spare my boya'
her friends heard her cry. And the Ion
. agony Of heart burst its dried fountal
and the shock of lannon's thunder the
had stllled the boys intellect was ais
broken, perhaps by that fervent praye
and his recognizing eyes awakened
sense again in his mothers arms.
The boy had been captured among tt
dead and dying on the battle field, nj
hurt but crazed with the fearful seen
His name and purpose was a blank
him, and the government had placed hi
in an asylum. That is the history
those two white-haired people in Il
park.-N. Y. Mercmv.
"A Ronnuolont ofinn