Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-09-24

a.
The day had been warm and sunny:
bu. at this moment. through the open
window there cane gust OF sharp
wintry wind. and the door between
the sitting ami di:ing-rooD closed
with a slam, shutting OIL: the cheef'al
sound q voices.
Then .ir. Pennett spoke.
Il have very sal news for Mrs.
EilaanLSoa," said he. Alien vas
killed in battle nearly six weeks aeo.
We were dumb with horror, STUFFED
by the awful! calamity.
81 Harry Oliver saw him fall. con-
tihucd Mr. Pennett. {" His asst words
were. Tell my mother l diet trying to
d. my duty.
At this instant Amt Sarah entered.
Her face was still radiant with smiles,
and she greeted M penrc.t With IN
usual warmth.
The others orept out OF tue room.
Icrouche! down IN the corner, chained
to the spot by a strange fascination.
They talked for few moments on
indiflerents subjects. then:
Have you any news from the
front 2" asked Aunt Sarah. I" It's been
over two months now since I've heard
from Allan. | know he has written;
he was never one to neglect his mother.
All, Mr.. Pennett, if l could only tell
you the JOY and comfort that boy is to
me! -
If she only knew what was coming !
Oh. how could she bear 1t . l sat
there with clenched hands, a sickening
faintness creeping over me.
my dear madam" said Mr.. Pen
nett, in low, unsteady voice, what.
ever happens, he is in Gods hands, let
us not forget that, and He docth all
things we'll.
The mothers quick ear caught the
solemn significance of the tone and
words, and she turned sharply upon
the SIP eaker.
"Mr. Pennett, why do you answer
me in that way you who have al.
ways been so cheerful and full OF
hope? Have you heard anything OF
my boy?
, There has been a battle was the
slow reply; and then the good minister
broke down and hid his face in his
hands. "God help you, my poor
friend ~ he said, with an anguished
utterance that told the fatal story.
I shall never forget the shrek that
rang through the house. Aunt Sarah
sprang from her seat, her gray hair
falling loose about her colorless face.
"Mr. Pennett, Mr.. Penne.t y she
cried. "Not Allen, not Allen ! Tell
me you did not mean it Speak to
me Oh. tell me that you did not
mean it p
Mr.. Pennett caught the wildly-ex-
tended hands in his, as he said, in
broken tones, Your son, your noble
son, has been called to the better
home"
She sank back in her chair in a
strange quiet that frig htened me. The
minister fell on his knees.
30 merciful Father, send thy Spirit
to comfort this stricken mourner
Pour the balm of love into her bleed
ing wounds. Not for him whom thou
hast called to enter into his reward do
we weep, but for loved ones whom in
loneliness he has left behind. Oh,
help our thoughts to turn to him in
that spiritual body which cannot die,
radiant with immortal life in thy king
dom. Help us to realize that he is not
lost, but gone before, and that in a
little while, we, too, shall cross the
dark river, to be with him in Thy pres,
ence forevermore."
A low cry interrupted the prayer.
My mother sprang forward just in time
to catch Aunt Sarah Keeling form, and
for a time she found relief in blessed
Inconsistencies.
Poor old gran'mammy caught Sam
in her arms in passion of tenderness.
go my boy, thank de Lord you is
too little to be a soldier for war is
cruel an hard, an dar's no right in any
of it. It's all bitter, black wrong,
OATS what it is y
And echoed her words, as I threw
down the flowers that all this time ]
had held unconsciously in my hands
Later in the day, my mother was
obliged to leave Aunt Sarah's room
and I took her place. I tried to think
of some words of comfort for the poo,
stricken mother, wAo lay Ion the bed
moaning feebly; but none came to me
l could only throw myself on the fool
and cry silently.
At last she raised herself and looked
> about in bewildered way. I sprane
to her side.
Kate" said che, Gin my work. DO,
, his last letter."
l gave her the letter, and she begar
to read it aloud. making strange, pitt
full comments between the sentences.
; "'Darling little mother he always
would call ms that, he is so big ant
strong, my brave boy, as tall as hi
father when he was fourteen years old
Keep up your heart, for I'm getting
? along first-rate.'
!, Keep up my heart! Why. so
will. God is merciful. My home i
gone, my other boy a living sorrow
!, my husband dead; of course God mus
leave Allen to my old age."
. "Your last letter was great comfort
= The boys think there was never such 8
mother as mine. We are thriving or
, parched corn and bareback, not yer,
. dainty fare, but we have q good sauc,
a to go with it. My big toe is out of m,
left boot; but our colonel is in tn
; same fix, and some of the poor fellow
= are regularly barefooted. I can't writ
a long letter now, as we are on the ev
OF BATTLE"
v tSvoo 49, -o.m