Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-08-27


'The young man was dangerously
wounded in his first engagement and IL
was several weeks before he could read
the letter. Then the shock caused a
relapse, and for months his life hung by
n thread. When finally he was able to
travel he went to New York and began
o search for his wife. Two days before
the expiration of his furlough he learned
that the body Of young woman an
swering her description had been found
in the river shortly after the date OF her
first letter. His mother, appalled, at the
thought that she had driven the nnfor-
tunate girl to suicide, confessed what
she had done and begged forgiveness.
He left her with q curse and rcjoined his
regiment, praying that the next rebel
bullet might find his heart.
"rhe war ended, and the soldier boy,
who had risen from the ranks to the
I
command of regiment, was transferred
to the regular army and sent out west
where the Indians were becoming trou-
biesome, He could not forgive his mother
and therefore he would not return to
New York. Five years later he received
an appeal from his father. Your mother
! is dead, he wrote, and your sisters are
married and gone away from me. ] am
an old man now, and you are all / have
left. Come back to me-.
Gle returned, but the old man passed
away within two years. At his death
he left the bulk of his immense fortune
to his son,
"About seven years ago the Colonel
started west to look after some mining
interests On his way he stopped for n
day or two in Chicago. One evening,
as he was standing on the steps of the
Sherman house, uncertain whether to
90 TO the theatre or to u clnb, no was
accosted by little girl who carried a
small tray of button.hole boquets.
please buy q boquet, sir, after he had
once refused, and the voice was so sweet
and pleading that he turned to look at
her. Something in her face and man
ner attracted him, she was so different
from the brazen-faced little wrctches
who usually monopolize the tower bu-
sineSs.
what is your name he asked
"Niara, sir, replied the little one.
MARY, you mean"
"No, sir, Mara"
''Ihat is a strange name, little girl
who gave it to you"
"My mamma, sir; it's a Bible name
Don't you know where it says, Call mt
not Naomi, call me Mara, for the Lore
hath dealt bitterly with me ~
"My child" said the Colonel, kindly
'has the Lord dealt very bitterly will
you"
eyes, sir, my mamma is very sicl
and poor"
DWELL, perhaps the Lord has sent M
to make up for His neglect" SAID TIN
Colonel, smiling at the idea. 'Snppos
you take me to your mother
ooh, thank you, sir said the child
| and taking his hand she led him ava,
, to rickety old tenement house and NJ
; three or four flights of stairs.
, "This is our home, said she, openin,
r The door of room which was almOs
entirely bare of furniture, and there i
mamma. Mamma, here is a gentleman
come to see yon.'
"The woman who was lying pale ant
cmaciated upon bed in a corner of tn
ROOM raised herself upon one elbow an
looked with startled eyes upon the visi
tor
81 beg your pardon for this intrinsic
L. madame said the Colonel, advancin
l TO the bedside. Your little danghte
told me you we're i'll, and thought
2 might be of some service. Will yon-
NV God, what resemblance
;. "The Colonel was now staring at th
9 thin, worn face before him, and trent
i ling in every limb.
, ooh, George, is it really you " erie
= the woman, with streaming eyes an
3 ontstretched hand"
: "NaOmw
d sit was the Colonels wife, livin:
n but merely wreck of the pretty girl L
Q had left at the breaking out of the wa
= She had not committed suicide, thong
Z she was sorely tempted to do 50, but ha
6 come to Chicago and sought emplo,
o ment Less than two months aft
q her arrival her child was born. 1t ha
VI been hard struggle for bread most
o the time, but they had never know
u actual want until the mothers heall