The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-12-12

turned In his &C flo, and she, almost as
WHILE could not speak. He was the fret
of all the college boys to die, and his
grave is near the gate of the college
buryiug-grouud. somehow can't remem.
Der all that followed. 1t seemed as If |
lived in q terrible dream. Wife mourned
over Welcome and tried to save Thanks.
giving's life, as the fever fought for her.
Weeks passed, and che got we'll. Then
knew all. She had found husband and
brother in the hospital, the one getting
better, the other dying. She had never
left them till Welcome died, and then
she came 10 the old home. Cyril's pa
rents were with him, and when she was
once more able to move about, he wrote
that he was going into battle and would
not fear death If only he could have seen
her first.
al must 60 now she said Il am
needed elsewhere, and If your hearts ache
at homo, you must remember how macy
other hearts are aching and breaking.
am thankful Welcome went and died for
his country. So must you be-
"From that time she never came home
while the war lasted. used to see her
name in the papers as wonderful woman,
as brave as she was good, and good as she
was brave, then | would remember what
her first teacher had said of her, and say
to myself, Yes, it's just as he said, only
she is noted, not for intellect, though she
has it, but for her great heart, which is
better. Her hands, never used to con-
slant labor, we're 30 tender that she had
to harden them by salt and water to make
them tough enough TO bear all she went
through. Her husband had been pro-
NOTED from grade to grade till he was
called Colonel Hsz'itt, He had been
through forty battles untouched, but at
Fredericksburg he fell. A sharpshooler
pierced his lungs with bullet, and for
three days he lay among the wounded.
She saw him in her dreams lying there
and started to find him. With permit
in her hand she went herself to the field
of battle and searched among the fallen
for her husband. AT last she found him
sepseless, and as if dead. She made them
carry him to the hospital, and ordered
the bullet removed. They took it out
under his left shoulder and gave him up
to die. She never left him till he was out
of danger, and as soon "a he could b.
moved, took him to New York. He was
never well after. A cough settled on him
and consumption did what the bullet
could not do. When she was twenty
three she was a widow. 1 know what
you think, ma'am, you think she was bet
ter off than many of the widows that yeal
and so she was, but you must remem
Der that she had l,st brother, as dear tc
her as herself-a part of serself-and you
must know she never had friends like
other girls, for she had always lived al
home with us, 80 she was more alone thar
other women.
"Did she come home then ? No in
deed. She took the fortune he had LEFT
her and gave her days and nights to help
ing poor soldiers widows. Wherever sh'
could hear of one that was needy, there sh'
would go with kind words and purse o
money. l could never tell you all sh,
did, and unless you heard her in the deaf
of night groan out the name of Cyril
or Welcome you would never dream
she was broken-hearted woman. In fiv
years she joined them. Her last word
we're, % Cyril-O Welcome aud thel
she dropped asleep with smile on he
lips. Wife went next, and now Pm tn
only one left behind. l sit here ever,
day in the sunlight and think how muc
brighter it is with them over there, and
wonder how much longer must wait, 70
I've been alone long time then LODI
at the picture there and say to myself
Surely can be patient and prove my
self worthy of being the father of GU
Thanksgiving."-Mrs. Margaret Peeke, i
Advance.