The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1883-05-30
Asleep at His Post.
An Incident Of the Late War.

An Incident OF the Late war
Mr.. Owen, pious farmer of Yer
mont, gave his eldest son, Benjamin
| to the Federal cause, in the lat
fearful struggle. One morn mes
sage arrived, which fell like a thun
derbolt upon the anxious, yet hope
full father, that the lad had beer
found asleep at has post and wa
condemned to be shot.
The news soon spread in the vii
lage, and the good minister-a Mr.
Allan, came at once to see if it were
possible to administer consolation tC
the heart broken parents.
90, sirI" cried the sorrowing ole
man, ''such a dear, precious, noble
boy. l thought, when gave him
to his country, that not father in
all this broad land made so precious
a gift-no, not one God forgive
me if my grief is sin Mr.. Allan
the dear boy only slept a minute,
just one little minute, at his post; ]
know that was all, for Bonnie never
dozed over a duty. How prompt
and reliable he was and Mr..
Ovens eyes wandered out over the
brown fields with such a perplexed,
ed, wondering look. q know he
only fell off one little second; he
was so young, and not strong, that
boy of mine Why, he was as tail
as /, and only eighteen and now
they shoot him because he was
found asleep when doing sentinel
dutyw Mr. Owen repeated these
words very slowly, as if endeavor-
ing to find out their true meaning.
" Twenty four hours, the telegraph
said only twenty-four hours Were
is Bonnie now ?" as5t zar1
We will hope with his Heavenly
Father" said Mr.. Allan, soothingly.
Yes, yes, let us hope. God is
very merciful, and Bonnie was so
good do not mean holy" he said,
correcting himself sharply "there is
none holy, no, not one but Jesus
died for sinners. Mr.. Allan, tell
me that. o Bonnie, Benhiet'''e-..'1-a'
.. The mother raised herself as she
heard his name called, and turning,
said, with smile, "Don'ta call SO
loud, father. Bonnie is not far off;
he will come soon. y Lfs
\" God laid his hand on them both,
you see, bsaid Mr., Owen, pointing
to her without making anyiadirect
reply. 'She has not been Justly
herself since. 1t is a merciful thing
she is sort. of stunned it seems to
me; sheImakes no wall l".ll -
va Mr.. Allan looked in ASTONISHING
atthe bowed man, as he came now
and stood before him. These few
hours.had done the work of years.
The sinewy frame was lettering, the
eyes were dimmed, and the sudden
sorrow had written itself in deep
wrinkles all over his manly face.
MGod have mercy on you . he is try
ing You in a furnace seven times
heated rhfhe cxclaimedg almost an
voluntarily. ip' 'oe ,95sio en- 70
1.-The daughter, a fair young girl
Blossom, as they called her-had
sat near them, listening with blanch-
ed cheek. She had not shedaa tear
to-day, and the terror in her face
had been so very still not one had
noticed it. She had occupied her
self mechanically in the household
cares, when her mothers. condition
devolved entirely upon her. Now
she answered a gentle tap at the
kitchen door, opening it to receive
from a neighbor's hand letter. cit
is from hin" was all she said.
I was like a message from the
dead. Mr.. Owen could not break
the seal for his trembling fingers
and held it toward Mr.. Allan with
the helplessness of a child y
The minister opened it, and 6be-
dent to a motion from the father
read as follows: cd 'e,IsW +.
DEAR FATHER, When this reach,
es you L shall be i'm eternity. Al
! first it seemed awful to me. but
| have thought about it so much now
that it has no terror. They say
they. will not bind me nor blind me
bat thatlI may meet my death like
a man. Thought, father. itlmight
have been on the battle field for my
country, and that when I fell il
would be fighting gloridusly but t6
be shot down like a dog for nearly
betraying ito die for neglect o.
duty 0, father! l wonder the very
thought does not XIII mel But ]
shall not disgrace you, I am going
to write you all about it, and when
i am gone you may tell my com,
rades. i can't now. n9@a. oaE +
"You know / promised Jenny
Carr's mother l would look after
her boy, and when he fell sick l did
all / could for him. He was not
strong when he was ordered back
into the ranks, and the day before
that night / carried all his luggage
besides my own, on our march, To-
ward night we went in on double-
quick, and tho aght the luggage be-
gan to feelivery heavy, every body
else was tired too; and as for .Jem-
my, if / had not lent him an arm
now and then, he would have drop
ped By the way / was all tired out
when we came into camp, and then
1t was Jemmy's turn to be sentry
and | would take his place; but ]
was too tired, father. | could not
have kept awake if / had had gun
at my head; but / did not know il
till-well, till it was too latel'go >
"God be thanked r. interrupted
Mr.. Owen, reverently.. g knew
Bonnie was not the boy to sleep
carelessly at his posth e seIer
"They tell me to day that / have
short reprieye, given TO me by
circumstances, time to write to you,
our good colonel says. Forgive
him, father, be only does his duty;
be would gladly save me if he could.
! A nd don't lau my noa th- !. n