Connecticut western news., 1884-09-17
EXTRACTS FROM A JOURNAL.

ed Saturday. s. EXTRACTS FROM A JOURNAL.
 APRIL S.-All day long this dreary rain has been steadily falling, but not more steadily than these bitter, bitter tears that fall from my eyes. Last night they say the tidings came of terrible battle that was fought at Pittsburg, and my brave Willie is missing. O! can it be that he is dead Has God taken my last child from me ? No, no, 1t cannot be. He who raised the widows son will surely spare to me my only boy the last of three. I gave the others without murmer, aud when Willie told me he needs must go fight for his country, said Ego my brave boy, and the Lord go with thee," while in my heart felt that he would not be taken, and now-but why should complain ''The Lord gave and the Lord hath ta- ken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" o !! this pitiless rain, will it never cease ? and those poor soldiers out through it all.
 APRIL 17.--Still no tidings from my boy, only that he was left wounded and bleeding on the battle field. They tell me it is of no use to hope longer, that Willie surely must be dead but they do not know mothers heart or they would know that she will hope when hope in all other hearts is dead. They say that he was bold and courageous and that he fought bravely until the last. Do they think to comfort me thus? Iris true 'tis a comfort to know that he was brave and faithful, but, O God 1 that cannot fill the void in this poor heart O! Willie, my darling Willie, can it be that you are buried there on @ lonely battle field, O! my God, must 1t be so? Will my boy never come back to me again? Ol this heavy, aching heart, will it never be comforted? must I always watch and wait and listen for my dear one? But must not repine, I gave him to his God and to his coun. try and if it pleased God to take him, he did as knew best and will trust it all to Him. Teach me Lord to say truly -.
 "Wait then my soul. submissive, wait With revere Lee bow before his seat,
 And mid the terrors of his rod;
 Trust iu a wise and gracious God" |, r slowly by, and still the war rages. ; : think of the poor soldiers, sick, dying : in those hospitals; I think of m, = Willie, and it may be that some boy a. noble as he is dying there for the. wan
 of just such care and kindness as only I mother can give. My heart aches fo : my dear one, but some other mother l heart is just as heavy as mine. thought had given all but 1t may b, s that the Lord wants me, and I will gt : and try to do something in the caus, 8 for which my boy died. Twill be hart
 I know, but why should not suffe
 something, when so many are giving
 their lives? They have left homes
 friends, everything, and have no on
 now but myself. There is nothing t
 be done here, but O! what work to b, done there.
 Ger. 11.-I am in the hospital at -
 O.! what ghastly sights there are abou me! The sick and suffering, the dea, = and dying. 'Tis piteous to go with tn, surgeon and witness the sutferings O the poor soldiers as their wounds ar
 dressed. Some pray, some weep, an, q even in such time as this the coars
 laugh and brutal jest is heard. M - heart aches for them all wonder wh
 there need be so much of misery on thi
 earth, I shudder as I help the surgeon
 bind up the bleeding, quivering flesh ,, but still I can do it, for some fond moth s CT far away is weeping for her boy, as !, once wept for mine. Thoughts of Vii ], lie come to me to-day as walk abou
 the wards, and see the faces of thos n that the Destroyer has touched, som n white and still in death, and other a whose life is slowly ebbing away hk " the fall of the tide. Did my Willie di
 in place like this, with no fond moth
 CT to smooth his aching brow and light t en up the dark pathway before hir with her cheery looks and comfortin
 words?
 There is one poor boy that have ta
 ken strange interest 1n. He is S l. young and fair, and there IS such a pa l. tient, gentle expression on his face. H
 suffers greatly, they say, but he neve ', murmurs or complains. Sometimes a h I pass his couch fancy that his eye, V follow me with a strange, wistful loo l. and I would give worlds to alleviate hi n sufferings, but they will soon all be oy
 CT fear
 Ger. 14.-To day have been calle
 to see Q soldier die. He had sent for m D they said, and I went, wondering wh he should want me. Twas the poo boy I had noticed. 'I knew you woul
 come" he said, and smiled faintly as T stood by his couch, II have watche, 3 you for a long time, but could not asl
 you to leave your duties, now am dy 8 ing, and must give you my messag D quickly. "You are Willie's mother,
 know it by your eyes" he said and m,