Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-25


Grandma" he whispered, i've got
that winks and squalls just like a
baby"
"Where did you get it," whispered
the grandmother.
"When I was thanking Col Gran
ger for my skates, there were some
other men there, and they asked him
who l was. He told them my papa
was brave soldier and was killed in
| the war. Then they talked to pae and
asked me who | lived with, and if |
had any brothers and sisters told
them about Mollie and you; and then
they bought the incest doll in the
store for Mollie. Oh they were such
good men; and don't you think,
Grandma, two of them didn't have
only one arm apiece"
Tie doll with It's faxen curls, its
great eyes and its wink, and the lids
rolled open when it was lifted up, was
taken out of the market basket, and
placed close by Mollie's stocking. Then
the manly little fellow crept back into
bed so full of joy and so eager for the
day to dawn that it is a wonder how
he fell asleep.
$50 like his father" whispered the
grandmother, as she tucked up the
little sleepers and looked on the ruddy
face of the little fellow, who was smil-
ing in his sleep. 80 like his father. P"
Then her thoughts went backward.
There rose before her the vision of her
own bestowed boy. She saw him in
memory as eight years before, he had
kissed her and his own little babes,
i Willie and MOllie, and had gone off
! to the war. She remen,b ered how
brave, and generous he had been in
his boyhood; how he was one of those
enthusiastic, ardent natures which
ever constitute a nati.ns defenders,
and are the first to be sacrificed to the
demon Of war.
Then she recalled the words Of q
letter received from one of his COM
rades, written just after the battle of
Chancellorville. She remembered
every word of the letter for it was
written on her heart.
| william was our sergeant We were resisting a.
charge of the enemy. Our coler- bearer was shot
and the flag fell down. Isaw William seize it and
raise it aloft There was a smile on his face. A
minute more, ] noticed that he had fallen on his
face and the blood was pouring from his side.
| We were soon swept off the field, and there can be
| no doubt that he is dead"
And SO her Joy of Christmas night
was the mournful pride-how many,
many mothers share it-that she had
given a son to the cause of his coun-
try, and that he had died as became a
man holding proudly and defantly in
the face of a storm of lead and fire, that
| banner which is the emblem of the
patriots love.
He had gone into the war with a
heart-ache. His young wife had died.
She was the tie that kept him from
enlisting when the war broke out,
and his heart burned to be at the front.
When she died, his mother had TO take
the little children; and he desolate
and sad, and feeling that the field was
the place for such as he, went off to
the war. After the news of his death,
her husband had died. the little
property left had gradually melted
away. After years of patient waiting,
a pension claim had been proved up
and allowed, and it eked out a meagre
pittance towards the childrens' sup
port, and she hoped and prayed that
she might be able to serve them few
years longer till the strong, self-reli
ant, little Billy should be old enough
to care for himself and sister; as she
felt that he would If life and health
were spared.
The next morning dawned. Not
all it's singing cold could keep
little Billy abed. With the peep of
day he had awakened, given the coal
stove a shake, and laid Mollie's doll
by the side of the pillow; and taken
his skates to bed with him; and was
trying his best, with great difficulty,
to keep still and let grandma sleep
little longer.
At last when it was broad day; and
breakfast had been served, and little
Mollie with her doll in her arms was
the perfect picture of quiet, radiant
happiness, Billie had pulled his cap
rim down below the lowest tips of his
ears, and was going out to shovel off
the snow and make bare place on
the ice in the pond to try his new
skates.
Just then carriage drove up to the
door. Billy scraped off some of the
frost from the pane and peepcd out
1.-Two men coming" he said.
Zones Col. Granger. He's coming
in"
Presently there was knock on the
door. The gentleman was admitted.
He greeted little Billy 10 his frank,
cordial way and asked him if the lady
was his grand mother, for, though he
had aided her in obtaining the pen
sion for the children, he had never
seen the widow before
II called to tell you that / am
afraid there is some trouble about the
pension for these children. [ fear it
will be stopped" said he.
A troubled look came over the poor
woman's face.
Can the government be so cruel"
said she as Indignation flashed in ner
eyes, ''to take the bread from these
fatherless babes9 1t would be a
shame -