The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-05-23
The Touch OF a Mothers Hand.

A Lieutenant of Rhode Island bat
terry, mere youth, lay dying at Wash
ngton. He had his right foot shatter-
ed by piece of shell at an engagement
near Mechanicsvlle, The foot had
been amputated, but he sank slowly
away. All his sutferings had been
borne with Il soldiers fortitude, and it
was now near midnight, he having
reached the city at noon. His mother
had been telegraphed for and was to
meet him at Washington in day or
two. He was very low, and two ladies
sat By his bedside, the one tanning him
and the other holding his feeble hands.
The lady had her finger on the pulse,
noting the tluctuating pulsations.
About midnight his mother arrived at
the hospital and begged to see her boy.
She was cautioned not to excite him.
as the least thing would carry him off
suddenly. She said she would slip in
aud take the place of one of the ladies
by his bedside. 1t was quite dark in
the room and he dozed. Smothering
her emotion, the mother stole softly to
the bedside and, sitting down, took the
limpid hand from the lady. Hardly
had she touched his hand when he said
slowly: Surely that was my moth
er's hand. know her touch" Then,
opening his eyes, he asked. who is
this beside me? 1t must be my mother.
feel her hand; turn up the gas and
let me see my mother. | know, oh,
thank God, | know, | know she is
here The gas was turned up, and
the two dear faces met in one long,
loving embrace. After little he said:
"Oh. mother, | am so happy now that
| am with you. | shall die content"
But YOU must not die, my dear
bow said the fond parent. Il could
not lose you.
Alas" he replied, Il wish it could
be so, but God wills it otherwise; but.
mother, he said with q smile, II have
faced death too often to be afraid of
him now, and ! gladly give up my life
to my country
This young man had been wounded
on the very last day of his three years
service. One more day and he would
have been discharged and on his way
home. He died when he was Just 20
wears and nine months old.
After one Of the severe battles some
officers were riding in the woods near
Stone Bridge, and as they passed the
dead they noticed the body Of little
boy resting against tree. He seemed
TO have SAL down at the foot Of the tree
and fallen asleep, with q handkerchief
covering his face. Removing the
handkerchief, countenance of rare
loneliness was disclosed. The boy was
clad in a handsome, almost gray, uni
form Of staff officer, and beside him
Law fancy little sword The officers
| d!.mounted and gathered about him,
one Of them lifting him carefully up.
| The blue eyes stared in vacancy, and,
although stone dead, he was not vet
cold. He had q wound in his right
breast, and his jacket and undercloth-
ing were soaked with blood. His ap-
pearance indicated he was attached to
the staff OF some regiment or general,
but 10 one knew him. A search in his
| clothing resulted in discovering q
small. Bible, and on the fy-leaf was
| written, james Simmons, New York.
From his loving mother. Ny son, re-
member tiny Creator in the days Of thy
youth" Nothing else was found by
which to identify him.
One Of the officers wished to take
! him to headquarters, but that was six
miles away. SO they left him where he
fell. His face was bright-almost ra-
diaut--and his lips parted in smile.
He was, indeed, a beautiful boy, and
some mothers darling, but there he
lay victim to the cruelty Of war. Who
he was, other than that Bible told, |
never heard, but if they be living hope
these lines may meet the eyes Of his
friends. He was not over twelve or
fourteen years Of age.
At Nashville, in one OF the hospitals,
on a little cot, lay Young officer, al
most a boy, whose form was burning
with fever. All day long he lay on the
bed, his bright eyes fixed upon the
III mature Of a beautiful woman which
lie held in his hand. He kissed it
again and again, murmuring, Moth
er, my mother. In the night he grew
worse and delirious, talking all the
time about his mother One Of tbs
sisters came TO him, and, catching
sight Of her dress, he smiled and said
"Ah, mother, knew yoHwould come. >
The nurse smoothed his brow, and b
murmured, kiss me, dear mother.
Tenderly the noble woman STOPPED
down and kissed him. "Ah, he said
this is the first moment Of peace
have known for a week. and passe,
quietly away.
His mother did not come, but tn
Sister Of Charity smoothcd his way
All, when these death-bed scenes ar
remembered, and the gentle, patien,
gray-robed figures gliding about anon
the dead and dying, what do we nc
owe to those noble women who sacr
feed comfort, home, eyerythingto mil
ister to our poor boys in the war
PhtiadeiphlG Press.
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