The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-03-05
"A SAD TALE OF SORROW
EXTRAORDINARY WASTE OF TEARS.
How an Arkansas Mother Mourned for
Years Over the Remains OF Her Son
Only Co Find at Last that She Had
Made n Grievous Mistake.
[Arkansaw Traveller.l

lArkansaW Traveller.l
Old Mrs. Beberly mourned for years.
Henry, her only son, stalwart young fel-
low with the fire of bravery in his eyes,
answered his country's call, took up arms
against sea of political trouble and
fought for the South. The young man had
begun to distinguish himself when, from
the field of Gettysburg, the poor widow
received a letter conveying the intelligence
that brave Henry was dead. No longer
had this sacrificing woman any interest in
the struggle. Her all had been swept away
and now she cared not who was hung to q
sour.apple tree. She soon discovered that
without her sons remains she could never
again enjoy that exuberance of appetite
which had distinguished her in days of
yore. In this fond endeavor she did not
succeed for many months. She offered q
large reward for her sons bones, together
with certificate Of genuineness. One of
her friends, a near neighbor, pitied
her condition Of lonely grief and
detection. He would go to the battle
field and recover the bones. He
would know Henry's bones anywhere.
He went, and after a long absence returned
with the osseous formation Of the brave
young man. Aside from his own ability
to recognize the bones, the sympathetic
neighbor had received certificates from
soldiers who accompanied the chivalric
gentleman TO his untimely grave. The
poor widow was deligh ed-that is, as much
80 as any tender-hearted woman could be
over the skeleton of a loved son and heir
to handsome piece Of property. Locking
herself in the room that had formerly been
his, she wept In great enjoyment, for with
most women, after a certain wire.edged sea-
son, grief is sort Of melancholy pleasure.
The chamber SO long shut up in sacred dis.
use, now became kind of Joss house. She
neglected her church duties, and the minis
ter's horse that had been won't to neigh at
her fence, now chewed soft poplar in other
neighborhoods. The poor old soul was
mi'erably happy, and at times, passers by
could hear her rattling the bones in great
affection.
One day while she was going through
with her gymnastics Of grief and wolul
calisthenics, q rap on the Joss-hOuse door
arrested her.
''Go away from here" she said, tapping
Henry's skull with his left shank. 81 am
going through my sacred exercises now
and don't want to be disturbed"
= "open the door. have a surprise for
you."
y "Ah, Lord, there are no surprises left
for me In this world.n
81 think l can convince you Of your
error. Come and see."
TIE old lady, contrary to her rules and
regulations, and without the shadow Of
precedent, opened the door.
"Don't you know mep said tall young
man.
ado not" the widow replied.
az AM your son Henry"
"You do indeed look like him, but here
is my son." pointing to the bones.
"Where did you get 'emp
"From the field where my son laid down
his life and took up the shape of glorious
Immortality"
81 expect can tell you something about
that. was wounded at Gettysburg and
every one thought was dead. l was bur-
led, but some one noticing that l had q
gold ring on my finger, dug me up, robbed
me and left me lying above the dark level
OF death. All this time / was conscious,
and kicked like steer when the fellow
took of my ring. l don't know how long l
lay in this state, but at last found that
was able to walk. at once took advan-
tage Of this and Travelled at a rae ex.
ceedingly full of life for a man almost
dead. Finally reached a house where I
was cared for until my recovery. / had
seen enough of the war, and Sided over
into Mexico. was afraid to come back
until few weeks ago heard that the war
was over"
"Did you never read American newspa-
persr' asked the widow.
"Oh, yes, and that was the reason
thought the war was still going on"
81 would like to accept you as my son,
but what shall do with these bonesW
"Fertilize the strawberry bed with
them.n
"That would be inhuman, for have en-
joyed myself no over Them"
"Do you want TO know whose bones they
arefn
"Yes, would like to know"
"a crazy Indian who died out here at
the asylum. 1hompkins, who secured
them, told me just now what fine joke he
had on you"
The poor widow dropped.
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