The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1885-11-04

soldier was dying and that Nellie had
been sent for across tho sea, all the
people We'd with each other in sooth-
ing the last moments of the famous
man, for he was beloved by all, and all
wero bound to him by bonds of patri-
otic gratitude, since ho had boon so
brave a soldier upon tho battle fields of
his country. But the soldier did not
heed their words Of sympathy; the
voice of fame. which in tho past had
stirred fever in his blood and fallcn
most pleasantly upon his ears, awaken.
ed no emotion in his bosom now. The
soldier thought only of Nellie, and he
awaited her coming.
An old comradc came and pressed
MS mana, ana IaIkcu oI me times uuru
they went to tho wars together; and
tho old comradc told of this battle and
OF that, and how such victory was
won and how such city was taken.
But tho soldiers oars heard no sound
OF baltic now, and his Dyes could see
no flash of sabre or smoke of war.
So the people came and spoke words
OF veneration and lovo and hope, and
so with quiet fortitude, but with Il hun
cry heart, tho soldier waited for Nellie,
his little girl.
Sho camo across tho broad, tompcst-
uous ocean. Tho gulls flew far out
from land and told tho winds and the
winds blow further still and said TO tho
ship: Speed on, oh ship! speed on in
thy swift. straight course, for you
arc bearing treasure to fathers
heart!"
Then the ship lcapcd forward in her
pathway, and the waves were very
still, and the wiEds kept Whispering:
'SPecd on, o ship" till at last tho ship
was come to port and the little girl
was clasped in tho soldiers arms,
Then for season tho soldier seemed
quito himself again, and people said:
"He will livc," and thon prayed that
he might. But their hopes and pray
ers wore vain. Deaths seal was on the
soldier and there was no release.
The last days of tho soldiers life
were the most beautiful of all-but
what q mockery of ambition and fame,
and all tho grand pretcntious things of
life they were! They wcro tho triumph
OF n human heart, and what is better or
purer or sweetcr than that?
No thought of tho hundred battle
fields upon which his valor had shown
conspicuous came to tho soldier now
nor tho echo of his eternal famc-nor
even yet the murmurs of sorrowing
people. Nellie was by his side. and his
hungry, fainting heart fed on her dear
love and his soul went back with her
to the years long agonc.
Away beyond tho western horizon
upon tho prairie stands little homo
over which tho vines trail. All about
it is tho tall, waving grass, and over
yonder is the swalo with legion of
chattering black birds pcrchcd on its
swaying reeds and rushes. Bright
wild flowers bloom on every side, the
quail whistles on tho pasture fence, and
from his home in tho chimney corner
the cricket begins to chirrup an echo
to tho lonely birds call. In this little
prairie homo wo see man holding on
his knee little girl, who is telling him
OF her play as he smooths her fair curls
or strokes her tiny velvet hands; or
perhaps she Is singing him one of her
baby songs, or asking him strange
questions Of the great wide world that
is new to her; or perhaps he binds the
wild flowers she has brought into n lit
tlo nosogay for her now gingham dress,
or-but we see it all, and so, too, does
tho soldier, and so does Nellie, and so
they hear the black-bird's twittor and
the quairs shrill call and tho cricket's
faint echo, ard all about thom is tho
sweet subtle, holy fragrance of mcm-
ory.
And so at last whom Death came and
tho soldier fell asleep forever, Nellie,
his little girl. was holding his hands
and whispering to him of those days.
Hers were tho last words he heard, and
by the smile that rested on his face
when he was dead you might have
thought the soldier was dreaming of q
timp when Nellie prattled on his knee
and bade him weave the wild flowers
in her curls.