New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-09-16

linen JnlS Is your nuSOanQe s
grave?' said Carroll, not so much
now with the wish to know more as
to keep back the bitter recollections
over which he had so little control
eyes, sir, this is my husband s
grave" shereplied; and pointing to the
Smaller ones, land these are my
children's 81
care allyour family here, thenW con-
tinued Carroll, his heart touched once
more, now the unpleasant surprise was
over.
"No, sir, not all; there is one left.
We had but two when he went away
agirl and a boy-a fine boy. The baby
he never saw, but he wrote often then,
and always of coming back to see it. y
"Was it long before the battle that
| you heard from him last?" asked Car
roll, still struggling with his feelings.
ooh no; the very night before Shiloh
he sent a long, hopeful letter-'twas so
good! and-thenit was the last. Some
how, feared it was helast-he spoke
SO often of the baby-and-and-so
tenderly of-me.'
Carroll did not look up. He had
stopped down again, and was busy
with the sods and stone.
"'Twas in that letter." she con-
tinued, after a. little, "that he first
seemed to fear how his life would end.
Somehow it seemed that he could not
end that letter; but finally, in one cor
ner away along the side, he spoke OF
the names we talked of for the baby,
and then-there was-'Good-by.'"
Her voice faltered here, but the
trembling hands kept on placing the
stones.
"War is cruel, madam-too cruel, y
Carroll could not help saying, as the
sad story brought all that terriblepast
before him. at must have been very
hard for you then, and none to help
YOU
ooh yes, sir; and then it came-what
| | had dreaded from the time he left.
To be sure, they did not tell me how
badly he was Shot, but oh, l knew!
and left the children with a neighbor
and started for the camp. When ]
came into the hospital tent he was say
ing, Helen! Helen!' and I thought he
knew me, but he didn't. He had been
saying it all along, they told me.
Well, the doctor could do no more,
they said, and so they left me with
him. All that long night [ held his
hands, owhite and cold, and I thought
OF the little ones, and Of the empty
home there, and-but cannot tell you!
Somehow it all came back, every little
thing he had ever done for me.
ut all seemed so plain-I could see
him doing up the chores at the barn
again, and then coming up the path
with the pals in one hand and leading
| little Walter with the other When he
came through the woodshed and into
the kitchen, | could hear his steps so
plain, and the door open and shut
just the same rattle in the latch.
ooh, thought / should die! And
when cried out to him they told me
[ must go away if made q noise. So
kept still, though it seemed my heart
would burst.
"Well, along towards morning, as
sat looking at his paleface all at once
he opened his eyes and smiled, just'a
| he used to. Then his lips moved, and
could just hear him say
eyes, I have come; / always told
you would come back. "Now, where
is the baby: Helen?' Then 1 held my
ear close to his lips for a long time,
but could hear no more, and when !
looked again, he lay SO stil!''
Carroll could not see the stone he
was trying to place.; still he kept his
head bowed, and worked on as well as
he could.
"Well, I brought him home" she
continued, "and when they laid him
in our little front room it did seem as
though the children would wake him,
! but of course it couldn't be, and we
laid him here And that winter we
side him. I was so tired then wanted
to hug the poor little thing up to me,
and lie down there with them. But it
wouldn't do; there were two left, but
they must be fed So / did the best ]
could for them till-oh, it don't seem
so long! No, but then it is; yes, it is
seven years ago tomorrow since we
brought little Walter here. He was
such little man-so like his father!!'
Here the wrinkled hands stopped
laying stone, and when Carroll looked
up, one was holding the worn hand
kerchief under the old bonnet, while
the other pressed hard against thepoor
| palpitatipg heart.
"Well, my dear woman" he made
out to say, "your lot has been a hard
one, and am very sorry for you, in.
deed I am. May ask if you live neal
here now"
"Not now, SIR" she answered, as
soon as she was able to proceed. 81
nurse some in the city. | could i'll al
ford the time or money to come here
now, but I so longed to, and lately
thought SO much about them, I had tc
come. O sir, I had to GOMEZ"
Then you came here this morning?'
eyes, sir; on the four O'Clock train. ,
$50 early; and do I understand yor
leave soon?'
II promised to be back on the next
train"
lit seems a pity" said Carroll, with
feeling, s'that you should be denied ever
the privilege Of visiting the graves 0