Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-06-05
front of these stood the altar, the draplng |
of which brought aQNin to smemOIY the
help him, and the other Rugged his wrath il

help him, and the other Rugged his wrath in
silence at home.
Oh the agony Of those daysl One BY one
they went by without bringing word from
my boy. The hours sat upon my heart Ike
mountaina The disgrace of it almost killed
us. To think that our son-our only son,
whom we SO loved-had fed his home like q
thief in the night. and was wandering, we
knew not where.
@At last Wilbur came to me one day. bring
ing letter from Willis, which had been sent
within one to him. He wrote humbly to me,
begging me to forgive his unceremonious de-
parture and assuring me again and again Of
his love, but said not word of his father
His heart was still full of anger toward him,
could see have that letter yet have
read 1t thousand times It was the last line
ever had from his hand.
HE was in Georgia. Why he went south
do not yet understand Perhaps it was acct
dent; perhaps it was destiny. Even then
there were rumors of war, and in q short
time it burst upon the country in all its ter
ror and horror. These quiet hills echoed the
sounds of the bugle and the drum from morn
ing till night Down in the town companies
were forming and regiments waited to be or
dered toward the front Wilbur Rathbone
commanded a company, and waited in camp
for an order to depart Before he left the
news came one day that our Willis had
joined the Confederate army; that he was
captain of company under Longstreet. I
tried to doubt that awful story. would not
believe i'll could not That he had left US
in anger was sorrow and disgrace enough; to
know that he was in arms against his and
our country was too great an aff1iction to be
calmly borne. His father raw ed like mad
man, and forbade us to speak Of Willis in his
presence.
u saw Wilbur march away with a heart
heavier than stone. Ifmy boy had only been
with him, it seemed to me I could have
laughed from joy: But now, these two
whose lives had been spent in brotherly COM
partnership were in arms against each other.
The roll Of the drums sounded in my ears
day after day and would not die out, even
after every soldier had been sent on to the
south. l awoke night after night from
dreams Of battles in which saw my Willis
wounded and dying. Sometimes called his
name in my sleep and his fathers groans of
anguish would wake me-
when the body of Wilbur Rathbone was
sent home, envied his mother her sorrow.
He had died for his country-died for free
dom. stood dry-eyed by his grave, loving
him as a son, and feeling that my own sor-
row was greater than death. My daughter
died few months later This affection we
bore unmurmuringly; but that other, that
unspeakable sorrow, grieved us increasingly
"At last l, too, grew stern and unrelenting
toward my son, l banished him from my
thoughts l drove his memory from my
heart. had no forgiveness for him. And
SO the years went on-thoSe awful years of
the war when the whole country mourned
and suffered. At last it was over. Peace
came and the country bound up its wounds
and began to live again. Nearly year later
we learned that Willis had been killed while
fighting at Chickamauga. His fathers heart
softened then. He wept and murmured
affectionate excuses for him. But IL felt
relieved to know that should never see his
face again. They talk about the deathless
tenderness of a mothers heart; but mine had
its day of hardness Always, always this
thought stung me; I, a patriot, the daughter
of patriots, was the mother of a son who had
defied his parents and fought against his
country.
"Three years later my husband died, and I
was left alone. He spoke of Willis often in
the last days of his life. But was silent
'.Not till long, long after did find in my
heart forgiveness for my erring son.
realized a. last that had no right to judge
him; that if he erred perhaps l was to blame.
l know now that the passions, sorrows
and evils of life became as nothing in the
sweep of time. He was buried in the trenches
of Chickamauga- I cannot lay flower on his
grave, so l come on the day they honor
soldiers and lay my tributes on the earth
that covers the body of Wilbur, his best
beloved friend. Someho " feel that Willis
understands and knows that in my heart
are flowers of affection for him. They were
both dear to me-very dear to me.
eyes, he surely understands have long
felt that, and have long ceased to grieve
Both my boys are safe-safe and dead. 1t
is well with them"