Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-06-08
WRITTEN FOR THIS PAPER.
HER TWO BOYS
An Incident OF Decoration Day
BY MRS. NJ. T.. RAYNE.

ID A41lcu a. He ttA1NEs
She was a stern-visaged woman, With
many lines craven deep on her face ~
those two sculptOrs, time and care. Her
form was somewhat bent with the Weightg4
years, built bore the uprightness Of resist
ance yet Her hair, drawn back index
mourning veil, was as white as snow. SAS
did not look tender, loving and loyal, but
she was all three.
Acc Jmpanied by young girl, she moved
slowly through the crowded cemetery -
the lodge of the old sexton.
Chow are my two bOys?" she asked when
they reached him.
Her lips quiveFed, and you saw tksn
that the Iuster had gone out of hog
eyes forever, and that the little meI1
whose hand she held was eyes for the
blind.
''The boys are all right, ma am, - sasC
the sexton with deep respect 'they re safe
and tidy. I've put a bit of decOra4On
there myself, for ] thought mebbe y9
might not come to-day"
''Wh n 1 do not come. it will be because
my feet are stayed here, answered the
blind mother. Il have the flags and few
ers with me. Are taeir graves green?"
LAS greens ma am, as June, which
1t nearly is. An the flowers a-grsVT-
In Of their own accord as thick -
stars in a clear sky.
They moved together to the part OF the
grass above the boys in blue.
Here they are; just feel Of them BIZ.
ma am. The grass as soft as a baby'8
cheek to the touch, ma am, ! warrant !"
TIE mother knelt reverently by the tWs
graves that were so exactly alike no eye
cOlld detect the difference She laid h6F
withered face against the COO growing
grass, and remained mOtiOnless a long
time. And if she we're crying out in -
beliiOn in her heart, or if she were pray
ing, there were none to know, save GSd.
who could see and hear.
''BOys, - she called softly at last; ''bOys,
mother s COmei'
Other mOurners came bringing their
flowers and passed on. An old man whose
four soldier lads slept near stopped to l08E<
at this lonely, crouching figure
The sexton Informed him in pantOmiEao
that she was not In her right mind-Out
of her head.
''She doesn't know the difference, - he
said in an undertOne, ''but the two soldier
boys buried here ere not hers They are
rebs They came north and died ia Eh6
hospital. They knew Of her boys, and
were the first to tell her that they died &C
Chattanooga. She was sick a long tinEs
after that and has never been right sincs.
When these two died Of their WO nds and
were buried here, she found it out and SAID
they were her boys and she always be-
harm, as I can see. -
The old man turned away, shaking his
head sadly, while the mother arranged
the flowers on the two graves TO suit hex
sightIess touch.
When they were finished they were fuEa
alike in their d, coratiOns, even TO tlzs
two fags CT. ssed at their heads. sGMg
bOys'' murmured e stricken motheE.
'my dear, dea soldier boys whom God
hath in His most holy keeping. Mother
will be with you soon. It is almost tins.
L cannot see your faces. or even your dear
graves, but He will tell you that mother
is coming soon. r"
Oh! divine passion of human
love and sorrow Who shall ssy
that Thou, too, hast not a IN raole 81
misunderstanding for this mothers faifhf
That while she Weeps by these two graves
wherein lie sleeping he two brave soldier
boys, some unknown mother may not -
watching her brave lads In some southezn
bivOuac Of the deal. and that for tkIs
day and hour, each was given to his own.
by order Of q Great Commander, g
whom the soldiers of the south and Sc
soldiers Of the north, the boys I'm gray ans
the boys in blue, have alike surrendered.