The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-05-23

w0en something somebody all In Wh1to-
kind of hoated to my side and laid a hand
on my arm. -
sam, Sam, it is your Lettenant' that is
what heard and q child could have fin
ished me then.
you've heard men say, sir, how they
sometimes wished the earth could swallow
them that's how felt. So little, so brave,
SO quiet-I didn't dare to look at her.
just laid tho Leftenant down and turned to
go away forever.
?: Sam, come here with me come to your
room, she said. obeyed better than ever
did even your orders. sir; but didn't dare
to look at her. You see she knew me from
what he had told her, and her grand heat
could forgive all that
II went to my bed and she brought me
my tea and soup, made by her own hands,
and she sat by me and talked to me as no
one else ever talked, nor could talk to me
neither preach nor scold it wasn't-honest
friendly, loving falkland she told me how
had saved her husband for her, and how
he loved me and she loved me-and,
Colonel, it fetched me bad, fetched me ev-
cry way, and she went and brought in .
wee bit of q babby, and she says: Sam, I
want you to look after and care for this lit
tie Sidney as you did for his father, and you
must promise me that you will, for trust
you. SAM
'And, sir, did promise her then and
there, and put myself on special duty to
carry the colors before that boy, to carry
them up and square to the front-and
that promise have kept, and will keep to
the end of my life, SO help me, God!
I'VE were very happy and well-content
here-all but me. Isee that she was wearing
her life out for her boy and husband, but
photo LOO 80,
Love her? did love her-but not in the
way that men talk of loving women. What
could I be to her, but Sam? Inever touched
even the skirt of her dress. Love was not
the name for it,
''She was fading and fading away; no one
but me seemed to notice it, but could see
1t every day and hour, and did not know
II I'd feel glad or sorry. She did not be-
long here, she was kin to God and to His,
and her place was above.
lone night we were sitting right here,
where we are now, and she heard little Sid
give q whjmper from his cot.
":1'm called she said and got up and
went in.
IAN hour after heard the Leftenant cry,
and jumped; we found her white and love-
" a. ever, with the baby in her arms,
stretched upon her bed; but she had gone
| she loved
1T wasn't long before he went, too; he
didn't seem to care to want to live after
that and nothing could rally him, not even
the tricks Of little Sid, that was the peart-
est baby you ever see, just as he's the
brightest boy in the world now
''One night the little chap was in the cot
with me, and heard the Leftenant call in
his weak voice.
"'sergeant, the boy, qutck!'
Il had just time to raise the child so his
father could put his lips against the baby
cheek when I see it was all over with. my
Leftenant- ID got his discharge-a detail
at headquarters where ne and ste would
meet and know no more sorrow. or pain, or
trouble.
''And since then, SO far as in me lays, I've
been a father to Thirty eight mean lit
tie Sid. He loves me, know he does, and
there is no use on earth for me but for him.
I'm strict as ought to be with him, orders
ia orders, and SEQ that he obeys 'em; but
he knows how old Sam loves him.
"Out where you were to-day, Colonel
out 1T that graveyard they are both buried.
I dug his grave, and I dug hers. No
hands but mine would let make ready the
last home on earth of these two, and there
is whore found you, and there and here
is whore any one can find me. The Leften-
ant left enough for the boy, and have my
pension from Uncle Sam, and live happy,
content and clean man,
DO you go to church. Sam?" asked.
II did 60 to church once or twice, but the
there, and the women smiled, and
the girls staggered, and that kind of
told me that had to keep away from
there er get into fight, and so, when
little Sid goes there, just sit out by the
graves yonder, by hisgrave and her's, and I
hear enough to do me all the good that can
be done me here on earth.
"Youneve expected to hear this talk from
old Sam, did you, Colonel? Well, wouldn't
say the same to any other man on earth,
but have Just been aching for years to ask
some one that Icould trust If am right or
not, and you re tho man most wanted to
see want to know If am wrong in doing
as try to do. What do you think?
"She left mo her boy, he left the boy in
my care. know I try to do the best
for him, and believe she sees how honest
" work to do it
Il could no more do what would shame
me before her than could have deserted
my colors. I an not crazy or one of your
Spiritualists, but do seem to hear her, do
feel that she 1s always near me and salts
fed with what door try to do Do you
think am right, or do you think I am
fool?"
This is Memorial Day for all. and all
hearts are tender-but It is Memorial Day'
me for every day Of my life Memory Of
my duty to her boy, Of my gone Leftenant
and OF her who saved mo, whose words
made . real man of me and who went
home to God and loft me something to 1.-Two
and hope for-am q fool for all this
Colonel?"
1 answered him ''No''-and in my soul I
believe that tho sweet spirit of the gentle
wife and mother must hover over, control
and guide the glorious efforts of the old
soldier, 30 strangely changed in nature,
who continually strives to do as she would
have him do, to bring her boy into all the
paths Of manly truth and nobility of life,
who has 90 far subdued his own nature q
to kill al the savage within him, and who,
from . loving, beautiful reverence, keeps
and will keep while he nves one unend-s
ing. sacred and over-remembered me.
mortal Day" ALEx pVx1 RAHR