Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1889-05-24


night as 1 came rolling back here, full
MS l could hold to my back teeth l spicd
through the window man moving about
in the front room; 'twasn't an instant be-
fore | was in there and had him in my
grip. / raised him up and was Just about
to bring him IN one smash on the floor
when something somebody all in white
kind of tioated to my side and laid hand
on my arm
"'Sam, Sam, it is your Leftenantr that is
what heard, and child could have fin
ishod me then.
you've heard men say, sir, how they
sometimes wished.tho earth could swallow
them that's how felt So little, SO brave,
so quiet-I didn't dare to look Mt her. 1
Just laid the Leftenant down and turned to
go away forever
"'Sam, come here with me come to your
room she said. l obeyed better than ever
did oven 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
l had saved her husband for her, aud how
ho loved me and she loved me and
Colonel, it fetched me bad, fetched me ev-
cry way, and she went and brought in n
wee bit of babby, and she says: Sam, l
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 l trust
you, Sam
And sir, did promise her then and
,tr1I Itttr 20
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
what could do? Itwas not for me to speak.
Love herr did love her-but not in the
way that men talk of loving women. What
could 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
it every day and hour, and did not know
if 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.
"One night we were sitting right hero,
give whimper from his cot.
"Tm called she said and got up and
went in.
IAN hour after heard the Leftenant cry,
and Jumped; we found her white and love-
ly as ever, with the baby in her arms,
stretched upon her bed; but she had gone
home to the God that loved her-to the God
she loved.
at 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 rs he's the
brightest boy in the world now.
Zone night the little chap was in the cot
with me, and heard the Leftenant call in
his weak voice:
Sergeant, the boy, quick!
II had Just time to raise the child so his
father could put his lips against the baby
cheek when see 1t was all over with my
Leftenant-he'd got his discharge n detail
at headquarters where he and she would
meet and know no more sorrow. OF pain, or
trouble.
"And since then so far as in me lays, Two
| been n father to ty-eight-I 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
is orders, and see that he obeys 'em; but
he knows how old Sam loves him.
"Out where you were to-day, Colonel
out at that graveyard, they are both buried.
dug his rrave, and / dug hers. M
hands but mine would | let make ready tho
last home on earth of these two, and there
| is where / found you, and there and here
is where any one can find me. The LGften-
ant left enough for the boy, and have my
pension from Uncle Sam, and live happy,
content and n clean man"
DO you go to church, Samn asked.
II did go to church once or twice, but the
men grinned at the idea of old Sam being
there, and the women smiled, Gnd
the girls sniggered, and that kind OF
told me that had to keep away from
there er get into a fight, and so, when
| little Sid goes there, / Just sit out by tho
graves yonder, by his grave and h RS and
hear enough to do me all the good that can
be done me here on earth
"Younever expected to hear this talk from
cid Sam, did you, Colonel? Well i wouldn't
say the same to any other man on earth,
but have Just been aching for years to ask
come one that could trust If am right or
not and you re the man most wanted to
see. want to know II am wrong In doing
MS try to do What do you think?
"She left me her boy, he left the boy in
my care. / know ! try to do the beHt
for him, and believe she sees how honest
| ly l work to do It,
~ could no more do what would shame
me before her than / could have deserted
my colors am not CRAZY or one of youv
| Spiritualists, but do seem to hear her, do
| feel that she Is always near me and salts.
fed with what door try to do. Do you
think am right, or do you think am u
| fool?n
This is Memorial Day for all, and all
/ hearts are tender-b but 1t IL 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 me, whose words
made a real man of me and who Went
home to God and left me something to live
and hope for-am 1 fool for all this,
| Colonelg"
answered him "No"-and In my soul !
believe that the sweet spirit of the gentle
wife and mother must hover over, control
Snd guide the glorious efforts of the old
soldier, 80 strangely changed In nature,
who continually strives to do as she would
have him do, to bring her boy into all the
paths OF mgnly truth and nobility of life,
| who has 30 fur subdued his own nature rs
| to Kill all the savage within him, and who,
from loving, beautiful reverence, keeps
and will keep whLo no lives one unend-
Ing. sacred and eyerTememborod Me
merial poyl" hLyh pvkE phHIS