The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-05-08
THE SOLDIERS. PRAYER.

.
1t was tho fall of 1885,. during those
troublous times that tried mems souls and
broke woneu,s hearts. that slim of a Girl of
about o wears stood ON the PLATFORM az tho
depot in one of the suburban towns of Cleve-
land and watched the waiting train with its
coachload of soldiers ON their wav tn tha
front The male face of the wee woman
was so full Of admiration. ard sad with a
pathetic longing in il as we'll that mora than
one how in blne remarlred IL Finally one
with laughing impertinence called ont,
"Hello. little maid. Is your sweetheart off to
the ware, "You are all INV .sweethearts. y
answered the child ssCo,ne in and say GOOD
by TO usn
The child ran forward and clamberinp I'm
the stems. went into the car The soldier
who had accosted the little maid was .the
counterpart of hundreds who went out to
battle in those DAYS. and who sleer, the last
long sleerr under the soutbern stars. full Of
yigor and life. a little ssfast y perbans but
sweet and honorable at the core As he
talked with the child watched the color
come and 90. and caught the plance of tho
bir grew ewes darlSened So early with tho
shadow of n great sacrifice no bacama nm
usually interested
She was n bonelesslv Main pito tho orIv
redeeminp thing about her being the hig
luminous ewes and long glossy hraids Of soft
brown hair. The soldiers hand was towing
half unconsciouslv with one of these MATS
when he asked what She would be willing to
give n soldier who was poino ont nerhsns
never to RETURN. There was n real sincerity
In the renly. "Anvthino Some shirt ~
mischief must have entered the man for
lifting the braid that Law shining over his
wrist he asked. "yyiu Won Uiva ma thioan
The answer came very onIckIv. myes I,
Taking from his poclet ONE Of those .sbouse-
yviyoen frrnishaa tho hovs nv ,o,,;,,r tr,,o,5s
~, too,, a,,t ~ so;sso a,;',as ~ VS.
h,o;d niosa 70 her haad whi,a tha 49,. -. .Ie
inc aro,,m,, tba,o oxcIa,,nad a. lie
a,,5 shan,ad h;r, l., NO Toht n,annas Wa
The hot. law co,lad ~, b;s tnaa and az oh,,d ,
was ,oo,,i,'o s,nil,ngIv nm into hi ' 80 ~
roocbad me- Lis haysrsac,, Sroraht ~ "o
hottia ond taL;ne. or tha ,,,otai ~ %. 49,
o,,s,.,a,.ad A., : ore, 40 ,,ai, H., o,,saa 'n la
so,,,o ~ Tho l;|ro,. nd rois;na, - ".;ed ~.
gavlv, ,.Here,a r. NV little ssea,haaSt, r y,
S,,cl, no e.sh tho slerda, t,n1,o,.s a,.s,,a,
~. -. "a a. - s.asvou
Mi to- o,r,.,s.o, .,,;ll ,,a,,n,. ~, s..a.s
~ 49, o,.d,,rd COT, sa,I,o,. A s' ~
sweat voice rs,,s with q ,ass;on' 81 ent,..otr o
u,,Ioaso ,,loasa don,t 40 +bat ''
+. There was nerfect silence over tho oro,n IN
q ,,,a,no,t so,as,h,ns 4, tho ,,a aa So. ~, :.
littie hand az, his and tha r,stful r,leod;na 4,
Az - a., ~. -,a 49,.
a. v,,os+,, ta,,ora5 az sniS,o,. -
49, slo,rlv n ta haDaso,s ~
dierlv foca yvli,a tba eager WHO. ~ tha va
,,,aso,, .,.,,,rt ~. ~
"a, a. so,.,ott;,s a.. ,,oasn -;
;+ot;o,, ,ha,, ~. as,s,.,o,..S, ssv.,. iit.,"
VIII Ti,aca ,go,,daroa ,nenv t,,,a aaS
OF 4. +l,s 4h.A Ia M. 49,. -
now If INV OF those gathered there felt that
a point was reached in that mans life when
be should choose. at the bidding az n littla
child. which path he would tread .sThen
will You sign the pledge with meg, A sbont
went up from, the bows in blue. "sbe,s cot
YOU. Charlie: sign It, sign e y came from ali
around. "Wnl YOU write one. Qiruep, said
Charlie. taking out a blank book with mort
able inkstand and pen In the side. Carefully.
in big round letters, the child wrote the onIy
pledge that occurred TO her
81 will never drink ANYTHING that will
make me drunk as long as 1 live
Seeming to think the latter elause made
it very strong the soldier took tho nen. a,,d
In a firm. scholarly hand. wrote "Cbarles
D-.n underneath the childishlv written
name Of the little girl.
While all this was TRANSMITTING. a tall fine
looking soldier. bearing the rank OF colonel
bad paced hack and forth several tip,aa and
now nausino before the Omen ,vipdoyv calIod
ont: "What's going on In tbere hovss,,
aCome in and see. colonel charlie has
signed a temperance pledge. WhiIa the
colonel walked through the Car. ba basr,y Arc
story from half a dozen different voicas
His hand Law caressinely on the head Of the
little girl. and strange cxnression az almost
affection shone IN his face as he read the
nledoe TAXING the nan he wrote din Wit
ness y and beneath name that "a xv,.ittan IN
the history az tbis nation.--a namad loved
and revered aa the ono Of our ,na,.tvred ,,rasi-
dent lanes A Garf,eld
Taking Inc hand of the child I'm his own ba
said: HBoys this is the daughter Of Chanlain
W. Of the Seventh He q summoned 10
the front to-morrow and was onyiorsIv
LOOKING for littIa Navy n moment aoo Char
lie Know CONN one in Penrsvlvmia who
will be rlad IA hear az tbis y Every soldier
touched his 90, os thew yvoILod thro,,e,h tho
car and tbe escort .dei;vared I;ttla ME- 10
her. fatbar and tofd tba stoyv NJ tha ,,,iss;,o
braid yyb;la tho chanlain beid bor oIosa 4, h;s
ar,no and bic Ii,s ,rescad ba,: forohaod ,,,oro
than once during the recital Col Ghrfield
closed his story 6v saving. oIJe Is n. Young
man with n BRIGHT future his onle fault hain9
this habit and as he Is bonorabl,' TO n nicety'
he will never break his word You have
sown good Good cbanlaiu,
with The remaining braid In his breast
pocket Chaplain W. had been many
weary months at the front, and the conflict
still grow hotter and more bitter. During
one of those painfully depressing times 1t was
evident traitor had place In our councils,
for every important move was made known
to the enemy. Gen. Rosecrans issued tho
order that spies were TO be tried and shot
without delay. Excitement ran high and
SPY had small chance Tor his Life, Chaplain
W was summoned one morning to visit
the guard mouse, al tne request OF q prisoner
VINO had Deem Drought IN during the night
ana cohdemneu az Spy NJ carly morning
ron can he haa Deem discovered skuiking
around camp, ana ween taken had asked to
DC reported at neaaq1srsers immediapeiy.
Upon learning tnas gen. hosecrans was
twenty nnes away ne sssn'eu disturbed and
olsluie.eoi Dut only ihs'se.o 20 reaoning nun
py some way OF nseans' <Ano hnaliy begged