The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-05-11
CAPT. TOMS PROMISE.
Good by, little mother."

She came out INTO the morning SUM-
shine at the sound Of her sons voice,
little, shapely. girlish-faced woman
in widows weeds.
"Good-by. Tom, my good boy"
standing on tiptoc to kiss him; you'll
not forget mother when you're gomez"
He looked down and his keen. blue
gray eyes filled with tears and the firm
lips beneath his tawny beard trem bled
like a woman's.
No, mother" half-sob in his voice,
"Ill not forget you"
Il know you won't, my good hand
some Tom" she responded, patting
and caressing his arm with her child
ish, dimpled hands you never
caused your mothers heart an hours
sorrow in all your life, and you'll not
begin now. / shall pray for YOU un-
ceasingly, and you'll come back to me,
Tom. | am sure the good God will
bring you back to me. One word
more, Tom. Here's my little bible.
drawing a small package from her
read it together. Mind, Tom dear.
and make it your guide and COM
panion, and you'l never 90 astray.
Army life is full of temptations, my
boy, but for little mothers sake you'll
not yield to them?"
NO, mother"
"And, Tom, dear, you'll abstain from
strong drink-you won't look on the
wine when It's redn You'll promise,
me that?"
Yes, little mother"
"All, right; you'll not break sour
promise, I'm sure of that. Whenever
your companions press you to join
them in social glass, think of little
mother Tom. 1t would break my
heart to see my boys handsome head
brought low by strong drink.
"You shall never see it, mother.
Good-by again-there goes the bugle
i must be of. Take care of YOUR
self, little mother"
"Ay, ay, Toni"
He slung his knapsack across his
broad shoulders and strode down the
dewy line, the summer sunshine fall
ing brightly on his FURNISHED arms
and soldier blue. In an hours time
he had joined his reg iment, and was
under marching orders for the seat of
war.
sultry summer light in southern
Virginia. The sky not and brassy, a
lurid, crescent moon hanging over the
smoky fields and long lines of shim-
mering bayonets.
group of officers were drinking
and chatting in the colonel's tent.
Come, Tom, my lad" said gray
bearded old major, addressing the tail
young captain of Il cavalry company;
"come, my fad, here's Il glass Of good
old whisky TO cool yonr blood and
tire your courage. We've bloody work
TO do before the moon goes down."
He extended the brimming glass,
and Tom put out his hand to receive it,
He was out of sorts that sultry even
ing. His head thrcbbed with dull
pain, and choking sensation at his
throat almost stifled him. The pend
ing engagement would be his first bat
tie, and, despite his tall figure and
sinewy limbs, and tawnv beard. poor
Toms heart thrilled and throbbed
with something that was almost fear.
He craved the clear. frey liquor that
sparkled so temptingly. 1t would
make him strong for the terrible con-
flics in which he must soon take part.
lie took the brimming glass from the
majors hand. The officers rose in a
mass, clanking their sabers.
Here goes" cried the colonel. clinlS-
ing his glass against that of his near
est neighbor; wen pledge our alb
sent wives and sweet hearts, boys"
He drained his glass, and II dozen
others followed his example; but tall
Capt Tom put down his. still brim-
ming and untasted. He had no wife
or sweetheart in the far-off New Eng
laal village where he was born. but he
had his little motherr
And in that moment of supreme
temptation, her sweet. fair face SEEM
ed to rise between him and the fatal
glass, and her voice spoke in his ear:
No, Tom, don't for little mothers
sake"
He put down his glass uutasted.
Never in all his brave young life had he
| willfullv disobeved his little mother;"
never since tho hour when his father
died and gave her TO his keeping had
he caused her moments pain. He
would not do so now. She would
know-some subtle influence, flashing
like electric fire from the southern bat
tle-ground to the old cottage amid the
green New England hills, would warn
her if he broke his promise and yield
ed to temptation.
Why, what's up cap'n?' cried the
| major. Haven't turned teetotaler-
have You, old boy9 Come. down with
your whisky"
| Bat Tom shook his head, and, heed
less of their jeers and In nghter, turned
away, leaving the spar ling glass un-
| tasted
The desperate charge Was over, and.
| like the heroes of Balakl VI. only a
few returned, Capt. Tons WAS not
| among the number. e la 7lrostl-l,e
on the blood-slaine,i battle field, and
the list of dead That went up 10 New
| England bore his name.
In her desulat3 cottage AiS little
| mother" read it, with the account OF
| the heroic onset, and mourned for her