The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-05-11

| can.
Meanwhile in southern hospital
scores of wounded soldiers Law, burned
by consuming fevers that no skill could
allv.
Cant save them-not one." said the
surgeon on his round. "The whole
pack were drunk when they went to
| battle and this, is the result. The
whisky has fed the fever, you see!
That fellow out there, pointing to the
tall figure of Capt. Tom stretched up
on cot, may get up; he was sober"
The summer was well over. Up
amid the New England villages the
grain was waving yellow on the hills
and in the orchards the fruit hung in
luscious. golden clusters.
But hundreds of homes were made
desolate by the loss of husbands, and
sons, and brothers; hundreds of hearts
ached with sorrow that no earthly
remedy could cure.
The "little mother" of tall Capt.
Tom sat on the low sill of the old-fash-
ioned kitchen, in the shimmering light
of the autumn moon.
Out under the tawny chestnut trees,
| where the brook was babbling, and the
| crickets chirping. amid the yellow
grasses. her husband lay in deaths
dreamless sleep, and the heart of the
| widow was sore with her new sorrow.
"Oh, my boy!" she sobbed, tears
raining over her cheeks, my tail.
handsome Tom! Never to see him
again-never to hear his yoice-never
to feel the embrace of his strong arms.
1t is very bitter! Oh. Tom, my boy."
The crickets piped out their shrill
melody, the autumn winds rustled the
tawny chestnuts, and the noisy brook
babbled. The old cottage, under the
misty splendor Of the autumn moon,
with bowed figure on the doorstep
looked unuttersbly lonely and desc.
late.
And the mothers poor heart was
full of wordiess agony, while her
strained, tear-bllhded eyes seemed to
see that namelcss grave far down in
southern valley-her sons grave, above
which her tears could never flow.
A quick, sharp step crushed the
| crisp grass; tall shadow darkened
the autumn moonlight lying in silver
riffs on the white boards of the kitchen
floor.
Little mother looked up. There
was a moment of breathless silence,
and then a sudden cry-a cry of such
intense. unutterable JOY that all the
silent night took up the sound, and
hundreds of echoes repeated it amid
the surrounding hills.
20 Tom! my boy! is it you?'
Yes, it is |, little mothern"
At his right side an empty sleeve
hung. but with the left arm he clasped
her close. covering her wet cheeks
with passionate kisses.
90 Tom, | have suffered sol" she
sobbed at last, i thought you were
dead my darling! but you have come
back. my brave, handsome soldier'
She raised herself from his embrace,
and, putting her hands on his shoul-
! ders. looked steadily in his eyes.
They met her searching gaze, clear
and fearless.
Tom" she said, with a little laugh.
that was half a sob, "you've come home
to me pure and true as you went-my
good boy has kept his promisc."
Yes. thank heaven! have kept my
promise" he answered, with a solemn
tenderness in his handsome eyes; "and
it has been my salvation The temp
tation was sore one, and, if had
Welded, should have died, like sew
| eral of my comrades, poor fellows.
| But the thought of you saved me, as |
| seemed TO see your face between me
| and the Turing glass. 1t was all your
| work, little mOther.o
And God has given me my reward
He has given me back my boy. whom
mourned as dead!" responded his
| mother, with happy tears.