The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1894-09-28
With the two boys in gray lowering


After they became calm | rode up
to them, dismOunted and asked what
/ could do. In the consultation it
was decided to procure a rude coffin
and send his remains home in charge
of one Of the old slaves who was at
the front with his young master, and
as the faithful servant told me after
wards, it was great trial to him that
day, when from the village he carried
the BODY out to the farm. When he
came up to the old homestead the
mother was the first to see him and
in an agony Of spirit she cried out !.
(Which one of my boys 2" And with
bowed head he answered, Mars Bob" !"
The grief in that household was not
such as aften comes, but it was to be
followed by Il shock that tries ones
soul" Only a short time afterwards,
in a stubborn fight, when we were
upon the defensive, one brother was
killed-shot in the eye-and the other
was wOunded-shOt through the body,
1t was my sad duty to prepare the
body of my dead friend for shipment
to his home and send the wounded
boy with the other faithful slave t.
the rear. They were both carried
home, as it was not expected that tht
wounded one could live. The father
broke down and gave up in despair
and not many months afterwards
with a broken heart, he passed ovel
the river. The mother in her grea
grief brayely put back her tears ant
seemed to think only Of the still liv
ing, wounded child. With great cart
and such love as only mother cal
give. she nursed him back to life
Finally the end of the struggle came
Il once happy family was left dcsolate
IA loving and devoted mother and al
invalid son. The two old slaves re
mained true to their mistress ant
young master with Il devotion tina
can scarcely be explained and no
understood unless it is actually seer
While it was always a sad house
hold, | never visited ii that it did no
make me feel happier and ut the sam
time try to understand such an atllic
tion.
Many years after the close Of tn
war, the boy never strong, began
fail and on each visit could see h
was rapidly approaching the end.
One bright May afternoon beaut
full sky and the bright sunlight SCENE
to make nature glad. The plea san
perfume of the flowers and the happ
chirping of the birds, the beautiful
warbing Of the mocking bird as h
wOuld fit from tree to tree Shoul
have made even man happy; but
knew my friend had sent for me to b
with him in his last moments and
did not see the beautiful flowers 0
hear the happy birds.
We watched him that afternoon an
all night long. If he suffered he Dor
it bravely, for he gave no sign. II
would speak cheerfully and ask u
"Why we watched. him so closely.
AS the sun just began to creep Il
the eastern horizon, ushering in
cloldless day, he spoke to me an
asked me to open the window, as h
wanted to see the sun rise. Wit
unusual strength he turned toward
his mother and the wlndo'
and spoke to her SO gently: "Do no
grieve, mother, for hear father an
the boys calling me-" Without
struggle his beautiful soul was waite
to the spirit land and to the compar
ionship he so much loved.
You can go now to this souther
home and you will find patient, loN
ing, white-halred woman waiting TO
the summons when she too may joi
her loved ones, watched Overland care
for by one of the old slaves, for one q
them has long since gone to his re
ward.