Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1896-03-12

and months he lay lowering between
+ life and death At last he was given
| back to life, but regardless OF the fair
state of health to which he was re-
! stored, he was not himself. It could no.
| be said that he was insane, but to him
| all the past was like a dream. He had
no distinct recollection of his early
home. and could not recall even his
own name or tell to what regiment he
belonged. The surgeons thought that
IN time mis- memory of the past would
! be restored to him. but it was not
ana not knowing where to send him.
he remained in the hospital as IA nurse
until the close of the war Then in
company with hospital friend, he
drlftcd to the far West, where by dill
| Sence he succeeded in acquiring a
small property and making for himself
4 nome. Gradually, as the years went
by, glimpses of the happy past came
back to him. Visions of the little
vine-clad New England home torment
ed him by their obscurity. and of the
mother who watched him through in
fancy there came an indistinct remem-
brance. Before he left tho hospital he
mad regained some Of his lost knowl
edge OF books, but in all his study and
reading OF papers he never came across
anything that suggested a possible So
luton or the mystery surrounding his
early life, until, one autumn day, fif-
teen years after the close of the war.
While reading his daily Bible lesson,
lie n
his mother. His banner over me is
! love"
In an instant, like fash of light
! from heaven. that farewell scene on
The porch of the old home returned 10
MIN. He rememhcrcn his mothers
sad face and her words that called
Forth his declaration. His banner over
me is love" Her name and his own
seemed now familiar to him, and a
tcE moments thought linked that
scene IN his life with those of his child
hood and his entry into the army in
such 4 way rs to give him full pict-
had been wounded in battle He scarce
~ dared to hope that his mother had
survived all these eighteen years Of
suspense, but anxious to know the
worst, he hastily prepared for a visit
to the East and in less than twenty
four hours was hurryng as fast as the
train could carry him towards the ris-
ing sun.
1t was early in the morning Of
Thanksgiving day when he reached the
little hamlet where all his boyhood
days had been spent. A few words Of
inquiry at the station gladdened his
heart with tho assurance that his
mother was yet alive But when he
reached the little cottage where she
still dwelt he found it much more
difficult to convince her that the gray
haired man who stood before her was
the rosy -cheeked boy who eighteen
years before had gone away looking SO
young and handsome in his suit of blue
After relating his long, sad expert
ence. he said in his old boyish voice:
Mother, l am your loving. warm
hearted Nathan yet, your boy given
back from worse condition than
death. but in all these years Gods
banner over me has been love, and it
was His love that directed me to the
|
to you, and through that banner over
mo opened up the dark recesscs of my
mind to the admission of the light for
which I had long been praying
Nevertheless. continually, thou art
with me" repeated his mother, no
longer in doubt concerning this son,
who had been lost, but was now found.
Truly His banner over you has been
love. All these years l have been
fighting against Him. l would have
been thankful even for the certainty
of your death. In His great love he has
denied me the grave for which | was
seeking. but instead has given me back
my boy.
For years have not observed
Thanksgiving. because | felt had
nothing to be thankful for. but to-day
we will go up to Gods house to give
thanks together; to give thanks for
the banner OF love that has been over
us all these years"
And it will be over us until the
end" returned Nathan.
Yes, thank God, for my unanswered
prayer" replied the old mother. God
is love. now and everm0re."