Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-29

' ohe nelu the young soldier,
mead while he slept, until, with tn
dawn of the next day he opened hi
eyes and gazed into thpse of tb
young girl whose heroism had save,
his life. Reading this incident i,
the INDEPENDENT, Mrs. Ami,
narn"ell Morton, of Morganfield
NY" TOOK up her pen and wrote tb
Following beautiful lines in com
memoration of the brave deed O
this Southern girl.-ED1ToR.l
Slowly the Night Queen moved along
Her pathway through the sky,
And calmly on the earth looked down
In silent majesty;
ooltly Der river. hill and plain
Her tender light was shed
But softest on the battlefield,
Where heroes fought and bled.
Through all the bright September dav
They waged the desperated fight
But the red field was lost and won.
Ere fell the shades of night.
linen. with the surgeons came band
Of Southern women fair,
Giving to wounded friend and foe,
Alike, their needed care.
Braye,stalwart men in manhood IS prim,
Were lying side by side,
With grey-haired sires, and beardless
boys
In Youths first flush of pride
some moaned in anguish us they writhed
Upon the blood. stained sod:
And some were still in Deaths cold
sleep.
Their souls gone home to God.
There meath the pitying moonbeams,
a sweet-faced girl alone;
SO motionless she almost seemed
A women carved in stone.
But life spoke in her tender eyes,
And PHYS holy light
Shone like halo round her brow,
And touched her lips that night.
How came she on that bloody field,
With dead and dying strewn,
Through the long hours of the night,
Still, silent and alone?
A boys bright head rests on her arm,
Pale-faced, with lips apart,
10 her stranger, but the Joy
Or some fond mother IS heart.
With blood, his uniform of grey
Was stained in many place;
And, through the battle soil, the flush
or fever dyed his face.
His lips had ceased their frenzied moan
or mother, home and friends,
And parted in the deep, calm sleep
On which his life depends.
She knew that sleep for him meant life,
While waking was death s seal,
And when they babe her lay him down,
Her heart, so true and leal,
Pied for the wounded soldier boy,
Unfriended and unknown:
She could not leaye him there to die,
Uncared for, and alone.
So all night long, her wearied srm
PillOwed his golden head,
Guarding his sleep, alone, among
The dying and the dead.
No sound to break the stiffness, save
Low means of restless pain
None, but the Queen of Night, to share
| Her vigil 'mongst the slain.
Nay! Said there was none to share
Her lonely watch Of love,
When o'er her and those suffering men
| From His dear Home above,
A loving Father vigil kept.
With Christ, His pain-taught Son,
Who died that they through Him might
The Home His death had won?
When, with the morn, came life ant
help,
And the lad raised his head,
Her wearied arm dropped to her side,
Nerveless, and well-nigh dead.
But her true heart thrilled with tn
bliss,
That comes to those who haye
A lonely vigil 'mongst the dead,
A strangers life to save.
Virginia, Mother Of the States,
Can many daughters claim,
Whose deeds of courage, faith and love
Shed lusteI on heI name;
But none could greater courage show,
, Or higher love display,
Than she, who through that night alone
Held Azrael at bay.