The state herald., 1898-06-24

Where the dead and the dying lay.
Wounded by bayonets. shells and balls.
Somebody's darling was borne one day
Somebody's darling. so young and SO
brave,
wearing yet on his pale, sweet face;
Soon to be hid by the dust of the grave
The lingering light Of his boyhood's s
grace.
Matted and damp are the curls of gold.
kissing the snow of that fair young
brow.
Pale are the lips of delicate mouk
Somebody's darling Is dying now.
Back from his beautiful blue-velned brow
Brush all the wandering waves Of gold.
Cross his hands on his bosom now.
Somebody's darling is still and cold.
Kiss him once for somebody's sake,
Murmur q prayer soft and low,
One bright curl from Its fair mates take
They were somebody's pride. you know;
Somebody's hand had rested there;
Was 1t mothers. soft and white?
And have the lips of a sister fair
Bee - baptized In the waves of light?
God knows best; he has somebody's love
Somebody's heart cnshrined him there;
Somebody waited his name above
Night and morn on the winEs OF prayer.
Somebody wept when he march'd away
Looking so handsome. brave and grand:
Somebody's kiss on his forehead lay.
Somebody clung TO his parting hand.
Somebody's waiting and watching for
him.
Yearning to hold him again to their
heart:
And there he lies with his blue eyes Elm.
And the smiling. childlike lips apart.
Tenderly bury the fair young dead,
Pausing to drop on his grave q tear:
Carve on the wooden slab at his head:
Somebody's darling slumbers hsre.''
More pathetic still is the story that
the lines fail to unfold. The poem was
written by Sister Lacoste. q member Of
one Of the sisterhoods that did service
during the conflict between north and
south. Coming Into the dead room"
Of the hospital she saw the csspse Of a
young man who had been fatally
wounded at the battle Of Cedar Greek.
He proved to be Patrick Feensy. a
young Michigsnder. who enlisted at
Detroit. In some way his mother
learned OF his enlistment and she hast
snsd to that oity from the interior OF
the state to save him. She was too
late. however. for her son was already
In q suit Of army blue and ready to
march. His mother saw the general In
command and asked him II she could
see her darling boy. He Is my only
one and SO precious to us ALL" she cried.
Then she shrleked with grief and mint
ed away. While In this condition her
sen WAS brought In. She stared at him
in q vacant way for few seconds and
then look Of admiration came to her
eyes. The sight OF her brave boy In
his new suit Of blue touched her pride.
She was the mother OF one willing to
sacrifice his life while fighting for his
country. she embraced him and said:
Heaven has blessed me with such n
son. came to take you away. but now
| wouldn't II | could II you come back
alive I'll thank Col. but II you are
killed II will be a Joy to me to know
that you died q good soldier"
Tears came to the eyes Of those near
at hand as mother and son parted never
to meet again. for . few months later
a letter came from Sister Lacosts say
ing that Patrick Feeney had been
wounded unto death. but tina, he had
lived TO receive the last saeraments OF
the church and 20 send word to his
mother that he had been shot during a
night attack Of the enemy. Had |
bees awake they could not have killed
me-"
II was a month after his dessh that
ths poem flrst appeared In print. be-
Nave that II was first printed In the
Southern Chnrchmsn OF Savannah.
Previous to the war Sister IAooste had
been . school teacher.
We are told that Sister LAooste after
wards married young lieutenant OF
the confsderacy. with whom she fell In
love while nursing At Savannah.