The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-06-28
H0W Woman 90 10 War
Story of a Wartime Tragedy--Wife and Babe Sacrificed
Upon the Altar of Patriotism.

OpOIt VIZ fNilut
confess that We were all crying,
,ud vet we were trying to look cheer
fuI The regiments marched along,
and the bands played, and Mollie, stand
ing on the pavement. waved her coarse,
big handkerchief, and Milliccnt. standing
beside me, waved her tiny lace-trlmmed
one, and each one meant, God bless
you wherever you go, and bring you
back to us well and triumphant
But, as | said before, We were all cry
ing, and yet we were watching through
our tears for one man, knowing that as
he passed where we stood the heart OF
one woman would be made happy. If only
for one minute. Every now and then one
of lis ran into the house and upstairs
and gave her a kiss and Il hug ana
laughed about the boys coming BACK, ana
told her to watch out, that they Woulu
soon be along, and then down whoever
if WAS trotted, and soon again some
other one went to her and announced
that the company was not IN sight yet.
Did Won ever think that III this war.
where there are lives of many men en-
gagged. for every man some woman S
heart is aching? But Marion was try
ing to be Drawer than she had ever been
in all her life. When she was Il tiny girl,
she used to declare that she intended to
marry a soldier boy, that she wanted to
be Il soldiers wife, 50 that she might
wave him off to war and welcome nm
back with wreaths of laurel and sounds
of fine music.
BRIDE OF A SOLDIER.
Then there came a day when Marion.
looking like an angel i'll white satin and
tullc. vowed to love. honor. and obey
that dignified, quiet lawyer, who had ap-
parently none of the jollity of the soldier
boy. and who was an absolute CON
trast to this merry. dainty little maiden.
No one ever went into their home, the
home made by these two that were one.
without finding III it a special Joy. 1t
seemed as if a real. true love was over
it ALL. and that even Il stranger visiting
it appeared as does Il devotee who. when
k~neeling in a cathedral, becomes intoNl-
Gated with the odor of the incense, only
this stranger knew the influence Of Il
real love. You know how short Il time
it has been since that day when it was
demanded that for our country honor
our men must go out and fight that base.
deceitful nation willing to kill in the
dark and with the weapons of towards
our brave sailor lads.
Soon after that day MariOn'S husband
came home. and. leaning over her, kiss
ing her on the brow. he whispered, Il
must GO and she, replying to his soul.
answered. Yes, dear. you must go
These two did not need to explain all
that was meant, for they loved SO we'll
tina they could read each others hearts.
And yet just now they had been looking
forward to such happiness. But now
the master must go to the War-thc
cruel. dreadful war. Marion straight
ened herself up and thought Of those
men whose death must be avenged. and
she grew Drawer than ever. The days
went by. and one night the stork few
down the chimney and put a tiny son
into Marion's arms. There are dimpled
babies and grave babies. thin babies
and queer babies. but this baby from
the time he appeared suggested to those
who had the pleasure of his acquain-
lance that he was Il brave baby. 1t
seemed as if all the inclination that his
mother had had to wed Il soldier boy
had got into his blood and that even now
he was ready to fight. And his father
was going ~away-going away to leave
the he loved so dearly and the lit
tie son only ten days olus
BABY AT THE WINDOW.
Do you wonder that we were all cry
ing? For up at the window. bundled in
shawls and with the glass between her
and the outside world. was Marion. with
her baby in her arms, waiting to see
her husband go by on his way to fight
the enemy. \ maid near her said SOME
thing about Miss Marion waiting to see
the last Of him. and for the first time
the tears came to her eyes. but she
choked them back. grew brave again,
laughed and held the baby up in the air
v-hsln che u-hi,nuAI 10 hin, nn n,,l,
him understand. as mothers can make
babies understand. that some day he was
to he a great man. a great General.
Directly the company marched along.
We all stopped crying, waved our hand
kerchlefs. and threw roses and clapped
our hands. while q small boy in the
street screamed out i'll very ecstasy.
'1here'S a baby up at the window way
ing Il flag" And. sure enough. in the
tightly closed little hand Of Marion's
baby there had been put a small flag,
and some loving hand, managing the
arm. made the father. who knew where
to look for those he loved. see his sons
patrlotlSm. SO they went away. Young
ana Oh, each hoping to gain glory and
each sure of the happy home coming.
Forty-elGht hours afterward there flash
ed over the telegraph a message to a
quiet. silent man. The words old that
Ny'A tAitlt
Marion. because of the excitement of the
day before. had developed what the doc
TORS SAID was a most dangerous fever.
and could he come at once? 1t was i'm
possible for him to leave. With his
company he was waiting for orders to
go on board ship. and even to greet death
he could not seem to be a coward. Soon.
sooner than we could believe it. Marien
was sleeping the sleep which knows no
awakening here. The little baby cried
as babies do cry for the arms of the
mother. No nurse can fill her place. No
nurse could touch his little body so
gently and so lovingly. for no nurse was
ms mother. So the next day he joined
hef' for 1T seemed as if he knew that
she E"arned for him. They laid them
away IN the quiet country churchyard.
Nhefe the spring blossoms looked bright
ana gay and birds were singing out the
story OF everlasting love and ppacc