The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-25
a NOBLE AND UNsELrIsH DEED
Gratitude or All Ex.Confctlcrato to
His Federal Rrescrver

Gratitude OF All TX. Confederate {,
His Federal Prescrver
On Memorial day in 1926 Mrs. Sarah
Bowen, OF Hoboken, paid her annual
visit to Cypress Hills cemetcry to de.
corato hor husband's grave. Mrs.
Bowon WAS In such poor, almost indi-
gent circumstances, that even tho trip
TO Brooklyn, not reckoning tho money
for flowers, was u strain on hor slender
| resources. She WAS Il Veterans widow
and. the ~ month ponsion allowed
her ON that account by the national
! government WAS all sho had to support
herself and an invalid daughter.
Nevertheless eho had POI formed her
| obligations to the momory Of tho bravo
Tor thirtoen consecutive years with ro.
ligious devotion.
Whom sho arrived on tho ground on
this occasion, her norvous system re-
coiXcd such u shock that she WAS OBJ
ligcd to loan against u railing adja-
cent to save horsolf from falling
What tho meaning OF this ?" she
murmurcd, closing her oycs and open.
Ing thom again In tho expectation that
sho WAS lnborlng undcr an optical do
lusiOn.
The GAUSS OF tho widows ustonish-
mont WAS II change that had tnkon
place IN tho grave since hor last visit.
1t WAS covcred with tlowcrs, 1t WAS
bordercd with evergreen plants, and
handsome granite column roso at Its
head, with tho suhjoinod Inscription
engraved in dccp black lottors
Sacred to tho MolnOry OF Edward
{. Bowen, u bravo Solder and l.oynl
Ericnd."
The widow glanced wondcringly to
tho right and tho loft. She looked up
and down, but there was no mistake.
Tho grave WAS that OF hor husband,
but wnst motamOrphosis had boon
elected.
While doliboratinE M to what she
would do In the promises tnll mill.
tnry looking gentleman Of aristocrntic
bearing and with M empty sloevo
alightcd from u carriage near by, and
taking wreath from under its seat,
approached the grave. He hcsitated
whom he SAW the widow. and their cycs
met Hers had u question look In
them Ills one OF depreciation, ns II ho
were tros pas,cr.
Madam" he said, placing the
wreath on tho grave and liftin his h \
rs he would to ~ duchoss, have the
honor"
This Is my husbands grave" she
replied. with an almost imperccptihlc
strain OF jealousy In her voice.
Then must offer an apology and
An explanation. | should have con.
suited you before eUcctinE alterations
here, and so, in fact, would, orly
could not find You, though tried
hard"
ut %as very kind In You, s,r," said
Mrs Bowen. "Nou would find IT hard.
! t;i i..l NJ |
moved To Nohokon.'
This is my oxplanation," said the
gentleman after ~ pause. My name
Is Chas, }. Gray--Judgo Cray, AN
called-and | AIN III cX-Confcdcrat,
soldier. | belonged to tho MontEom
cry Guards, and served IN tho Army y
Northern Virginia the last two year,
OF the war. You must know though
perhaps you dou't-that sometimes
Fedcrals and Conioderate eoldlors In
the field were oxcollont friends, os
pecinlly whom doing outpost duty to,
gcthcr, II | may uso tho words. 1t
often occurred that nothing but fonce
separated our sonjinois, and that. in.
stead Of firing at each other wo chattcd
sociahly and exchanged vtews on tho
situation. Our suporiors did not sane
tlon this. but they Connivcd at 1t. On
tho night OF tho fourth days battle OF
the Wilderness | was posted ns sonti-
mel on tho oXtrono front OF our lines.
On tho other aldo OF u picket fence was
~ young maD Of tho Ono Hundred and
Forty-Fourth Now York regiment, his
nnmo-wcll, thoro IT Ia engraved ON
that stone. We entered into convorsa
tion. gave him plug Of tobacco, he
gave me sOmo coireo, and we became
quits friendly. WAS utterly exhaust
cd, and would have Eivon tho who'll,
world for ono hours sleop."
Poor follow said the widow, com
misorating not tho elegant gontlemnr
In front OF hor, but the ragged, war
worn soldier OF ono and thirty year,
ago; ut WAS torriblc."
1t WAS, madam. told my Ynnko,
onomy that | waB roady To drop ant
begged him not to take advantage o
mo. Io laughed"
Sit down on that stone, ho said
loan way back against tho fonco ant
sloop. Will wako you up whom yolll
rolief comes along"
1T may SOON incrodiblo, but took
MS advice, thus placing my lifo In the
hands OF foo and and IL stranger.
slopt, on, such Il sweet sleep.
thought | had boon In slumber for a
low minutes, whilo In reality had slept
e''i i"uii NCt IDOWSH TOuSCu no
by throwing somo wator from his can
toon down my back.
"'Jump up, Johnny ho said, my
rclief Is coming. You arc all right,
for | received your officer OF tho guard
going his rounds, and ho gavo mo tho
countcrsign without supiclon. guess
oil the poor follows like you arc half
asleep or thoy would have discovered
tho trick. Now, dont 20 to sloop
again, old man. GoOdby'
1t appears that while tho Con-
ioderato night officer was approaching,
Ned Bowen, heaven rost him, Jumped
ovor tho fonco and, failing to wako mo
up, took my rife and challenged thus
placing his lifo in poril. Whom half
an hour lnter got back TO tho guard
tont loarnod that two othcr sonti-
nols had been found usloop on their
posts. They wcro shot noxt morning,