Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-02-09

~ vas Just dllef tndt, COHlluueu
grandma. that Ben had to go away
on business for a few weeks, and he
begged me TO have a picture made OF
myself TO give him on his return.
dearly loved to tease him in those
days, and shortly after he had started
on his journey wrapped the valentine
he had sent me very carefully In sew
eral thicknesses of paper. so that he
would think 1t contained the stiff case
or a daguerreotype, and sent 1t to him
by mail. Meanwhile l had fine pic
ture made for him with which to sur
prise him on his return, but he would
not give me back my valentine. DO
you think he said. laughing, that l
am going To return the first present
you ever gave me? No. indeed! though
| did make ii myself And he de-
clared that he should always carry
1t next his heart.
Well the following spring we were
married. and then we began our hut
building. Ben planned the house him
self, and / went with him to Boston
to select the furniture. 1t was while
we were there that we heard the news
that made our hearts stand still.
Fort Sumter had been fired upon!
We read the announcement in the pa
per, with white face, and Ben kept
saying all day, oh, Kate! this is too
terrible! | never thought it would
come to this! We went home with
sad hearts, in spite OF our carload OF
household treasures, for those were
days when private joys and sorrows
seemed as nothing in view of the dan
ger which threatened the whole coun-
try The governor of our state had
ordered the state troops, and the
militia as well, to be in readiness; and
Ben mustered quite company Of his
friends (the finest and bravest young
men in town., and they drilled night
and day to be in readiness for the call.
And / encouraged him in this work,
God knows, with what a sinking heart,
but Ben never suspected that / was
half coward. Your dear mother was
a tiny baby then, and | used often to
sing her to sleep with patriotic airs to
keep up ny own courage. And then
at last it came-the call for troops
we were expecting it; but. oh! how
weak l was when | heard Ben's voice
shouting upstairs, Kate, Kate, the
president has sent for u.s..
Il was putting baby to sleep (your
mother, you know, dears) and l knelt
by her cradle for just one moment,
praying for strength. And it came,
for when Ben entered the room l was
able to smile quite bravely, and to help
him pack his knapsack, for they were
to start that very night"
Grandma paused here for a mo-
ment, but no one spoke, and she went
on In a low voice:
How well / remember that night!
1t was raining, and very cold and
damp; but every mother and sister and
wife and sweetheart in town were at
the station to see them off. Most Of
the women were crying bitterly, but
| could not shed a tear, and when Ben
took me in his arms to say goodbye
his lips moved, but he could not utter
a word, and l could hear the beating
OF his heart. As the train pushed out
there were shouts and cheers, Of
course, to keep up the courage OF the
men, and somebody shouted, Three
cheers for Captain Worrell! and the
then | looked up and saw my husband
for the last time on this earth. He
had climbed on top of the rear car
and was raising his cap to the crowd
(they were all lifelong friends), and
when he saw me raise my head with
anguish written all over my face, l
SUPPOSED, his own face was convulsed
for moment, and then he tried to
smile, and pointed upwards, meaning,
| suppose, that we were in Gods
hands. And then the train was swal-
lowed up in the mist"
Again she paused, and again no one
spoke.
Il heard from bin many times after
that" she continued. Sometimes not
for months. and then n whole batch OF
letters would come at once-always
bright and cheerful, those letters, and
full of little incidents and anecdotes
which he thought might amuse and in
terest me, seldom a word OF his own
privations, and even sufferings. l do
~ot know how we women endured the
long strain of that waiting for news.
| If it had not been that your mother
was such very young infant, l be-
lieve | would have followed my hus-
band as some wives did, preferring
anything to the terrible suspense OF
waiting quietly at home.
And then the dreadful slaughter be-
gan. But you, children, must wait un-
til you are older to hear about that
Zone day | was walking restlessly
up and down the piazza OF my little
home, my baby in my arms. trying to
put her to sleep as best / could with
out lullaby (for l could no longer
sing), when q soldier came up the path
leading to the house. | knew him we'll
although he was greatly changed, for
/ he was neighbor and had been In
/ Bens company. | knew at once that
he was the bearer of bad news, and as
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