The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1900-06-23
BLUE AND GRAY.

kODcu III DiuGi one JOulHlul aolOtleli
Who would never fight again,
Lay and watched the twilight fading
O'er the field OF death and pain.
By his side, in gray Of Southland,
Slept and dreamed a fair young lad;
Dreamed of home in far Virginia
And his mothers face 50 sad.
But the blue eyes opened quickly,
Shining like the sunset sky
As the Northern soldier murmured
"Life is passing swiftly by.
shall never see the sunrise,
Never see each cofnrade dear;
Never more the thrilling bugle
Shall / shout with Joy to hear"
Softly though the words were spoken
Still they reached the Southern boy,
And he answered: Eyes, my comrade,
And the thought but brings me joy.
For my father and brother
Now are dead on yonder plain,
And | would not bear the message
TO my Southern home again.
For my mothers heart is breaking
With its load of grief and woe"
And the soldiers lips were trembling,
And his voice was sad and low.
AS the deepening shadows gather
Swiftly over hill and plain,
Tells he of his home in Southland
He will never see again.
Life was ebbing, swiftly ebbing,
But before he died that night,
Spoke he many words of comfort;
Words of Heavenly radiance bright;
Brought cup Of sparkling water
For his dying Northern foe,
Ere life's river, flowing onawrd,
Mingled with deaths icy flow.
Hours passed by. The Southern soldier,
With his white face to the sky,
Slept to waken here, no, never;
And his dying foeman nigh
Dreamed Of home, where waits mother,
But few short miles away.
Would she find him there tomorrow,
BY the boy in Southern gray?
Look Across the field of crimson,
Comes faint red CLEAN of light;
Can it be an army camp fire,
Shining family through the night
Mo- the flame is slowly moving
Here and there among the dead
Some kind soul is giving comfort
By the wavering light of red.
All, but hushl the wailing night wind
] Bore a long and bitter cry
''John! oh, John!'was death then coming
Heaven, eternal, drawing nigh2
Hers the voicel His own dear mother'sl
J He would see her once again,
And the thought, so full of sweetness
Takes away the bitter pain.
But the time seemed long as ages
Ere she bent above her boy,
| And ifnon hie frhast1v features
Read the look Of purest Joy
But his voice was low and faltering
And she bent her head to hear;
/ Then beneath the wavering moonlight
Saw the Southern soldier near.
With look Of deep aversion,
Turned she from the sight away;
But the Northern soldiers murmured
"Do not scorn the boy in gray,
For a heart more brave and noble
Never beat meath Union blue
For he died while fighting brave1y
To his flag and country true.
And grieye to tell you, mother,
Twas my own sword took his life;
For he died to save his captain
In that awful hour Of strife.
We had met in deadly conflict
And his life was in my hand,
When between us sprang this soldier,
Bravest of the Southern band.
And my sword drank deep his lifes blood
But bullet pierced my side,
And fell to die beside him,
Where the shot screamed far and wide
Then the tide Of war rolled Onward
And they left us here alone.
He has gone to join the army
OF the great and dead unknown,
Soon I, too, shall stand before him,
All lile's cares and sorrows DER;
Blue and gray shall be united
On that bright eternal shore.
Then the weary voice grew fainter
And the eyes grew dim and wild;
And the mother bending DER him
Knew that death had claimed her child
Meath the over spreading maple,
Where in childhood hours he played,
In his uniform Of Northland,
They the Union soldier laid.
BY his side the Southern hero
Lay in calm and peaceful rest;
And the brightest flowers of sprlngtime
Blossoned DER each soldiers breast.
Patiently two gray haired women
Waited for the hour to come,
When they, too, should cross the river
To their great eternal home.
They We're soldiers, brave and loyal;
Soldiers of life's toll and pain;
None more brave, or none more gallant