Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-19

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kinder riz IN de air-pear ter me Ike he
wuz er foot taller, en- say to his men:
Bout face, en- charge de line in de rear!
Wall, sar, we cut er hole clean 1roo Gem
Yankees en- er minute end den bout race
ergin en- begin ter walk backerds er nght-
in like wilecats ev'y inch. We git mos
back ter de trenches, when Marse Charles
drap des lake er fiashl ruined up TO
him. an dar wuz er big hole in his breas
whar er bullet gone clean froo his heart.
He nebber groan. TUX his mead up III
my arms en- cry en- take on en- call MIN!
I null back his close en- listen at his heart
Hit wuz still. 1 takes de swode an de
watch en- de letters outen de pockets en-
start on-when, Dress God, yer cum dat
whole Yankee army, ten hundred millyohs'
en- dey tromple all over us!'
"Den I hear er Yankee say ter me: Now,
my man, you'se free. 'Yassir, sezzi, uat
so. en- den see hole ter run whar dey
warn't no Yankees, en- run spang into er
rnillvon mo. De Yankees wuz ev'y whar.
Pear ter me LAX dey riz up outer de groun'
All dat day try ter get away rum en-
I'm long bout night dey rested me en-
fetched me up 70 er genr'l, en- he say:
What you tryin' ter get froo our
lines fur, nigger2 Doan yer know yer
free now en- If you go back you'd be
pats so. sah.' sezzi. but Use 'bleeged
ter go home.
What fur7 seize.
Promise Marse Charles ter take desc
letters en- swode en- watch back home 10
my missus en- young marster, en- dey wait
in fur me-Tse 'bieeged ter CO.
Den he TUX de letters en- read er min
ute, en- his eyes gin ter water en- ne choke
up en- say, Go long?
''Den I skeedaddled ergin. Dey KEEP on
ketchin' me twell bymeby er nasty, stink
in. low-life, slue-footed Yankee kotched
me en- say dat wuz er dangus Niger,
en- sont me wild er lot er our prisoners way
up ter ole Jonson's Islam, whar l mos
froze ter deaf I stay dar twell one day er
fine fine lady what say she from Boston
cur or long. en- up en- tells her all err
bout Marse Charles and my missus, en-
how dey all waitin' fur me. en- how bad
I want ter go home, en- de mex news l
knowed wuz on er train er whizzin' down
home wild my way all paid get Wild our
men at Greensboro en- come right on 1as
ez my legsd carry me-"
There was silence for moment and then
slowly Mrs. CASTOR said, May God re-
ward you, Nelse!'
''Yassum, Pse free, missy but I gwine
ter wuk for you en- my young marster.
Mrs. CASTOR had lived daily in a sort OF
trance through those four years of war,
dreaming and planning for the great day
bronzed and famous man. She had never
conceived Of the possibility of a world
without his will and love to lean upon.
The preacher was both puzzled and alarm
ed by the strangely calm manner she
now assumed. Before leaving the home
he cautioned Aunt Eve to watch her
mistress closely and send for him If any
thing happened.
When the boy was asleep in the nursery
adjoining her room, she quietly closed the
door, took the sword of her dead lover
husband in her lap and looked long and
tenderly at 1t. On the hilt she pressed her
lips in a lingering kiss.
Here his dear hand must have rested
last!" she murmured. She sat motionless
for an hour with eyes fixed without seeing.
At last she rose and hung the sword be-
side his picture near her bed and drew
from her bosom the crumpled, worn let
tiers Nelse had brought. The first was
addressed TO her.
I'm the Trenches Near Richmond,
May 4, 1864
Sweet Wife: have a presentiment to-
night that shall not live to see you again.
| I feel the shadows of defeat and ruin clos
| ing upon us. 1 am surer day by day that
| our cause is lost and surrender is word
I have never learned to speak. If could
! only see you for one hour, that I might
tell you all I have thought in the lone
watches of the night in camp, or marching
| over desolate fields. Many tender things
have never said to you have learned
in the new nation that will be born in
| to tell you how more and more beyond
| the power of words to express, your love
has grown upon me- until your spirit
| seems the breath I breathe. My heart is
so full of love for you and my boy that /
| can't go into battle now without thinking
| how many hearts will ache and break in
7 PARKWAY homes because of the work ]
/ am about 10 do. I am sick of 1t all. /
/ long to be at home again and walk with
| my sweet young bride among the flowers
\ she loves so well and hear the old mock
! ing bird that builds each spring in those
rose bushes at our window
| II 1 am killed you must live for our
/ boy and rear him to a glorious manhood
| in the new nation At will be born in
/ this agony. I love you'll love you unto
the uttermost, and beyond death I will
live, II only to love you forever.
Always In life or death your own,
! CHARLES"
] For two hours she held this letter open
| in her hands and seemed unable to move
| It, And then mechanically she opened the
/ one addressed to Charles CASTOR, Jr."
! MY Darling Boy: I send you by Nelse
my watch and sword. 1T will be all 1 can
| bequeath to you from the wreck that will
/ follow the war. This sword was your
| great-grandfather's He held it as he
/ charged up the heights of Kings noun
! tain against Ferguson and helped to carve
i this nation out of a wilderness. 1t was
a sorrowful day for me when felt it my
duty to draw that sword against the old