The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1904-05-27

gone only q very short distance, resting
often, when her limbs gave way entirely.
There was n piercing pain in her head.
too, so she lay down in a shady fence
corner to wait for some compassionate
traveller to pick her up. 1T has all been
too much for me-" she whispered to her
self. Il should have stayed at home. l
would not then have known about the
heartlessness of it all. Still. l have had
the joy of decorating that poor neglected
grave with those God-sent blossoms. AZ
ter all, I'm glad went"
But the sun that had arisen so bright
and gloriously for Aunt Betty that calm,
May morning, was not to set behind a
cloud. While lying there suffering, n
stranger passed along in a carriage. He
was a farmer and soldier, for he had
on the army blue. AS soon rs he saw
her he stopped and helped her into his
carriage.
II knew you would help me as soon as
l saw you," she cried, gratefully, for
you are an old soldier A soldier always
has a kind and tender heart, God bless
them allp'
She told him of her days experience
and of her life ut the poor farm. What
is your name?" he asked, for he had be-
come interested in her story
Elizabeth Armstrong" answered
Aunt Betty, rather proudly. 1T is a
good name" she continued, s.'for the Arm
strongs were once proud, influential
family. They are now all gone. My boy
and l were the only ones left, and now
he lies in an unknown soldiers grave.
and 1 have to spend the remaining days
of my life at the poor house. l would
have had a good home had my boy not
given his life for his country"
armstrong is good name, indeed"
answered the stranger. 81 have reasons
to remember it with tenderness and rev.
erence. There was a young man in our
regiment, mere boy Of eighteen, who
fought by my side through many Sc
we're and bloody battle. His bravery was
astonishing in one SO young. and his
cheerful hopefulness always put new
courage and strength in those about him.
At Gettysburg we both fell-he with
bullet in his side and 1 with several in
my right leg. We had fallen about the
same time, and so were lying close to
each other. 1 never will forget the pa
tience with which that boy stood his suf-
fering. Never a murmur, never cry
of pain passed from his lips. 1t provok-
ed me a little, and so l said to him:
Armstrong, what makes you so quiet?
know you are hurt worse than l am. and
yet this old leg pains so l can't keep
from bowling Never will 1 forget the
expression of his face as ne turned to me
and said: why, don't think of the pain,
I only think of how glorious privilege
it is to die for ones country. l know
my dear old mother will be proud of her
boy when she hears of his death. The
only pain feel is the thought of leaving
her alo in the world
Here noticed that his eye rested on
something that he held in his hand and
that he raised it to his lips and kissed it.
What is it!' asked. My mothers pic
ture,' he answered. Take it, comrade,
and keep it, and if you ever see 4 lady
with that heavenly look in her sweet
eyes, be kind to her and tell her OF her
boy; tell her that his very last thoughts
were of her, that he died loving her bet
ter than boy ever loved mother Again
he kissed it and then gave it to me.
No wonder you suffer- lie said. af-
ter a few moments of silence. You have
such a hard, hot place to lie in. Here, |
let me help you to my place; the ground
is much softer and the July sun is not
quite so warm because of the shade of
this small tree
He crawled to me and lifted me care
fully to where he was lying. 4 am dy-
ing he said, so it does not make much |
difference where lie. but you are going |
to get well, so you must be cared for
''Soon after he died, and l have al |
ways carried the picture and carry it in !
this pocket, and have tried to find the /
mother of that brave boy, but never until
this day have 1 seen anyone with the
same sweet. resigned smile and"
But Aunt Betty did not wait for him
10 finish. As soon as she caught glimpse
Df the picture in the strangers hand she
cried ont joyously: My boy. l felt, i
knew it, 1t is my picture. Tell me
where my boy is buried. l must see his
crave, even if l crawl there
He could not tell her. for it was I'M
known, but he took Aunt Betty TO his
home, where he treated her as his own
mother. and OH the next Decoration Day
ne took her to visit the old battlefield at
and showed her where her
,oy had died, and Aunt Betty, with her
leart full thanked God for the life and
leath of her noble soldier boy.