Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-06-18
and We want to hear It before We arc

and We want to hear 1t befofe We arc
called to eat
my youngest brother was All, deli
cate nervous, high strung boy, a bit
like our Tom is now. He was only is
at the breaking out Of the regs1ton in
'61. When his brothers-Thomas and
Dan-enlisted in the army ALI was
wild to go, too. But our father, then
an old man, prevailed upon him to
on the farm. But day by day ALI be-
came more and more restless. The
spirit of war seemed yo be ever upon
him. He talked of nothing but war
and the Union. One day he came
creeping into my room his face pale.
his eyes unusually bright. Coming to
me he bent over my chair and Wills
CO. Ny help is needed to win the We
tory. Every boy and man should now
be at his post. I can't stay here and
pillow and sow and reap when the din
of battle Is ringing forever In my ears:
You must explain it to our father and
mother. / can't make them under7
stand; maybe you can. Well. before
I could hardly get it through my head
that our young ALI really meant to 80
he was gone. He left home at night
without a word OF good-by, for ne
dreaded the pain Of such parting and
wanted to spare us as well as himself
well, l told my parents the best
could, but the blow was hard one, In
deed. Three sons-and not one left to
help the old father who was getting
feeble. Three boys-all gone to shoot
other boys, or be shot themselves! MY
mother broke rapidly under the last
shock, becoming Ill through anxiety
over her boys, especially over ALI.
whom she knew was far from rugged
and would doubtless succumb
to the army privations and hard
ships. The days passed most miser-
ably for us-the old father, too feeble
to look after the farm; the old moth
er, sick through anxiety over her boys.
and I, the only daughter, too helpless
to do anything but pray for those at
home and those On the field Of battle,
and to attend the Homework with
what heart could command.
Several months went by without
word from, ALI. We could ont locate
him, though we tried hard to do so.
Occasionally letters came from
Thomas and Dan, but they did not
know where their baby brother was.
Calf being the youngest child of the
family we always alluded to him as the
baby brotherD.
"Now the conflict between the North
and the South was growing more and
more terrible. The news Of great bat
ties and loss of life came to us regul-
arly, causing my mother to become
more, and more Ill and my father to
grow more feeble. The summer was
fast waning, and the crops were all
garnered, though we had met with
direful losses on account OF having so
little help. Deep gloom hung over our
house, for felt that ALI was dead,
and although never limited at my sor-
rowful conviction could read the
same fear in my parents faces.
zone night In the early fall was
lying In my bed awake, thinking of the
poor boys who were possibly that
night sleeping their last sleep on the
field of battle. l was reused from my
reverie by soft tapping on my win
dow-pane. Quickly rising | went TO
the window, and there saw the face
of my baby brother He was thin.
pale and his eyes burned with fever
ish light. Without making an cutlery
l raised the window and had him in
my room instantly. He threw him
self on the bed, too weak to stand
and In hoarse whisper said: Sister,
you must hide me-I've deserted
"For moment my heart cried out
against what thought to be the act
Of coward: but was too much over
come to speak Just then and stood
looking at him, love, condemnation
and fear battling for the mastery Of
my tongue. AS I stood there, Alt
reached out and caught hold of my
hands. Instantly was on my knees
beside him, sobbing on his breast
Tell me, Brother urged, how could
you do it?'
HE smiled at me and began to
speak very softly. Sister, simply
couldn't stay. 1t was fear-FEAR-
that drove me to do It, / kept think
ing Of what would become of you at
home-ef dear old father, of darling
old mother, Of you, a girl alone with
I whole burden on your back!
dreant that mother was sick and call.
ing for me. saw the crops gone
to waste for want Of hands to take
care Of them knew there was a
battle to fight at home, battle had
never thought of before. Then fear
ed that might be killed-and there
would be no one to look after those
at home ] knew that Tom and Dan
were in the very thickest Of the fight
and might never como home again
Why should my father give all his
sons? Two Of the three was enough
for the country One should remain
with the aid folks And so the other
night we drew up in line for battle
the next day. Our enemy's camp.fres
glowed a few miles from our own.
When the sun should rise the next
morning we would be ordered to adj
vance. The guns would be fired, the
battle fought, and would sleep that
night my last sleep without having
told you all at home that instead Of
having been hero had been COW
ard-a coward to leave those who
needed fighter-a hero-at home.
The thought of mother being sick, of
fathers feebleness, and your burden
without someone to help you was too
much for ma that nipht Low npdor