The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-19

had no obligations resting on him at home. Nevertheless. he was patriotic and brave enough to hold himself in readiness, and when recruits of his age were called for. he turned his back on home, wife and children to be obedient to commands, to go where ordered, and be 1t long or short. there to stay until honorably discharged. or forced to surrender. or until victory was gained.
 When I had been married ten years. five of them had been overshadowed by dark war cloud. and right here 1 want to record my faith in God that rules and directs in times of war as in times of peace.
 My husband was arranging in 1882 to join a company composed of his Butler County neishbors, but just a few days before this company left. there was train wreck near our home town, Greenville. and many soldiers were injured. An emergency hospital was arranged, and. in visiting the un- fortunate ones. he learned that many or them were his kindred, schoolmates. neighbors and friends from his native county, Barbour, and their captain, the late John A. Foster of Clayton. They were stationed at Pollard, about eighty rniies from our home. as guards for our Southern ports. He joined that company and. as he was the only mem- ber from Butler County, the captain, with many other kindnesses which we greatly appreciated, often detailed him to attend to business in Greenville. and as the train went up one day and down the next, he could spend the night oc- casionally at home.
 One morning just before daylight l was aroused by a call at the gate. In answer to my query. who Is there?' a man, in a very hoarse voice. replied that a soldier who had left the statfon early wanted to get breakfast and have his mule fed. As some note in this story made me little apprehensive, informed him that there were houses all along the road one of which he would reach at the proper breakfast hour; but he begged me not to turn him off, reminding me that it was then almost day. In spite of my fears, I could not flatly refuse this plea-my patriotism. my sympathy for soldiers was too great-I bade him enter and rest for awhile on the porch. Then l called to a trusty slave, explained mat ters to him and told him to use every means in his power to persuade the man to move on. Listening, with hope and fear. for the result of this effort I heard the negro, after few min utes conversation, laugh and say, "I knows you nowp Then I, too, knew and my heart leaped with joy at the Knowledge that it was my soldier my soldier husband--and we laughed and cr-ru together at the giadness of that meeting. and the cool indiffer- ence with wrich I had received him on this. his first visit home! The baby. who could not talk when he went away. walked up suddenly and asked, ''Is that my papa% and being assured that 1t was, said, in the sweet voice for which his heart had hungered. "You old was cal you!"
 But there came time when these short, but happy, visits ceased. and the very last one came to an end as the company passed through on their way to the front to join the Army of Ten nessee. When I carried him to the depot that time, 1t was like a last long farewell, and the darkgess of early morn which encircled the earth. added to the sadness and the aoiemnity