The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-07-21
A Souvenir
From the Dead
By EDWARD BUCHANAN
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

Nohldh Will Lo Hill Ou my neuu save
what is white as snow, have passed
half century alone, yet not alone,
for once 1 have seen him.
He was killed in one of the battles
around Richmond during McClellan's
advance upon that city. A year be-
fore he had marched away with the
soldier boys Of '61-how young they
seem to have been now and how
strange that those who live are be-
coming tottering old men and that the
boys mothers and the girls who loved
them could send them out to die!-he
had gone down into Virginia, carrying
my heart with him. He had fallen
and been thrown into a trench, and
then for the first time wondered that !
could have consented to his going.
No one has ever taken his place. l
have lived as though we were one, he
in the heavenly. l in the earthly
sphere. For many years l wished to
go down to Virginia and visit the spot
where he died. and yet 1 dreaded to
do so. 1t was not till the beginning
of this century that 1 could make up
my mind to do so.
l went to Richmond and visited
the residence of the president of the
Confederacy, which is now a muse
um. There I saw the arms and uni
forms of Confederate heroes. But
what took me nearer to the conflict Of
years before was a southern lady who
told me how when a girl she had lis
tened to the distant booming, gaining
hope when it receded and losing cour-
age when it drew nearer. From there
l went to the battlefield.
l went alone. The battle in which
he was taken from me is called Seven
Pines. Why it is called Seven Pines
l know not, There are thousands of
pines there now, but I believe they
have all grown up since the battle.
1t was fought in a cornfeld. But it
has not been titled since that day in
1862, and the trees have had ample
time to grow.
1 found long line Of low earthworks
that was thrown up by McClellan's
army, behind which to resist the Con-
federates hurled against it by General
Lee. Forty years had passed over
these works, during which the pines
had grown up as if to shield the dead
and the trenches beneath them, in
which SO many soldiers bodies were
thrown. Walking on the line Of earth
works. every now and aguin came
to a redoubt, where stood cannon, and
there beneath were the ruts made by
the gun carriages.
Before going on to the field I had
been told that l should have a guide
/ declined to take one or to go with a
party who were conducted by one.
went alone. 1t was late in the after
noon, and most of the visitors were
coming away. 1t seemed to me a sac
rilege to listen to the story from q
human voice told so eloquently by
those intrenchments, the rises here
and there in the ground over the dead
the waving pines, which with every
breeze sighed a requiem. And wished
to be where my boy lover had fallen
without any one to jar upon me.
So 1 fingered till every one else hac
gone, sitting alone on the rampant
looking out upon the trees that OBJ
structed further view. They were mo-
there on that terrible day Of '62. AS
looked they seemed to dissolve anc
their place to be taken by waving
grain. | saw a long brown line al
vancing, heard the word Of command
among them and the louder word o.
those preparing to resist them.
Whether change that came owe
me was in the day or in the night
whether it was in me or in my sur
rounuings. whether l saw what
seemed to see or it was a half con
scious dream, / know not. But l wa
back in 'G2, and it seemed as If tn
wrath Of heaven had come upon tn
earth.
The thunder ceased. The light wa
from scattered campfires. The SOUND
were the chatting Of burial parties ant
the falling cIods, with occasional vol
leys fred over the dead.
Suddenly l felt q touch on my shoul
der. l looked up, and there was M.
soldier lover. Could this be he whom
1 had looked upon as a man! why
he was but a boy-not a sign OF
heard on his face. 1t was round AM
full. while in my head were man,
gray hairs and my face was wrinklec
One moment he stood looking down a
me, 1 reached out for his hand, bu
before 1 could clasp it he had fade
| away.
When came to myself the mornin
sun was shining down through tn
pines. was lying on my back on tn
rampart, looking up at patch OF SIX
between the branches. 1t was blu
and beautiful with scattered whit
clouds sailing peacefully over it.
was filed with CONSERVATION q
having passed night out on that bal
tleaeld of forty years agone. raise
myself with difficulty. My eye caugt
something mingling with the earth.
was a worn silver ten cent piece.
took il M. rubbed the dirt from it an
on it traced with difficulty three lie
ters-M. f. L.
had forgotten that the night b
fore he marched I had given him
new ten cent piece on which ne ma
scratched my initials.
Is it anything to me whether or L
nv story is believed, whether dream
cd. whether where so many souvenir
of soldiers have been picked up it
70 be wondered that l should nav
found one with my initials on itF
INV own mind there is no doubt.
Executors Application for Final
4