The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-03-01
The SOLDIER WHO
DID NOT RETURN
Sad Incident of the Spanish
American War.


ing chiefly morning glories. They are
rightly named. No flower is more in
keeping with bright summer morn
ing; none more delicate reflects it's
glory. Then, too, there was the fra
GRANGE of the country, heightened by a
newly moved field on the other side
of the road. After having eaten my
breakfast l sat on the porch enjoying
the delicious country landscape, the
odors, the songs of the birds. After
the old woman had cleared away the
breakfast dishes she came out to do
some pruning, and fell into conversa-
ton with her. During our chat men
toned that / had recently returned
from Cuba.
CUBA" she said, slight tremor
passing over her. "You have been to
Cuba?'
II came from there q month ago"
did you see anything of my son
there?"
Your son? What is he like? What
is his name?"
'He is tall. His hair and eyes are
like that bird cawing in the tree over
there
"His name? You have not told me
his name"
Harry"
By this time l saw in the faraway
look that there would be no practical
use in getting information from her
ln4 hn. foil
own sweet will.
When the war came" she said.
Harry was just eighteen years old
lie wanted to go as a soldier, but he
saw that it would break my heart to
part with him, and he promised to stay
with me. But ] saw that he had come
to an age when to stay in this little
nest was not natural, just as the young
birds fly away when they are grown,
so told him he had better go. For
week longer he kept his promise.
though l had released him. He used
to walk back and forth in the road,
and knew he was thinking of the ex-
citing scenes going on in the war, and
again l told him that he must not
mind me, but go. Then he gave in
and, going to recruiting station, en-
listed"
,, The old woman paused TO wipe a
tear from her eye. She was lost for
the moment in parting which she did
not need to describe in words, for it
was painted in the expressive lines of
| her face.
Did you hear from him occasional
| ly?" l asked.
II heard once a week or Oftener till
they got to fighting down before San
tiago. The last letter l got said they
were fighting all the time. Harry
wrote that every day they were draw
| ing nearer to the town and when it
was taken they would all go home-he
| would come home to me and never go
away any more. l haven't heard a
word from him from that day to this"
! There was a tremble in the voice
when she spoke the last sentence.
And did no one of his comrades ever
tell you anything about him?'
His captain came to see me. | re-
member every word he said, for
have repeated them every day since
he spoke them. Harry was the best
| man l had in my ranks he said. I'M
til he was wounded and sent to the
hospital the day before the surrender.
l went there to see him, and he told
me that he wanted t. get well for the
sake of his old mother, who was count
ing the days till he would come back
to her, and he made me promise that
if If l went north-frst-I would
go to see Won and tell you about him.
So I've come to tell you that-well. he
wasn't well enough to come with us.
but when he's better he'll surprise you
some morning by walking in on you
as sound as he was the day he left
you"
1t was plain from these words that
the captain, though he might have
been brave enough to face the Span
iards, was too cowardly to tell this
old woman that her son had died for
his country. Five years had passed
without tidings, but they had not un-
deceived the mother, who hoped one
that she had nursed as a babe, who
had toddled in and out of her cabin as
a child and left her on the verge of
manhood. would return to her. | was
not sure that my surmises were cor
rect, and had / been sure | would not
have taken away the old woman's
hope When l left her | spoke no
word of encouragement, nor did l tell
her that | considered the chance of
her sons return not one in hundred.
The last words ! heard her say were:
Hell come"
A year later / went to the country
again. | found the old woman's cabin
deserted. Neighbors told me that her
son had not returned. She had gone
to him.