The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-10-06
A Souvenir
From the Dead
BY EDWARD BUCHANAN
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

half a century alone, yet not alone,
for once / 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 lettering 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, | in the earthly
sphere For many years wished to
go down to Virginia and visit the spot
where he died, and yet dreaded to
do so. 1t was not till the beginning
of this century that could make up
my mind to do So
l went to Richmond and visited
the residence of the president or the
Confederacy, which is now muse
UNI. 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
1 know not. There are thousands of
pines there now, but l believe they
have all grown up since the battle
1t was fought in cornfield But 1t
has not been titled since that day in
1862, and the trees have had ample
time to grow.
l 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 again l came
to q redoubt, where stood cannon, and
there beneath were the ruts made by
the gun carriages.
Before going on to the field had
been told that should have guide.
declined to take one or to go with a
party who were conducted by one. 1
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 a
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 l wished
to be where my boy lover had fallen,
without any one to jar upon me.
So fingered till every one else had
gone, sitting alone on the rampant,
looking out upon the trees that OBJ
structed further view. They were not
there on that terrible day Of '62. AS
looked they seemed to dissolve and
their place to be taken by waving
grain. l saw q long brown line adj
vancing, heard the word Of command
among them and the louder word of
those preparing to resist them.
| Whether q change that came over
me was in the day or in the night,
whether it was in me or in my sur
roundings, whether l saw what
seemed to see or it was a half con-
scious dream, know not But l was
back in '62, and it seemed as If the
wrath of heaven had come upon the
earth.
The thunder ceased. The light was
from scattered campfres. The sounds
were the chatting of burial parties and
the falling clods, with occasional vol
legs fired over the dead.
Suddenly l felt touch on my shout
der. looked up, and there was my
soldier lover. Could this be he whom
| had looked upon as a man? Why,
he was but a boy-not Il sign of a
beard on his face. 1t was round and
full, while in my head were many
gray hairs and my face was wrinkled.
One moment he stood looking down at
me. l reached out for his hand, but
before l could clasp it he had faded
away.
When came to myself the morning
sun was shining down through the
pines. was lying on my back on the
rampant, looking up at patch of sky
between the branches. 1t was blue
and beautiful with scattered white
clouds sailing peacefully over it
l was filed with CONSERVATION al
having passed a night out on that bat
tlefield of forty years agone. l raised
myself with difficulty. My eye caught
something mingling with the earth. II
was a worn silver ten cent piece
took it up, rubbed the dirt from it and
on it traced with difficulty three let
ters-M. Il. L.
l had forgotten that the night be
fore he marched 1 had given him {
new ten cent piece on which he hat
scratched my initials.
Is it anything to me whether or NJ
my story is believed, whether 1 dream
ed, whether where so many souvenir
of soldiers have been picked up 1t il
} to be wondered that should hav'
found one with my initials on it? Il
nv own mind there is no doubt.
"A Crime to Avoid.
= The other day a man was arreste'
: and fined for using disrespectful Ian