The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-04-25

ana give no tongue
The officer in command saw the
little group OF women on the porch.
The moonlight shone from the street
side and highlighted them, turning
the rusty black of most of the gowns,
home-dyed mourning-all that could
be come at in those awful days in
Richmond-into soft shadows, above
which their faces shone angelic. He
saw the womans head in the window.
too, He knew who lay upon the bed
Of death within the chamber. He had
helped to bring him back from the
front several days before He bit his
lips for a moment and then, ashamed
Of his emotion, his voice rang harsh.
With arm and saber the battery salut-
ed the women and passed on, while
from the window of the great drawing.
room, opposite the room of the lint
pickers and bandage-tearers, slender
boy stared and stared after the dis
appearing guns, his eyes full OF envy
and yexatious tears as he stamped his
foot in futile protest and disappoint
ment.
The noise made by the passing can
non soon died away in the distance.
Stiffness supervened as before; work
ers whispered together, realizing that
some of those passing upon whom
they had looked would pass no more,
and that they would look upon them
never again. Upstairs the means OF
the wounded man had died away; the
only thing that persisted was the fear
full laundering Of the distant guns
around beleaguered Petersburg. With.
in the drawing-room, the boy walked
up and down restlessly, muttering to
evidently nerving himself to
desperate resolution.
Il won't do it" he said. q won't
stay here any longer"
The door at the other end was soft
ly opened. The great room was but
dimly Lighted by candles in sconces on
the wall; the great chandelier was not
lighted for lack OF tapers, but a more
brilliant radiance was presently cast
over the apartment by the advent Of
old Martha. She had been the boys
Nanny" and the boys fathers
NANNY" as well, and no one dared
to speculate how much farther into
the past she ran back.
rs dat you, Mars Wilfred?" said
he old woman, waddling into the
room, both hands extended, bearing |
.wo many-branched candlesticks. |
which she proceeded to deposit upon
he handsome mahogany tables with |
which the long drawing-room was fur.
lished.
Yes, it is !, Aunt Martha. Did you
zee Benton's battery 60 by?"
'Lawd lub you, chile, All done seed
20 many guns an bosses an soljahs
l-gwine by All don't TEX no notice OBJ
EN- no mo-. 'Peahs lax dey keep on
.-passin' foebah."
We'll, there won't be many more Of
hem pass by" said the boy in clear
.ccent, but with that soft intonation
which would have betrayed his South
rn ancestry anywhere, "and before
hey are all gone, would like to Join
ne Of them myself"
why, my po' lii lamb!" exclaimed
1artha, her arms akimbo, dat All
one nussed in desc aims, is you
wine to de fight?"
The boys demeanor was ANYTHING
ut lamb-like. He made a fierce step
Oward her
Don't you call me lamb any
lore." he said, ITS ridiculous and"
Nanny Martha started back in
larm.
Peahs mo- lax lion d be bet
err she admitted.
Where's mother?" asked the boy,
ismissing the subject as unworthy
f argument.
Il reckon she's upstaihs wild Mars
Toward, sub. Yo' bruddah--"
81 want to see her right away" con.
nued the boy impetuously.
Mars Howard he's putty bad dis
benin" returned Martha. "Ah bet.
lh go an tell her dat you want her,
ut All dunno's she'd want to leab
inn"
We'll, you tell her to come as soon
S she can. I'm awfully sorry for
toward, but it's living men that the
needs most now"
"Yas, sub" returned the old nurse
ith a quizzical look out of her black
yes at the slender boy before her
Dey suah does need men," she con
nued, and as the youngster took a
lssionate step toward her, she deftly
assed out Of the room and closed
le door behind her, and he could
ear her ponderous footsteps slowly
I'D heavily mounting the steps
The boy went to the window again
Id stared into the night In his pre-
he did not catch the sound
a gentler football upon the stairs,
,r did he notice the opening of the
,or and the silent approach of a
oman, the woman with white hair
ho had stood at the window The |
other of son dead, son dying. and +
son living. No distinctive thing that i
the Confederacy. Almost any moth. \
who had more than one boy could s
I've been justly so characterized t
le stopped halfway down the room @
ID looked lovingly and longingly at /
e slight, graceful Nfgure of her C
ungest son. Her eyes filled with t
the dying or the living or T.
til? Who can say? She went 0
ward him, laid her hand on his II
oulder. He turned instantly and at n
g sight Of her tears burst out II
ickly: a
Howard isn't worse, is he?" for t
)ment forgetful of all else. "
The woman shook her head. -