Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-04-09
Three Liars
A Story For Easter
By F. A. mitchell

TflenOS. one OF CneSe, an Olu MuN
with an anxious look on her face, stop
ped at tent before which sat an Off
Ger in camp chair and asked in Il
tremulous voice:
Can you tell me if my boy has
Gomez"
The officer rose, took off his hat re-
spectfully and said:
what regiment did your boy belong
to. MADAME"
"He was with the -th Pennsylva-
MIA"
Come with me, and | will see if /
can get the information you wish"
He led the way to tent wherein an
officer was writing.
"Make your inquiries here" he said
and left her.
"Pm trying to find my boy, Henry
Ashurst," said the old lady.
The officer looked serious. He re-
membered having the name of Henry
Ashurst on Il list of killed and wound
ed He hunted in his desk for a GER
tain paper and when he found it ran
his eye over the list of names. His
expression became still more serious,
but he bent his face down so that it
was concealed under the rim of his
hat. He had found the name of Hen
ry Ashurst, but had not the heart to
tell the mother what list it was in.
Your son hasn't come up from Cuba
yet, madam. He wasn't very we'll
when the last transport sailed"
do you know what his trouble
was?" asked the old lady, tears start
ing into her eyes.
Some Of those fevers they have
down there, believe"
as he very ill?"
"Well, I couldn't tell you about that.
There's the regimental surgeons tent
over there; you might inquire of him."
The old lady walked feebly over to
the tent designated. found the surgeon
and asked the same questions she had
asked the adjutant. The doctor looked
down upon the anxious face and turn
ed coward just as the other had done.
Henry Ashurst!" he said as II try
ing to recollect. There was a soldier
in the hospital Of that name, l think,
but can't exactly recall his case"
"Was he very sick?"
ooh, no; not very sick. | think II
was a simple flesh wound in the leg"
do you think he will come on the
next transport"
mo doubt of 1t, madam; no doubt
of it,"
The old lady went away. The ad
jutant saw her so and walked ovel
to the surgeon.
II couldn't do my duty by that old
lady, could you? | found his name
on list of mortally wounded / told
his mother he had fever"
Il remembered him in the hospital
as one for whom there was no hope
of recovery. l lied about it too.
told his mother he had slight fest
wound. | only know what | have told
you. so l took the benefit of the
doubt"
Every day the old lady visited the
camp, and every day the adjutant and
surgeon either told her more lies or re
peated the old ones. The ship bearing
her son never came to Montauk Point
and when the last tent was struck she
ceased her visits and her inquiries.
The winter passed and no one ha6
the courage to tell the mother that hel
hoy would not come back to her. They
all excused themselves on the ground
that no record of the death and buria
of Private Henry Ashurst had beer
found. But when the war closed ev
cry one connected with the army was
in hurry to get away from the heat
the sickness. the death attending AZ
army in tropical climate in summer
Until some one would assure hel
that her son was dead the poor mother
hoped. She was very religious ant
prayed fervently that her boy might
be restored to her. One morning IL
April when the sun. shining warm
was opening the leaves typifying tn,
resurrection shortly to be celebrated
at Easter the old lady went to her rec
tor and said she had feeling thai
Henry would come home on Eastel
Sunday.
"Do you think" she said, that thi,
feeling has been sent me by Provi
dence"
quite likely" was the reply. 81 be
lieve that Providence often sends us
forecasts of what is about to happen
He had no more doubt that Henry
Ashurst's bones We're moldering II
Cuba than that the earth turned on ii,
axis.
'Tm so glad you think sor' addet
the mother, moving away, while thu
clergyman looked after her, not know
ing whether to consider himself lial
or one who had done n kindness.
At dawn on Easter morning there
was n loud rapping on the door o.
Mr.. Ashurst's house.
Hes comew she said, getting out oI
bed, and without stopping to put on {
wrapper she went downstairs, opened
the door and was clasped In the arms
Of her SON"
"oh. Harry. where have you beer
| oil tI,ic tinncu