The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-05-22
Three Liars
A Story For Easter
b. F. A. Mitchell

~S~ V~e ~SSHD S~ sS0
Cuba and, nearly all sick, were IN
loaded from transports on the eastern
end Of Long Island the camps that
held them were thronged with persons
who had come to ind relatives or
friends. One Of these. an old lady
with an anxious look on her face, stop
ped at a tent before which sat an on.
Ger in a camp chair and asked in a
tremulous voice:
"Can you tell me ii my boy has
Gomez"
The officer rose, took OF his hat 70
s%pectfully and said:
What regiment did your boy belong
to. madam"
HE was with the til Pennsylva-
MIA"
Come with me. and l will see If I
can get the Information you WISH"
He led the way to a tent wherein an
officer was writing.
make your inquiries here" he said
and left her.
"I'm 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 a 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
~ 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
WASP" asked the old lady. tears start
ing into her eyes.
Some Of those fevers they have
down there. l believe"
us 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 If try
ing to recollect There was a soldier
In the hospital of that name, I think,
but ! can't exactly recall his case"
WAS be very sick?"
"Oh, no; not very sick. think 1t
was a simple flesh wound in the Leg"
DO you think he will come on the
next transport?'
"No doubt Of 1t, madam; no doubt
Of It."
The old lady went away. The adj
jutant saw her go and walked over
to the surgeon.
II couldn't do my duty by that old
lady. could you? l found his name
on a list Of mortally wounded. told
bis mother he had a fever"
II remembered him in the hospital
as one for whom there was no hope
Of recovery. I lied about it too. I
told his mother he had a slight flesh
wound. only know what I 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 had
the courage to tell the mother that her
boy would not come back to her. They
all excused themselves on the ground
that no record Of the death and burial
Of Private Henry Ashurst had been
found. But when the war closed ev-
cry one connected with the army was
In a hurry to get away from the heat,
the sickness. the death attending an
army in a tropical climate in summer.
Until some one would assure her
that her son was dead the poor mother
hoped. She was very religious and
prayed fervently that her boy might
be restored to her. One morning in
April when the sum-. shining warm.
was opening the leaves typifying the
resurrection shortly to be celebrated
at Easter the old lady went to her rec.
tor and said she had q feeling that
Henry would come home on Easter
Sunday.
"Do you think" she said, that this
feeling has been sent me by Provi.
dence?"
"Quite likely" was the reply. II b.
lieve that Providence often sends ~
forecasts Of what 10 about to happen"
He had NO more doubt that Henry
Ashurst's bones were nsoldering in
Cuba than that the earth turned IN -its
axis.
..s1'm. 70 glad you thinA. sog' added
the mother, moving away. while the
clergyman looked after hes. not knew
ing whether to consider himself q har
or one who had; done q Kindness.
At dawn. on Easter morning there
was q loud rapping on the door sof