The Irish standard., 1915-06-05
glanced at the clear, legible handwrit.

glanced at the clear, legible handwrit.
ing.
Battle of Marne, Nov, 1914.
my darling mother:
IA day of fearful fighting has Just
closed, and though l escaped unhurt,
half my heart is gone, shattered. Pat
rick is dead. Jesus has called him to
His loving embrace. Il paused mo-
ment to swallow the lump that rose
in my throat at the thought of this
Spartan mother before me). But
mother, darling, don't sorrow for him,
for he died like the brave lad that he
was, died in the midst of the battle,
and we had gone to Confession and
Holy Communion together that morn
ing, so he's in Heaven now, mother,
as sure as you're reading this letter
in our little cottage home. Oh, feel
as though my life had gone, as if life
were no longer worth living, but tits
only feeling, mother, for the lessons
of love and faith that I learned at
your knee are my hope and my solace,
and the name first lisped as babe
in your arms was the first name on my
lips when realized my loss. He's in
Heaven, mother, dear, he's in Heaven,
for he died martyrs death. IT'S sad
but oh, the cause for which he died,
for one whom you loved dearly, moth
er, he died.
ION the morning of the battle, after
Mass, we embraced and kissed each
other, and we spoke of poor Miles, and
Patrick whispered to me that he would
willingly die today if that could bring
safety to Miles.
Ten minutes later the battle was
on; we were in the trenches; the
shells were breaking all around us;
the powder was binding, and the
smoke so dense that objects could not
be seen fifty feet in front of us. To-
ward noon the enemy's fire slackened
considerably, and soon we were ord
cred to leave the trenches and charge
forward, for the enemy was thought
to be retreating. All the companies
left the trenches, but l managed to
Keep near Patrick. He had scarce
gone fifty yards when a lad some dis
lance from Patrick lurched forward
and fell to the ground, the blood
streaming from his right side. Care
less of himself, Patrick turned and
called to the chaplain nearby to at
tend to this lad. The shots were fly
ing all around US. The priest ran
forward and knelt beside the boy, and
all the while Patrick stood, shielding
the priest with his body, coolly load
ing and firing his rifle. Only a few
moments passed when shot from the
trenches opposite pierced Patrick's
heart, and he fell forward, dead, and
scarcely a moment later a second bull
let laid the priest low, MORALLY
wounding him. l saw Patrick fall and
ran to him, but he had been killed
outright. turned to the priest, and
he beckoned me closer. God reward
your brave brother he whispered
family. He shielded me long enough
to send this lad to Heaven. I would
have been killed before giving abso-
luton had that first bullet struck me,
but heard this lads confession and
gave him absolution just as your
brother fell. God reward him.
Something within me told me to
look into this lads face, mother, and
there in the midst of the battle bent
over him, and mother, oh, it was Miles,
fell across his dead body, overcome.
Yes, dear, loving Miles. Gone to
Heaven, saved by Patrick's heroism.
Oh, cried for joy, darling mother, at
that thought. l cared not what came
of me, but I bore his body to our field
hospital and then returned to do the
same kindness for Patrick. Oh, that
those dead ears had hearing, for into
them whispered hundred times, as
l stumbled over the dead and wound
ed with my burden of love: Miles is
i'm Heaven. Patrick, Miles is in Heav-
en- but, mother dear, he knew it be-
fore did, and they're embracing now
where war is no more, nor sorrow.
Don't weep, mother, for ours is great
JOY, two saints in Heaven. Do you
remember the little miraculous medals
of our Lady that you put around our
necks when we were babies, mother?
Well, found them around both Miles
and Patrick's necks, and 1 was going
to send them home to you, but knew
you'd thousand times prefer to have
the brave lads appear before our
Queen with her badge of honor upon
them that they had worn all through
life. Don't weep, darling mother, don't
weep. Jesus is good to us. l must
go on sentinel duty now.
your affectionate son,
JOHN.
Up. s.-The priest also died. What
reunion Of those three brave souls!"