Year: 1870

/ The other night, as / sat at the
window of my friends old gray cas-
tie. looking out over the varied and
beautiful scenery that everywhere
met my gaze, glanced upward and
saw through the leaves Of the males-
tic old trees, that stand like silent
sentinels pointing heavenward, the
friendly, Loving face of the dear old
moon. My heart had for days been
heavy and. sad. Tidings had come
from my loved home, far away DER
the waters blue, that dear, indul-
gent father was no more. No more,
did say? meant no more in this
world of care and sorrow; but ever
more, trust, in that beautiful city
beyond the river. 1t cheered my
heart so much to see her face, so she
told me that every night she came,
she would picture to me scenes she
had witnessed In my own native
land. To night, I have left the cheer
full group below, and retired to my
own little room, where in solitude |
can see what she has to show me. /
look into her familiar face and recog-
nize in her kindly beaming eye, that
same light that used to pierce through
the leaves of the dear old elms that
shaded my window at home, and
that rested upon me, as l looked out
over the lovely valley, or listened to
the heavenly strains that came from
the little white church in the village
below, where humble worshipers
were praising Him whose ear Is ever
opsn to hear lis children when they
sing and pray, and when, after seek
ing my pillow for rest, my mother
came In to breathe at my bedside the
goodnight prayer, and imprint upon
my forehead the goodnight kiss.
Obi did not the never slumbering
angels keep most tender watch over
the sleeper In that little white bed 2
And have they not ln day time and In
night In all the years since then,
kept watch of all my footsteps, and
led me In many unknown paths by
their unseen eyes and hands In am
swer 10 the prayers Of that gentle
mother? Where Is that mother to-
night? Her home Is no longer
among the carth.worn, weary ones,
but with the bright angelic bands,
and holy sainted ones that roam the
verdant meadows, and walk the
golden streets of the New Jerusalem.
This dear old friend, we remember,
looked In upon that dying scene Oh
a mild mid. summer eve, and sent n
beam to rest upon the head of the
daughter who knelt at that dying
bed, and upon the bowed forms of
husband and son. Obi the quiet
ness of that summer scene outside,
and the storms Of anguish that rolled
and tossed the hearts of those strick-
en- ones within, were Ill compared.
"Soft as downy pillows are" seemed
the dying bed to her for whom DO
more 1.-THE sun shall rise and SET"
The last goodnight kiss Is given and
received, the last goodnight blessing
craved, the last goodnight till We
meet In fairer, brighter morning
are exchanged, and the soft dark eyes
are forever closed on earthly scenes,
aud opened upon the heavenly. The
weary, toiling hands are clasped up
OH the bosom "from which life has
fed" Poor, gentle one! your earth
ly mission was then accomplished,
and thou hast since been waiting TO
welcome to your happy, sinless
home, the ones thou hast left behind
thee. Then came the day Of tile
burial aud long days and nights sue
ceedirg, when, as sat at my win
dow, not the brightest beam from
thine eye had the power to cheer or
gladden. my aching heart, because !
waited and watched In vain for the
form of her who had been my com.
forter and my dearest friend. Then,
as If TO bring to mind all my griefs
and losses she is picturing 20 me q
scene upon southern battle field,
where my brother my hearts idol,
fell while fighting under the starry
banner OF the free. All day long the
battle had ragged, and at night the
bloody field was covered with
mangled bodies of dead and dying
men, brothers they were, fighting
against brothers. The Union army
had gained the victory, and leaving
u few to cover up the dead and carry
away the wounded, the main body
had started in pursuit OF the retreat
ing foe. She scans the face of each
lying upon the bloody ground, and
at last her eye alights upon that Of a
youth whose locks Of auburn hair
and eyes of soft brown hue seem
familiar to her. Where have seen
them she asks herself, All! she re-
members now that twas In q little
white cot i'm one Of New England's
pleasant villages, where each night
/ saw mother kneel at her boys
bed side to breathe the winning
prayer, and to imprint the good
night kiss. How different this rest.
ing place from that. A comrade
came to his side and placed canteen
Of water to the white lips. The cool
draught revived him, and he MUIR
INJURED thank You my frsend. An
ambulance came to him. Two men
lifted him tenderly into 1t, among
other suffering ones, and she followed
itwith her eye untilit reached house
where kind hearts were waiting
to care for their bleeding wounds. -
Sine looked In each night upon the
suffering boy, as he tossed from side
to side In the delirum of fever, muir
n.uring the words father, sister,
home. A cup of water Ii offered
him by gentle woman, who bad
\ left the comforts of q home In the
north to minister to the wants of
"our brave boys In blue But In his
dalirium twas dashed aside, and he
cried, "bring me sister, cup OF water
from the spring that bubbled forth
so cool and fresh from the hillside In
the garden Of my dear old home. -