Among the heroes of the North, And rushed, like mountain eagles forth, There stood a man of humble name, A sire of children three, And gazed within a little frame, He breathed a soldier's prayer:- 2. Upon the field of Gettysburg The crimson cloud of battle burst While banners, marked with ball and blood, Around them rose and fell; And none more nobly won the name Of Champion for the Free Than he who pressed the little frame And none were braver in the strife 3. Upon the field of Gettysburg The full moon slowly rose; She looked and saw ten thousand brows All pale in death's repose; And, down beside a silver stream, From other forms away, Calm as a warrior in a dream (s) His limbs were cold, his sightless eyes Sweet stars that rose in memory's skies "Oh, Father! guard the soldier's wife, THE LESSON XIV. THE BRAVE AT HOME. ANON. 1. THE Maid who binds her warrior's* sash, With a smile that well her grief dissembles, The while beneath her drooping lash One starry tear-drop hangs and trembles, And Fame shall never know her story, As ever dewed the field of glory. 2. The Wife who girds her husband's sword, And bravely speaks the cheering word, *Pronounced wôr yur. Doomed nightly in her dreams to hear Was poured upon a field of battle. 3. The Mother who conceals her grief, When to her heart her son she presses, To know the pain that weighs upon her, "I LESSON XV. THE SOLDIER'S REPRIEVE. N. Y. OBSERVER. THOUGHT, Mr. Allan, when I gave my Bennie to his country, that not a father in all this broad land made so precious a gift, no, not one. The dear boy only slept a minute, just one little minute, at his post: I know that was all, for Bennie never dozed over a duty. How prompt and reliable he was! I know he only fell asleep one little second; he was so young, and not strong, that boy of mine! Why, he was as tall as I, and only eighteen and now they shoot him because he was found asleep when doing sentinel duty! Twenty-four hours, the telegram said, — only twenty-four hours. Where is Bennie now?" 2. "We will hope with his heavenly Father," said Mr. Allan, soothingly. "Yes, yes; let us hope: God is very merciful! "I should be ashamed, father!' Bennie said, 'when I am a man, to think I never used this great right arm,' - and he held it out so proudly before me, 'for my country, when it needed it! Palsy it rather than keep it at the plow!' "Go, then go, my boy,' I said, 'and God keep you!' God has kept him, I think, Mr. Allan!" and the farmer repeated these last words slowly, as if, in spite of his reason, his heart doubted them. "Like the apple of his eye, Mr. Owen, doubt it not!" 3. Blossom had sat near them listening, with blanched cheek. She had not shed a tear. Her anxiety had been so concealed that no one had noticed it. She had occupied herself mechanically in the household cares. Now she answered a gentle tap at the kitchen door, opening it to receive from a neighbor's hand a letter. "It is from him," was all she said. It was like a message from the dead! Mr. Owen took the letter, but could not break the envelope, on account of his trembling fingers, and held it toward Mr. Allan, with the helplessness of a child. 4. The minister opened it, and read as follows: "Dear Father:- When this reaches you, I shall be in eternity. At first, it seemed awful to me; but I have thought about it so much now, that it has no terror. They say they will not bind me, nor blind me; but that I may meet my death like a man. I thought, father, it might have been on the battle-field, for my country, and that, when I fell, it would be fighting gloriously; but to be shot down like a dog for nearly betraying it, to die for neglect of duty! O, father, I wonder the very thought does not kill me! But I shall not disgrace you I am going to write all about it; and when I am gone, you may you my comrades. I can not now. tell 5. "You know I promised Jemmie Carr's mother, I would look after her boy; and, when he fell sick, I did all I could for him. He was not strong when he was ordered back into the ranks, and the day before that night, I carried all his luggage, besides my own, on our march. Toward night we went in on double-quick,1 and though the luggage began to feel very heavy, everybody else was tired too; and as for Jemmie, if I had not lent him an arm now and then, he would have dropped by the way. I was all tired out when we came into camp, and then it was Jemmie's turn to be sentry, and I would take his place; but I was too tired, father. I could not have kept awake if a gun had been pointed at my head; but I did not know it until — well, until it was too late." 6. "God be thanked!" interrupted Mr. Owen, reverently. "I knew Bennie was not the boy to sleep carelessly at his post." 66 6 They tell me to-day that I have a short reprieve, given to me by circumstances, time to write to you,' our good Colonel says. Forgive him, father, he only does his duty; he would gladly save me if he could: and do not lay my death up against Jemmie. The poor boy is brokenhearted, and does nothing but beg and entreat them to let him die in my stead. 7. "I can't bear to think of mother and Blossom. Comfort them, father! Tell them I die as a brave boy should, and that, when the war is over, they will not be ashamed of me, as they must be now. God help me; it is very God seems near and dear hard to bear! Good-by, father! to me, not at all as if He wished me to perish forever, but as if He felt sorry for his poor, sinful, broken-hearted child, |