THE PARTING OF THE WAYS

New Zealand Tablet, 29 August 1912, Page 9

THE PARTING OF THE WAYS

Day was dawning in the beautiful Summer Valley. From behind the distant peaks the sun was climbing, step by step, the ladder of the day. A bustling little wren, with a scarcely audible chirp, flew away from the fir-tree, her nightly dwelling. From a negro cabin arose a plaintive plantation song, from the tuneful throat of a young mulatto. In the rolling meadow the lowing of cattle could be heard smoke could be seen arising from the numerous chimneys. All this showed that day was advancing. Day was waking, too, in the big colonial house. A touching scene was being enacted in its dining-room. The two sons were leaving for the war: one for the North, the other for the South. War, the great Civil War, had been declared. At last the moment for the departure had arrived. Fred, snatching a hasty kiss from his sister, a long, silent embrace from his mother, a handclasp from his father, was off for the South, with all the blessings and best wishes that could be carried. , Then Will, a handsome’ boy of twenty-one, came slowly into the room. He attempted to kiss his sister,

but that proud child of the South turned her back upon him and exclaimed that she could never kiss a traitor, even though he was her own, brother. The boy drew, back. Over his face there came a deathly pallor, he staggered, swallowed the lump in his throat, and turned toward his mother, who could not bear to see her son go to war and may be to death, without a tender embrace. She kissed him, again and again, then with a sigh she went from the room. He offered his hand to his father, who told him never to darken the door-step of his home again. With a sickening heart he swayed toward the door, passed out, and was off to the. North, with no words of love or Godspeed. His brother, sitting his horse like a statue, was waiting for him. Taking his horse from the black boy, he slowly mounted, turned for a last look at his boyhood home, and then swiftly galloped away, followed by his brother. ' They drew rein before a house, similar to their own, and, dismounting, went slowly up the steps and pulled the knocker. , Early as it was, they found the Wilson household already astir and were ushered into the reception-room by a black slave. Augusta Wilson, a handsome girl, with raven hair, a dark face and bewitching eyes, came into the room. ' ‘ Well, Augusta, we’re off,’ Fred said; ‘ we’ve come to say good-bye.’ Good-bye, Fred, and may God watch over you and let you return unharmed.’ She turned to Will and said; Will, I hate to see you dishonor your country like this. Won’t you fight for the South even for me ?’ ‘I can’t, Augusta; my mind is made up. Perhaps it is my Northern schooling that makes me fight for the North, and try as I may I can’t shake off the feeling that the South is going to be beaten. Good-bye, and try to think kindly of me, even though I, as you say, am going against my country.’ ’ ' ~ < -• B She took a small confederate flag from a waist pocket, kissed it, and gave it to Fred. ‘As for you, Will, I have nothing to give you unless it is my blessing.’ ‘ Thank , you, Augusta,’ was all Will . could say; ..Then he quitted the room. ' • - t-. A few. moments later he was joined by his brother and once more mounting their horses, they travelled on till they came to the North and South Turnpike. There they parted, Fred to join Lee’s forces, and Will, General Hill’s, whom he met when at West Point.

Two weeks afterwards, Will, travel and footsore, reached Harper’s Ferry, where General Hill’s forces were encamped. The General was a stout and florid-countenanced person. A few days later ■ the battle of Bunker Ridge was fought Will’s first battle. This resulted in a complete defeat of the Southern forces. From a prisoner, Will learned that Fred was a lieutenant in General Lee’s army, having won fame and his promotion in the battle of Cripple Creep. After a few more important battles, ’ the armies retired, as it were, into winter quarters, and nothing of vital interest took place during the ensuing winter. It is needless to go over the results of the next two years, although several very important battles were fought. In the early 1 part of the fourth year, the great battle of Shiloh took place. There, brother was fighting against brother, although" both were ignorant of the fact. A day of dreadful carnage, and the Confederates were beaten, retreating with great loss. In this battle Fred received the wound which afterwards caused his death.

Day was dawning as Will in agony lay on the field. He could see the sun rising: from behind the distant mountains and remembered well the sunrise of the day when he left home. In a few moments he would be dead, and then, he thought, forgotten. How well the memories of his boyhood days flashed through his mind. His boyish pranks, the old swimming hole where he had his first swim. Then the thought of his mother came upon him. Would she miss him? Would his father forgive him after he was .dead? Would his sister think kindly of him ? Then, worn out .with worrying and tortured with pain, he lapsed into unconsciousness. - , ; , v

When he came to again, he was in the field hospital, swathed in bandages from head to foot. A bullet had penetrated the abdomen, another had shattered the knee, while a bayonet had pierced the fleshy part of his right shoulder. : He was informed that he had to be moved to Washington and was to start at once.

.Oh ! that ride to Washington! Day and night his brain was sickened by the cries of his fellow-sufferers. When ■at last the city was reached, and after he had been hurriedly put to bed in the hospital, his mind gave way, and all was a blank.

After hovering between life and death for weeks, suffering from brain fever, he again grew stronger and soon was able to walk around. A few days afterwards the day on which Lee surrendered and peace was declared—he was discharged from the hospital and sent, back to his regiment, which was then encamped at Hall’s Ferry. There being honorably discharged, he departed , that night for the South and forhe could not call it—home.

! Again day was dawning and the sun was peeking from behind the mountains, as a horseman drew rein before the Birmingham home. The man was Will, come back from the victorious North to his old home once more.

He had ridden across the mountains so as to get there as early as possible; but to his dismay he saw that he was too early. Seating himself upon a ‘ decayed stump in the garden, he went over in "detail the happenings of his life from the time he left home. Absorbed in his thoughts, he did not hear the footsteps of a . person coming up the gravelled walk. Awakened from his reverie, he found himself face to face with his father. He started back, then advanced and put out his hand, which was received by the grieving parent, who long ago had repented of treating his son in the manner in which he did four years ago. ‘ Father,’ the boy said. ‘ My son,’ and then he was gathered in a long and loving embrace. There in the garden, with the melodious songs of hundreds of birds, he was told of the death of his brother.

Two weeks afterward Augusta Wilson and William Birmingham were made man and wife. After the ceremony was over and the guests were having a gay time in the parlors of the house, the bride and groom slipped away to a flower-bestrewed mound in the family .cemetery. There they knelt and prayed earnestly to Him Who watches over souls, for the brother who had given up his life for his country. —Father Dunne’s Newsboys’ Journal. ,