Madera Union High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Madera, CA)

Page 22 text:

Then he, too, vanished and another lad, now her soldier boy, appeared. The boy was almost a man, tall, handsome, graceful, with brown eyes, gleaming with fun, and head thrown bravely hack; yet, the strong firm lips still seemed to say, “I love you, mother, I love you.” The | woman stretched out her arms — long- ingly, “Oh, Gene,’ she sobbed, “wasn’t it en- ough that your father = gave his life: do they need even a poor widow’s all? Tf they do, I'll bear it bravely, son, but it’s hard, hard, with nothing to do but wait. But VIL pray laddie, Vl pray every mght for God to bring you home safely to me. Oh, my son! my son!” And so she sobbed on, dreaming only of the past, for such is the wisdom of age. It was midnight and all seemed peaceful in the Rebel Camp. The soft rays of the moon crept in and out through the heavy foliage of the trees and lit up the si- lent scene, showine here and there the form of a weary sentinel tramping up and down his lonesome beat. The only light in the camp came from a little tent in which the boy sat writine to his mother. He was chaneed, ah yes! for the eager lad of two years ago who had entered he army so confidently. so sure of success. was now a man. just a little tired. and just a little discouraged. THis face was thin and worn, his eves were no longer softly appeal- ing; instead, they were hard and stern. while there were ines on his face that should not have been there for ten years yet, at least. He wore the ensien of a captain and, if the truth were told. many expected to see him a najor before two months had passed. so much renown had his constant bravery won him. As he sat writing, his face softened and once a bright tear fell and glimmered in the lamplight. Suddenly, he became aware that there was someone else in the room and ty turning quickly, saw a corporal standing in the doorway of the tent. “General Long requests the presence of Cap- tain Morley at once,’ same the short message. The boy pushed his papers quickly aside and in a few moments stood before his commander, “Captain Morley,” the old man said, “I have received news that makes it necessary for me to send a message to General Lee at once. I want you to take it. To reach his camp, you will have to go directly through the Federal ines, so I have secured a Federal uniform for you and the aper’s necessary to your carrying out the disguise of Lieu- enant Camp, United States Army. You are to say you laye a message for General Grant and T think you can manage to slip through. Now T want vou to tell Lee that Pickford is planning to attack Charleston and will reach here on the fifteenth. Lee will know what to do. Your iniform is in the adjoining room and T want vou to leave at once.” The Boy went into the next room and in a few moments reappeared, clad in the likeness of a Federal lieutenant. and announced himself ready. The General handed over he papers and. for the first time in his life. muttered a rusque, “God bless you.” Jt might have been a thought wave for hundreds of miles away at that very moment a vowed and bent little widow was saving, “Oh God, bless mv bov. The Boy mounted his horse and after carefully guiding un through the ranks of sleeping men, was soon gallop- ing down the dark road. All the rest of the night and all he next morning, he rode, stopping only to allow his horse 0 slake his thirst at some stream or river. Late that afternoon, he came in sight of the Federal camp. Tis heart beat quickly and he offered to God a ervent prayer for his safety until he had the message Then, bracing up, he rode bravely forward wn- delivered,

Page 21 text:

Ohe Price may God biess you and keep you always!” The voice was choked with sobs, but the bowed reartbroken figure was determined not to give way until she was face to face with silence, the gracious queen who nows both joy and sorrow and gives to both her greatest alm, Peace; and so the lonely widow gave her boy a last -arewell and, with it, gave to her country the only gift she vad, her son ! “My boy! my boy! The lad. for be was only a boy yet, hesitated for a mo- nent: then, shouldering his musket, he turned away, fur- ively brushing his coatsleeve across his eves. He walked or swiftly, not trusting himself to look back even once un- til he came to the summit of the mountain and saw be- Fove him the path that led—he knew not where. For it micht be Life and—it might be Death! There he paused and looked a last silent farewell to his old home. The sun was just rising and seemed the gate to Paradise as it flooded the little valley with its golden splendor. The little crystal streams running ever on. through soft fields and meadows, unmindful of the destinies of men, were like bands of silver on waves of emerald. In their midst stood a little log cabin covered with roses that clambered over the porch, and even onto the roof. His home! On the step was his mother, seeming so tiny, so pitifully fragile. and watching him with a face that, could he but have seen it. would have wrung his very soul, for it was the terrible agony, the heartbreaking look of a mother who watches her son walk on to probable Death, while she stands back. alone, unable to help. The boy’s eyes filled and, turming quickly, he went on. eraye and sorrowful for a while but gradually forgetting 19 ‘the future; for such is the wisdom ink only of the great war in which a part; he seemed to see the low p; he could almost hear the roar ighing of horses and the terse com- all and dreaming only o of youth. He could th he was so soon to have white tents of the cam of the musketry, the ne mands shouted by anxious officers. vim through tear- ily a speck in the distance But not so his mother! She watched dimmed eyes until he became o that slowly faded from view. Then she went into the cabin, that now seemed so pitifully forlorn, her bent should- ers shaking with sobs, while tears coursed down her thin furrowed cheeks. She pulled a little black hair cloth trunk out of a corner, opened it and took out a tiny bundle, faded, and yellowed with age. Sitting down, she opened it, and out fell a golden curl of hair that she caught up pas- sionately and kissed again and again. As she did so, the present seemed to fade and vanish with sorrow as a rose- leaf crumbles with age, and she saw again her baby boy be- fore her. She saw the sturdy little figure with its golden curls and large appealing brown eyes come nearer and nearer, until the baby lips seemed to say, “JT Jove you, muver, I love you.” She clasped it to her but it vanished and in its stead was an older boy, different and yet the same. The golden curls were gone and in their stead was soft brown hair; the baby grace, too, had left, and the lad seemed strangely awkward and clumsy. But the eyes were the same appeal- ing brown ones, and the mouth, finely cut and determined, even then still framed the words, “T love you, mater, T lave you.”

Page 23 text:

A mere lad Lieutenant rants head- he reached the outermost line of pickets. came forward and the Boy stated that he was Camp of the United States Army bound for G quarters with a very important message. The picket nod- ded acquiescence and the boy went on, passing the vest of the guards with the same results, and wa himself on his success when he came his cousin! There had been an old feud between himself cousin which had been greatly intensified when joined the Southern, or Rebel eee as his cousin, by name, contemptuously called i Yankee. The Boy was undecided as to what to do for, ane would betray him, he had no doubt. Brown, eoing up to the Boy with an insolent leer said, “Well, what’re vou doing here? Ain’t the Rebs good enough for you any more or are vou turning bat, eh 2?” The Bov’s eves flashed as he answered with his soft Southern drawl. “Ah bee youah pahdon Ah don’t Inow vou and Ah don’t want to! me to pass foah Ah must be on mah wav at once.” Brown grinned, “Oh! so that’s the game is it? Well, we'll see! Hey. corporal,” he called to a passing officer, “This feller’s a spy.” The Bov no good is congratulating face to faee with— his Boy and the Brow uv , for Brown was a stanch that his . suh, but Allow {t would do for some of the soldiers were he must bluff it, if possible. So he turned to the corporal. who had leaped forward at Brown’s words and had grasped ee sad if rein of the Bovy’s horse, and said, “ This officah has evidently mistaken me foah someone Ah’m Lieutenant Camp of the United States Ahmy and am bound fouh General Grant’s head- quarters with a very important message. Ah’ve mah pa- pahs in mah pocket, suh !” hesitated and elanced around. to trv and escane now. already drawing near. No else. “ters a liar! dirty, lying Reb!” It was too much for the Boy. Leaping down from his saddle, his eyes flashing, he sprang at his cousin and dealt lim a blow on the jaw that knocked him flat. hen, turn- ing to the corporal, he said politely, “Ahm ready to yelled Brown, ‘Don’t I know he’s a go vefoah youah General. Ah can satisfy him, Ah think, as o the truthfulness of mah statements.” “Very well,” was the crisp reply and turning, the cor- oral led the way to the General’s headquarters. The General was a tall, grave man, with sorrow, and yet h e carr vespoke command. He words and then askec came at once only too whose eyes were filled ed himself with a dignity that listened closely to the corporal’s for Brown to be sent for. Brown eager to testify against the Boy. He old the general that Boy’s real name was Captain Morley, hat he was an officer in the Rebel army, and his own cousin. At those words, the General glanced quickly at the the other so little and nar- and remarked dryly that no would have thought it. Then he dismissed Brown, and, urning to the Boy, said gravely, “The charge against you is very conclusive, Lieutenant Camp, and, though Tam, I think T shall have to detain you pending an in- vestigation.” The Boy listened |] further words wo men, one so tall and manly, row both in body and mind. one Sorry 10} elessly were useless. he knew and vet, if the G eneral investigated the matter at all, he would soon find sufficient evidence to hang him as a spy. But he said nothing and hopelessly submitted to being led away and placed in a tiny jail like room under guard. As soon as he was left alone, he glanced around the room. searching for a way in which to escape. But no chance showed itself! The only window was a little barred affair, far too small for him to get through, even if he could have broken the bars. Well, there was nothing to