LESSON 47 THE SOLDIER’S REPRIEVE

THE SOLDIER’S REPRIEVE

I

“I THOUGHT , Mr. Allen, 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 slept at his post only a minute; I know that was all, for Bennie never dozed over a duty. How prompt and reliable he was!

“I know he fell asleep for a minute—he was so young, and had grown so fast, that boy of mine. Why, he was as tall as I, and only eighteen! And now they shoot him because he fell asleep when doing sentinel [1] duty. Twenty-four hours’ respite [2] , the telegram said— only twenty-four hours. Where is Bennie now?”

“We will hope with his heavenly Father,” said the clergyman, soothingly.

“Yes, yes; let us hope; God is very merciful.”

“‘I should be ashamed in after years, father!’ Bennie declared to me, ‘if I never used this muscular right arm’—and he held it out so proudly before me—‘for my country when it needed it!’

“‘Go, then, my boy,’ I said, ‘and God keep you!’ God has kept him, I hope, Mr. Allen!” and the farmer repeated the last words slowly, as if, in spite of his intellect [3] , his heart doubted them.

“Like the apple of his eye, Mr. Owen, doubt it not!”

Blossom had sat near them, listening with blanched [4] cheek. She had not shed a tear. Her anxiety had been so concealed that no one had noticed it. She had occupied herself mechanically [5] in the household cares. Now she answered a gentle tap at the kitchen door, opening it to receive a letter from a neighbour’s hand. “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. Allen, with the helplessness of a child.

The clergyman 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 [6] 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! Oh, father, I wonder the very thought does not kill me! But I shall not disgrace you. I am going to write you all about it, and when I am gone you may tell my comrades. I cannot now.

“You know I promised Jemmie Carr’s mother I would look after her boy; and, when he fell ill, I did all I could for him. He was still an invalid when he was ordered to rejoin the ranks, and the day before that fatal night I carried all his baggage, as well as my own. Toward night we went at the double-quick, and though the baggage began to feel very heavy, everybody else was fatigued, 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 quite tired out when we came into camp, and then it was Jemmie’s turn to be sentry, and I insisted upon taking 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 .”

“God be thanked!” interrupted Mr. Owen, reverently [7] . “I knew Bennie was not the boy to sleep carelessly at his post.”

“They tell me to-day that I have a short reprieve [8] —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 attribute my death to Jemmie [9] . The poor boy is broken-hearted, and does nothing but beg and entreat them to let him die in my stead.

“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.

“To-night, in the early twilight, I shall see in imagination the cows all coming home from pasture, and dear little Blossom standing on the back veranda waiting for me. But I shall never, never come! God bless you all! Forgive your poor Bennie.”

* * *

[1] sentinel: Watching; guarding .

[2] respite: Delay of punishment .

[3] intellect: Reason; understanding .

[4] blanched: White with fear .

[5] mechanically: Without thought of what she was doing .

[6] blind: Blindfold .

[7] reverently: With deep feeling and respect .

[8] reprieve: Respite; delay before punishment is carried out .

[9] attribute my death to Jemmie: Blame Jemmie for my death .