Where is Bennie now?"
"We will hope with his heavenly Father," said Mr. Allen
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 proudly before
me--'for my country when it needed it. Palsy it, rather than
keep it at the plow.' 'Go, then, my boy, and God keep you!' I
said. God has kept him, I think, Mr. Allen!" And the farmer
repeated these last words slowly, as if in spite of his reason
his heart doubted them.
"Like the apple of the eye, Mr. Owen; doubt it not."
Blossom 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 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. Allen, with the helplessness of a
child. 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 so much about it
that now it has no terror. They say they will not bind me, nor
blind me, but that I may meet death like a man. I thought,
father, that 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
you all about it, and when I am gone you may tell my comrades.
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