登陆注册
5271800000024

第24章 THE SOLDIER'S REPRIEVE.(2)

"To-night, in the early twilight, I shall see the cows all coming home from the pasture, and precious little Blossom standing on the back stoop, waiting for me! But I shall never, never come!

God bless you all! Forgive your poor Bennie!"

Late that night the door of the "back stoop" opened softly and a little figure glided out and down the footpath that led to the road by the mill. She seemed rather flying than walking, turning her head neither to the right nor left, looking only now and then to heaven, and folding her hands is if in prayer. Two hours later the same young girl stood at the mill depot, watching the coming of the night train; and the conductor, as he reached down to lift her into the car, wondered at the tear-stained face that was upturned toward the dim lantern he held in his hand. A few questions and ready answers told him all; and no father could have cared more tenderly for his only child than he for our little Blossom. She was on her way to Washington to ask President Lincoln for her brother's life. She had stolen away, leaving only a note to tell them where and why she had gone.

She had brought Bennie's letter with her; no good, kind heart like the President's could refuse to be melted by it. The next morning they reached New York, and the conductor hurried her on to Washington. Every minute, now, might be the means of saving her brother's life. And so, in an incredibly short time, Blossom reached the Capitol and hastened to the White House.

The president had just seated himself to his morning task of overlooking and signing important papers, when without one word of announcement the door softly opened, and Blossom, with down-cast eyes and folded hands, stood before him.

"Well, my child," he said in his pleasant, cheerful tones, "what do you want so bright and early this morning?"

"Bennie's life, sir," faltered Blossom.

"Who is Bennie?"

"My brother, sir. They are going to shoot him for sleeping at his post."

"O, yes," and Mr. Lincoln ran his eye over the papers before him.

"I remember. It was a fatal sleep. You see, my child, it was a time of special danger. Thousands of lives might have been lost by his culpable negligence."

"So my father said," replied Blossom, gravely. "But poor Bennie was so tired, sir, and Jemmie so weak. He did the work of two, sir, and it was Jemmie's night, not his; but Jemmie was too tired, and Bennie never thought about himself that he was tired too."

"What is this you say, child? Come here, I do not understand," and the kind man caught eagerly as ever at what seemed to be a justification of the offense.

Blossom went to him; he put his hand tenderly on her shoulder and turned up the pale face toward his. How tall he seemed! And he was the President of the United States, too! A dim thought of this kind passed for a minute through Blossom's mind, but she told her simple, straightforward story and handed Mr. Lincoln Bennie's letter to read.

He read it carefully; then taking up his pen, wrote a few hasty lines, and rang his bell.

Blossom heard this order: "Send this dispatch at once!"

The President then turned to the girl and said: "Go home, my child, and tell that father of yours, who could approve his country's sentence even when it took the life of a child like that, that Abraham Lincoln thinks the life far too precious to be lost. Go back, or--wait until tomorrow. Bennie will need a change after he has so bravely faced death; he shall go with you."

"God bless you, sir!" said Blossom; and who shall doubt that God heard and registered the request?

Two days after this interview, the young soldier came to the White House with his little sister. He was called into the President's private room and a strap fastened upon his shoulder.

Mr. Lincoln then said: "The soldier that could carry a sick comrade's baggage and die for the act so uncomplainingly deserves well of his country." Then Bennie and Blossom took their way to their Green Mountain home. A crowd gathered at the mill depot to welcome them back; and as Farmer Owen's hand grasped that of the boy, tears flowed down his cheeks, and he was heard to say fervently:

"The Lord be praised!"

--From the New York Observer If I had a horse I would call him "Gay,"

Feed and curry him well every day, Hitch him up in my cart and take a ride, With Baby Brother tucked in at my side.

同类推荐
  • Sketches of Young Couples

    Sketches of Young Couples

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 新菩萨经

    新菩萨经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 直隶河渠志

    直隶河渠志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 祁生天缘奇遇

    祁生天缘奇遇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 客窗闲话续集

    客窗闲话续集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 叫一声妈妈泪落如雨(上篇)

    叫一声妈妈泪落如雨(上篇)

    人生难以预料的一场变故,毫无征兆地在黎明前悄然而至。那时候沉沉夜色昏晦朦胧,整个城市似乎还都酣睡未醒。聪明乖巧的小男孩柳阳从一条巷口移步而出,手握一只装满凉白开的旧饮料瓶,背负着沉重的书包,孤独地走在芙蓉花树隔挡的人行道上。途经一条横穿马路的斑马线时,充满血雨腥风的飞来横祸突然发生——拐弯处,一辆橘黄色无牌照的车像鬼魅一般从侧翼呼啸而至,只听得“嘭”的一声响,孩子瘦弱矮小的身躯,一瞬间遭遇到极为猛烈的撞击,像一只断线风筝般弹飞出去。肇事汽车丝毫没有停顿,转眼间跑得无影无踪。
  • 至尊医妃:王爷,劫个色

    至尊医妃:王爷,劫个色

    一觉醒来,拥有高智商双学历在21世纪混的风生水起的苏祁穿越了。爹不疼,娘……没有,嫡母长姐各种欺辱,原身还是个神智不清的痴傻儿。苏祁表示,这枯燥无味的古代生活,还是可以来点调味剂的。嫡姐伪善,当众撕下她娇柔做作的面具。太子纠缠,直接送到庶妹床上。只是,她斗过了所有人,谁来告诉她这么个无赖王爷是从哪冒出来的?--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 婚不由己:总裁撩妻成瘾

    婚不由己:总裁撩妻成瘾

    爱着段尚燃的这五年里,喻颜卑微的如同蝼蚁。他的妹妹抄袭被曝光,她被要求桃代李僵。他的妹妹生病需要换肾,她被要求献出一颗肾。他的绝情终究耗费了她所有的爱。她遍体鳞伤的离开,一颗心支离破碎。多年后的涅槃重生,她高傲冷情的归来,将负了她的人折磨的生不如死,那个男人却赖上了她。她说,段尚燃,我恨不得你去死。他却笑着说,只要你愿意,都可以。
  • 论宋元时期的中日文化交流及相互影响

    论宋元时期的中日文化交流及相互影响

    中日两国是一衣带水的近邻,自古以来,两国人民在政治、经济、文化各领域就有着密切的联系和相互的影响。早在中国的史书《漠书》中,就有关于日本的记载。而在日本的史书中,关于中国的记载更是不胜枚举。就地理形势而言,在古代社会中,中国一直是距离日本最近的且各方面都较为先进的大国,因而日本把中国看成是自己民族学习的榜样。
  • 逆天凰妃:星主,休要逃!

    逆天凰妃:星主,休要逃!

    处女座,为什么我春蝉自打一降生就成了这倒霉星座?无父无母,还被整个星罗大陆上的人嫌弃,还好有可爱又贪吃的金牛座师父庇佑,将我抚养长大。本以为此后余生,就要隐瞒身份这样过下去了,谁成想却遇到了玄子墨,可恶的摩羯星主,星罗大陆的统治者。他到底是我的仇人还是我爱的人?我也搞不清了......
  • 利益多元化格局中的党群关系问题研究

    利益多元化格局中的党群关系问题研究

    张哲所著的《利益多元化格局中的党群关系问题研究》从马克思主义利益理论及党群关系理论出发,立足于利益多元化格局的背景,运用历史与逻辑相统一的方法剖析党群关系背后的利益关系,直面利益多元格局中党群关系出现的新问题,求证利益多元格局中党群关系嬗变的原因和时空边界,提出并构建了适合我国国情的党群关系新模式,形成了具有中国特色的党群关系理论支撑范式。旨在使读者正确认识利益多元化格局中党群关系的变化,为我党更好地履行利益整合功能,最大限度地满足人民群众的利益诉求,实现党群关系和谐发展提供依据。
  • 闪婚娇妻:总裁大人请离婚

    闪婚娇妻:总裁大人请离婚

    一不小心订下半年的假结婚合约,到期了那翻手为云覆手为雨的帝国集团继承人,却追着她要负责。她终于忍无可忍:”总裁大人,请离婚!“他挑眉:”看来我没有说清楚,结婚合约的期限是——一辈子。“
  • 终焉之环

    终焉之环

    2230年,天外来客降临尘世,世界开启永生之路。(简介无能,请看完三章。)
  • 以剑与诗歌佐茶

    以剑与诗歌佐茶

    高妙的道术、奇诡的魔法,诗词可以为剑,谈笑之间杀人。身怀绝技的人与非人,为着各种目的混杂于人群之中。他们或争锋斗法,或潜心治学,或争权夺利,或逍遥享乐,在普通人毫无察觉的情况下保持着微妙的平衡。从与一位神秘少女的相遇开始,孙苏合身不由己地闯入了这个光怪陆离的世界,破解连环诡案,斩破必死宿命,揭开历史烟尘背后的惊人真相。诗为兵,剑为胆,一杯清茶,会尽豪杰,潇洒华丽的冒险英雄谭由此堂堂展开。
  • 驼鹿的谜局

    驼鹿的谜局

    比安基编著的《驼鹿的谜局》写的是一个大学生到森林中去捕猎驼鹿的故事。由于同学讥笑他胆小,这个大学生猎人就发誓要去森林捕杀一只人们传说中的老驼鹿,以证实他的勇敢。他带上父亲给他的一支鸟枪和一支步枪,再带上一只狩猎经验丰富的猎狗,并在靶场练习了一段时间枪法后,就来到了离城70多千米远的大森林。在森林里,大学生猎人通过与驼鹿的多次对阵,逐渐认识到了这种濒临灭绝的动物的智慧和可贵,并在最后一次全体村民猎杀驼鹿的行动中,放走了驼鹿,让它回归到了广阔的大自然之中。