The Soldier Boy; or, Tom Somers in the Army

y is P

Table of

d Mrs. Somers, as she glanced at the

a great ways off. I saw him in front of the

ks, talking about the war," added gran'ther Greene, as he rose fr

est anything that could possibly have happened to the absentee. There had been no battle fought, and so nobody could have been killed. There had been no violence used i

oped the great man of Pinchbrook would be brought to his senses. All these topics had been fully discussed during the evening. John had informed his mother that Captain Benson, who had formerly commanded the Pinchbrook Riflemen

s. Somers, when the clock struck eleven, as she

John. "I don't believe there is any

r, as she went to the door and looked out, hoping, perhaps, to di

not believe his brother was fool enough to fall overb

ways comes home before nine o'clock. Have you heard hi

said anyt

t think of something," pe

nything but the war si

did he

ng. "He said he should like to join the

and visionary. John's words, under the present circumstances, appeared to be full of importance; and taking her stocking, she seated he

him. There may be something going on there that I don't know about. He may be at

turned; and more than once during his absence, as she plied her needles, she had wiped away a tear that hung among the furrows of her care-worn cheek. She had been thinking of her husband, as well as of her son. He was, or soon would be, in the m

away from them. All these things had been considered and reconsidered by the devoted mother. Poverty and want seemed to stare he

waited patiently to hear any intelligence he might bring. But John threw himself into a chair, looking

Somers; but it was a useless question, for she had

or child stirring in the village; and I

ppose can have

is old enough and smart enou

very s

't any idea what h

uire Pemberton's house,

rom the Harbor. I whistled all the way, and if he had been an

nded the poor mother, worried beyond expressi

t tell,

r call up the neighbors, and

d John, hardly less an

find him if we did," added Mrs. Somer

other. If he had been on the water, or anythin

feel so bad about it," said she; and her

d gran'ther Greene, from his chamb

to death about him," replied Mrs. Somers

'clock

out so late in his life before. Wha

nswered the old man. "Thomas is a smart bo

had unlimited confidence in his broth

aid Mrs. Somers, throwing herself int

trary, she sat rocking herself in silence, as though h

, when he had waited a reasonable time for he

lf more violently than b

e you goi

the army," replied she, desperately, as though she had

think so

lmost sur

wouldn't have gone off without

don't look a bit like Thomas to go off and leave his mother in this way," moa

done any such thing, m

f the boy wanted to go, and couldn't st

ay he wan

them run away and leave me in this mean way. I shouldn't feel half so bad if I knew Thomas was in the army now, as I do to think he ran away from home, just as though he had done some mean thing. I am wi

believe

id he must go, I wouldn't have said a word; but to go off without bidding

excitement. The rockers were not adequate to the duty required of them, and nothing less

ld have given him leave to go, even if he

ready and willing to have my boys fight for their country, but I don't want them to snea

an to say you would let him

k there is any need of boys like him going,

Tom he sho

had-What's that, John?" asked she, suddenly, a

he cat,

have kept either of you at home. I would go to the poorhouse first. My father and my b

e willing To

ave him sneak off l

rew up the window at which he had been standing for some

, Thomas?" exclaimed

e in, and I will tell you all a

door isn't loc

ll will interest the reader as we