Sons of Strength; Kansas

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1899 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XX PEACE And now I draw near to the end; and the end is like a long deep breath of peace and quiet after ardent strife. I am glad that it is so. I have always liked to think that the end of all our mortal struggle and endeavour will come to us softly, tenderly, --not as a shrill shout of death swallowed up in victory, but as the cool and calm of a summer night after sultry day. Such seems a fitting end for my story. When the bitterness of our conflict was past, and when Brown's men were assembled for their return to Lawrence, I begged that they would dig the grave for my mother's body; and that they did, at a place which I chose within the sheltering woodland near by. Her burial was simple; but if God regards such things, I know it was acceptable to Him. I think that the memory of that hour must outlast my life itself. The picture is strongly before me now, with those stern-lipped men standing uncovered about the grave, while John Brown lifted up his noble face toward heaven and prayed that we who lived might keep until the end our strength for doing our duty, and that we might at last find the sweet peace which had fallen upon the dead. It was very beautiful and very wonderful to me. We had borne Archy into the house and laid him upon the bed made vacant by my mother's burial. When Brown left us with his men, there being nothing that he could do to aid us after that, he promised to send a surgeon; and the surgeon came in due time. Archy was still alive, and his heart was going on somewhat with its labour. At first the surgeon would not even hint at hope, --perhaps with a jealous eye upon his reputation for prophecy; but as the slow hours passed and another night drew on toward morning, he ceased to talk of death alone, and began to speak half-willing.