Blue And Gray

■ '-Oh mother, what do they mean by blue? And whnt do they mean Uy gray?" TVe hcard from t!ic lips of a little chlld As she hounilecl in from play. The moiher's eyea iilled tip with tcars! She turnel to lier durUiig l'air, .And amooilicii away from the unny broir lts treanures of golilcn hair. "Wliy. mother'8 f yes are blue, my sweot, Am grandpn'8 liair is gr:iy, Aml the love wc be:ir oiir darling cliild Grotvs stronger every day." "Uut uliat Uid tliey mcau?" persisted the riuld; "For I snw two cripples to-day, Jlml one of tliem snid lic fongtit Tor the blue; The olhar, lie lought for the giay. 'Mow he of tlic blue hal lost a Icg, An'! the iither had but one arm, Anil both tconicd worn and weRTy and san, Ye' Ihcir gresting was kind and Avarm, Tbcy toM of battles in days gone by, Tiil it made my youn b!ood thrill: Tlie les was lost at Fredcricksburg, Aud tliCArm.it Sïalvern HUI. "They sat on the stone by the fnrmyurd gnte, And talked an liour or more, Tiil llicir eycs grcw bright aud their hcarts Bccmed warm With liglitiiig llioir battles o'er; And partcd at last ith n friendly grasp. In a kinrlly, brotlicrly way, E:ich oallii gon Uoú to spoed the timo Uniting the blue and tht griMT." Then the mother thought of oiher dayi- Two stalwart boys trom her rhen: IIow thcy knelt at her side, and lisplngly praycd, MOr Fathcr which art in Ileaven;1 IIow onc wore the gray and the other the blue; ITow they pnsscd away from sight, And ha I gouc to the land hcro gray and UI uo Aro merged n colors of light.