"YOUR LOVING LITTLE GIRL MARGUERITE."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 198, 29 January 1915, Page 6

"YOUR LOVING LITTLE GIRL MARGUERITE."

Mr Austin Dobson wrote in 1870 these' moving lines on an accident which happened "Before Sedan," and is thus described:— '•When the dead were being buried a trace of blood led the searchers to a shady spot, where they found a French sergeant lying dead with his hand*" tightly clenched in death pressed to his lips. In his clenched hand was a sheet of paper, which they forced it and read. "It was a letter' from his little, girl of live, which, when mortally wounded, he had crawled here to read with the last light of dis dying eyes, and it ran thus:— " 'Dear Father, —I miss you so much. T miss you most morning and evening, when I used to kiss you. I try to be so good as you told me. and kind to mamma, —Your loving little girl, Marguerite.' "What was that white you touched, There bv his side? ■ Paper his hand had clutched Tight ere he (lied? Message or wish may be? Smooth out its folds and see. "See! She is sad to miss "Morning and night His—her dead fathers-kiss, Tries to be bright; Kind to mamma, and sweet, That is all, Marguerite. "Ah! That beside the dead Slumbered the pain! Ah! That the hearts that Wed Slept with the slain! That the grief died. But no! Death will not have it soj". , '