One last story

'One Last Story!' by J.B. Pravda

The child was restless, that cold night, and begged for one more story;
his mother, reluctant, she, let go one, nigh on gorey: 'The weary
soldiers bedded down on foreign ground, and were, indeed, uneasy; for
this dark night, unseen their plight, a leap year was their tender; as
legend held, 'twas here was felled the gallant General Weld, whose soul
the ground would render, when ere was quelled the distant sound of men
shot down with thunder! Be still, my friend, night's soon to end, but
fore that moment's come&;#8230;there comes a sound, oh, what a
sound, that makes a feller wonder---------'Oh, Lord, my Lord, I felt
touch me the hand of one asunder!'; quite so, my lad, 'tis true, though
sad, as you be six feet under&;#8230;&;#8230;.' There, now, no
more ghost stories for tonight; that was a favorite of your grandfather
from the old Civil War days&;#8230;&;#8230;.as the mother bent
down to kiss her son, her lips felt freezing cold flesh; young Johnny
Weld, it seemed, had died of fright that night, on hearing mother's
story&;#8230;..she noticed then, could it have
been!&;#8230;..'twas February, twenty &; nine, the night
reserved&;#8230;&;#8230;&;#8230;for dyin!