Taps
The setting sun dyed the
fields with a wash of gold and red light. As the giant glowing sphere sank
out of sight,and the sky was painted with hues of blue and purple, a lone
bugler stood on the wall-walk. Slowly. ceremonially, he raised his trumpet,
and began to play. The slight wind that was blowing changed direction and
carrried the soft, sad strains towards a hill where five boys dressed in
black waited patiently for the night. As the music reached their ears,
one stood up and began to sing, in a soft, clear voice.
"Day is done
Gone the sun
From the Lakes,
From the Hills,
From the Sky.
All is well,
Safely rest,
God is nigh.
Fading Light
Dims the sight,
And a star
Gems the sky
Gleaming bright.
From afar,
Drawing nigh
Falls the night.
Thanks and praise,
For our days,
Neath the sun,
Neath the stars,
Neath the sky.
As we go,
This we know,
God is nigh."
"Duo, I didn't know there were words to that
tune."
"Yeah, Quatre, there are."
" I wonder who wrote it."
"Sister Helen was something of a History buff,
and she told me the story and taught me all the words."
" So what's the story, Duo?"
" Well, it goes like this.
In 1862, during the United
State's Civil War, Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was staioned
with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia. On the other side of
this narrow strip of land was the Confederate Army. During the night, the
Captain heard the moans of a dying soldier. Without knowing whose
side the soldier was on, he decided to risk his own life to save the wounded
man. Crawling through the gunfire, the Captain reached the soldier and
began pulling the wounded man back towards camp. When he reached his camp,
the Captain discovered that the man was a Confederate soldier, and he was
already dead. When the Captain lit a lantern, his breath caught in his
throat. Stunned and hearbroken, he gazed upon the still face of his own
son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out.
He enlisted with the Confederate army and didn't tell his father.
The following morning,
the Captain asked his superiors to give his son a full military burial,
despite enemy status. His request was partially granted. Instead of being
allowed a full Army Band to play at the funeral, he could only have one
musician. The Captain picked a bugler,and had him play some notes that
were written on a scrap of paper he found in his son's uniform. That tune
came to be known as "Taps"."
" Duo?"
" Yeah, Heero?"
"Do you think anyone will play taps for us
when we die?"
" I hope so, Heero."
owari.
Taps
By: Pyro