I am trying to find the words to a poem or short story entitled A soldier's
reprieve thatI think was written by RDC Robbins/The only Soldier's
Reprieve that i can find is by MCgonegall.Can you send me the words to
the one by
Robbins or any other author    Thank's
                                PGB

Hi pgb,

There is no reference on the internet to any poem or short story by
Robbins entitled "Soldier's Reprieve".

However, in addition to McGonagall's peom
http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/poems/mpgreprieve.htm
there is a touching short story and another poem with the same title
and theme: the story of a girl who pleads with Abraham Lincoln to
spare the life of her brother who is about to be shot for sleeping at
his post whilst on sentry duty.

The author of the short story is unknown, although it is often
credited to the New York Observer in which it has been printed. You
can read it on several websites, including these:

Twilight Stories
http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/youth/classic/TwilightStories/chap19.html

bygosh.com Featured Short Story
http://www.bygosh.com/Features/2004/12/soldiersreprieve.htm

The other version of the poem is credited to Rose Hartwick Thorpe
writing in the Detroit Free Press, and tells a slightly different
story from McGonagall's version. It was published in John Hill
Aughey's "Tupelo" in 1905, and can be found starting at the bottom of
page 459 in this massive HTML reproduction of the book:

John Hill Aughey, "Tupelo"
http://docsouth.unc.edu/aughey/aughey.html

An illustration from "Tupelo" of the girl with Lincoln is here:
http://docsouth.unc.edu/aughey/illustr29.html

I trust that you find these references useful. Please request
clarification if this answer does not yet meet your needs.


Google Search Strategy

"soldier's reprieve"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22soldier%27s+reprieve%22

"soldier's reprieve" -mcgonagall
://www.google.com/search?q=%22soldier%27s+reprieve%22+-mcgonagall

"soldier's reprieve" -mcgonagall -"twilight stories"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22soldier%27s+reprieve%22+-mcgonagall+-%22twilight+stories%22

"rdc robbins" reprieve
://www.google.com/search?q=%22rdc+robbins%22+reprieve

"soldier's reprieve" robbins OR robbens OR robins OR robens
://www.google.com/search?q=%22soldier's%20reprieve%22%20robbins%20OR%20robbens%20OR%20robins%20OR%20robens


Regards,
eiffel-ga

---

Request for Answer Clarification by pgb-ga on 22 Apr 2004 18:35 PDT

Hummer-ga sent me a reference to a poem written by J P Abraham which
wa published in 1894. HE got this from OCLC but didn,t send me the
words. Please send me the poen. Thanks   PGB-ga

---

Clarification of Answer by eiffel-ga on 22 Apr 2004 23:52 PDT

Hi pgb,

The Online Computer Library Center
http://www.oclc.org/
that hummer-ga referenced is a membership-only organization for
libraries, so unfortunately I cannot access their data.

You can search for their participating institutions here:
http://www.oclc.org/contacts/libraries/default.htm
and if one of those libraries is close to you, a librarian there may
be able to help you with your search.

Regards,
eiffel-ga

Hi pgb,

Here's another - thanks to the OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) -

The soldier's reprieve : a souvenir poem
By: J P Abraham
Publisher: [Lancaster, Pa.? : s.n.], ©1894.

Regards,
hummer

Hi pgb,

The OCLC only lists the information that I copied for you, it doesn't
post the contents of a book. If you search for a book at the ABAA
(Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America) and no match is
found, you will be able to
search the OCLC.

Type in "Soldier's Reprieve" at the following link, choose "Title" and
click "Find". On the next page click "Find it in a Library" button.
You'll see the information that I already provided and also be able to
type in your postal code to search libraries:
http://www.abaa.org/

Sorry, I haven't been able to find the book anywhere for you.

Regards,
hummer