Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-05-13
THE HUNTED SOLDIER.
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The eummor twilight was sllwiy closing
in upon the little village Of Elmdae, si,ua
ted in retired locality, in the eastern part
Of Virgin a man apparently wriukled
and bent with age, attired in the tattered
garb Of common beggar. and leaning
heavily upon stout stick by which he
supported his footsteps, was making lis
way with apparent difficulty, along one Of
the retired streets Of the village Unlike
most mendicaLts. he seemed to shun Obser>
Walton as much as possible, and crept steal
thily along, keeping mostly in the shadow
of the buildings, frequently casting furtive
Chances about him, US if fearful of notice or
pursuit. lie looked to be q fit object for
pity and commisseration, in his weIl-worn
suit and his long, white beard falling ~ q
tangled mass upon his breast, and many
stopped to SPEAK with, an / to bestow aims
upon him, despite his seeming reluctance
to heiug brought into notice.
After trave,sing quite long distance
without molestatioD, he was about 10 pass
shop of some kind about the doorway of
which group of five or six men were
collected, when one of them hailed him
with:
Whittier away so fast, gray beaId?
The OLD man gave sudden start, as he
heard the salutiOn, and then seemed to rec
ollect himself at once, for he said in trem
eious tone:
please, sir, give me dime, just dime
to buy bread within
'Pshaw I've no money to throw away
apon you! Besides, I'd bet,anything you
have got more spare change about you this
moment than myself
Seems to me you've got wonderfully frey
eyes for such an old fellow p said one Of the
men, sarcsstically.
The medicsnt answered not word, but
If his eyes looked frey before they now
fairly blazed.
Yes. and strangely long beard = cried a
third, Il wonder If it sticks wellv
And before the object of their sueers
mistrusted his design, the last speaker
gave pull at the gray, tangled mas which
decked his chin, and the whole came off
into the mans hand! The beard was
false!
For a few moments all seemed fairly
Supplied at the discovery. The pretended
begger was the first to recover himself
Pulling his hat hastily over his eyes, be
struck off down the street, with a speed
truly surprising in one so advanced in life,
group about the shop did nothing, at first.
but gaze at his retreatiDg figure. Then
one Of them said suddenly:
1t won't do to let that man escape until
we know more of him. He is not what be
seems. I'D stake my life, itself, that be is
one Ofihose bloody NOrtherners in dis
guisel
Yes, yes after him after him. cried
the others IN q chorus, catching the idea,
aud strangely excited by it.
All started rapidly in pursuit, but the
object Of their suspicious was quite dis
lance ahead of them, though still in sight.
lie was a swift runner-sO also were some
of those behind-aDd the race was, at first
doubtful one. For nearly half a mile,
be kept about the same distance ahead Of
them. Then one or two seemed to gain a
little upon him. lie noticed this, and all
at once he turned sharp corner, and pas
sed into another street. The front door to
one Of those dwellings near at hand stood
invitiDgly open. Without the least hesi.a.
ton he entered it, and closed the door be-
bind him. He found himself to be 10 q
long hall to which there seemed to be sew
eral entrances. Turning the knob to the
nearest Of these be stepped into what ap-
peared to be private parlor. At one of the
windows sat lovely girl engaged in read
ing. AT the entrance of the fugitive, she
started up with quick cry of surprise
AT first the man looked more astonished
than herself, then suddenly dashing aside
his hat, false hair, and eye brows, he
said:
%, it is you. Edith Thank God IL
Thank GodP
He sprang forward, caught the young