Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-21

the green potato helds, with curious eyes,
so at least thought Mr.. Towne, who was
walking leisurely behind him, going home
from the reaping to his supper. The latter
was stout farmer, dressed in homemade
brown linen trowsers, without suspenders,
vest or coat. The ragged soldier stopped I'M
der the shade of great sugar maple, and
Mr.. Towne overtaking him, stopped also.
s'Home from the wars?" he asked.
"Just out of the British clutchesl" replied
the man; "Pve been a prisoner for years"
He rejoined suddenly. "Can you tell me
who lives in the next house? Is it yours?"
mo-" replied Mr.. Towne. "Tompkins
lives there. That house and farm used to
belong to comrade of yours, as / suppose;
his name was Jones, but he was shot at Bun
ker Hill, and his widow married again"
The soldier leaned against the tree. "What
kind of man is he? mean what kind of
people are they there? Would they be likely
to let poor soldier have something to eat?"
"K Tompkins is out, you'd be treated first
rate there. Mrs. Tompkins is a nice woman,
but he is the snarliest cur that ever gnawed
bone. He is terrible surly neighbor, and
he leads her dogs life. She missed it mar
rying the fellow, but you see she had hard
time of it with the farm after Jones went off
oldiering, and when my son came back and
aid that he was dead-rhe saw him bleed to
death on the battlefield broke right
down, and this Toinpkins came along and
got into work for her, and he laid himself out
to do frst-rate. He somehow got on the
blind side of all of us, and when he offered
himself to her, advised her to have him, and
am sorry did it. You had better come
with me. always have a bite for any poor
fellow that's fought for his country"
THANK you kindly" returned the soldier,
"but Mrs. Tompkins is distant-a sort of
old acquaintance. The fact is, / used to
know her first husband, and / guess / viii
call there
Mr.. Towne watched him as he went up to
the door and knocked, and saw that he was
admitted by Mrs. Tompkins.
"Some old sweetheart of hers, may be-"
said Mr.. Towne, nodding to himself ale
comes too late; poor woman, she has had a
hard row to hoe now" Then Mr.. Towne
went home to supper, and we will 90 in with
the soldier.
"Could you give poor soldier mouthful
to eat?" he asked of the pale, nervous woman
who opened the door.
"My husband does not allow me to give
any thing to travellers" she said, "but always
feel for the soldiers coming back, and I'll give
you some supper if you won't be long eating
it" and she wiped her eyes with her white
and blue-checked apron, and set with alacrity
about providing refreshment for the poor
man, who had thrown himself in the nearest
chair, and with his head leaning on his breast
seemed too tired to remove his hat from his
face
81 am glad to have you eat, and wouldn't
hurry you for anything" she said in fright
ened way, ''but you scN eat quick, won't you?
for expect every minute he will be in"
The man drew his chair to the table, keep
ing his hat on his head as though he belonged
to the Society of Friends, but that could not
be, for the " Friends" do not 90 to the wars.
He ate heartily of the bread and butter and
cold meat, and how long he was about It'll
Mrs. Tompkins fidgetted. "Dear me-"
she said to herself, off he only knew, he
wouldn't be so cruel as to let Tompkins come
in and catch him here" She went and
looked from the window uneasily; but the
soldier gave no token of his meal coming to
an end. "Now he is pouring vinegar on his
cold cabbage and potatoes. / can't ask him
to take those away in his hand. Oh, dear,
how slow he isl hasn't the man got any teeth"
At last she said mildly, al am very sorry to
hurry you, sir, but couldn't you let me spread
some bread and butter, and cut you some
slices of meat to take away with you? My
husband will use abusive language to you if
he finds you here"
Before the soldier could reply, footsteps
were heard on the door-stone at the back
door, and man entered. He stopped short,
and looked at the soldier as a savage dog
might look. Then he broke out in a tone be-
tween growl and roar
"Hey, dey, Molly pretty piece of bust
nessl What have / told You tirne and again,
madam? You'll find you had better mind
your MASTER And you, you lazy, thieving
vagabond, let me see you clear out of my
house and off my land good deal quicker
than you came on the PREMISES
Your house and yOur landp exclaimed
the soldier, starting suddenly up, erect and
tall, and dashing off his hat with quick,
fiery gesture. His eyes flashed like lightning,
and his lips quivered with indignation as he
confronted the astonished Tompkins. The
latter was evidently afraid of him, and his
wife had given a sudden nervous shrek when
the soldier first started to his feet and flung
off his hat, and had sunk trembling and half
fainting in the chair, for she had recognized
him.
"You hain't any business to interfere be-
tween me and my wife," said Tompkins,
sulkiiy, cowed by the attitude of the soldier.
"Yow wifep exclaimed the soldier, with
the very concentration of contempt expressed
in his voice, and pointing to him with an in
dignant finger.
"Who are your asked Tompkins, with an
air of effrontery.
"Iam Harry Jones, since you ask" replied
the soldier, "the owner of this house and This
land, which you will leave this very hourl
As for Molly" softening his tone as he turned
to the woman now sobbing Historically, she
shall choose between u.s."
go, Harry" sobbed she, while Tompkins
stood dumb with astonishment, stake me, save
me-"
With one step he was at her side, holding
her in his arms. "What did you mean treat
ing this poor child so? Did You think be-
cause she had no earthly protector that there
was not God in heaven to take her part
against your"
No man who is cruel to a woman is ever
truly brave, and Tompkins skunk away like
beaten spaniel
The next day had not passed away before
everybody in the town knew that Harry Jones
had come home alive and well to rescue his
much-enduring, patient wife from a worse
constraint than that of British prison but
what they all said and what Molly felt, must
leave you to imagine, for here the legend
ends