The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-03-08
A True story of the Revolution.


Just at the close of the Revolutionary
wa, there was seen somewhere in one OF
the small towns of central Massachusetts,
a ragged, forlorn looking soldier coming
up the dusty street. He looked about on
the corntields tasseling for the harvest, on
the rich bright patches of wheat ready for
the sickle, and on the green potato fields
with curious eyes-so at least thought Mr..
iowne, who was walking leisurly behind
MN, going home from the reaping to his
supper. The latter was a stout farmer,
dressed In home made brown linen trow-
sers, without suspenders, vest or coat.
me ragged soldier stopped under the de-
ight!ui shade OF great sugar MAPLE, and
Mr. Iowne, ovsrtaking him, stopped also
Home from the wars p he asked
just out of the British clutches" re.
| piled the man Il I've been prisoner for
years Then he rejoined suddenly
Can you tel! me who lives in the next
house p? Is it yours 2
No, replied Mr.. Towne "Tompkins
lived there. That house and farm used
| to belong to comrade of yours as sup
| pose; his name was Jones but he was
shot at Bunker hill, and his widow mar.
rIed this man Tompkins"
The soldier leaned against the tree
kind OF people are they there? Would
they be likely to let poor soldier have
something to eat?'
" If Tomkins is out you'd be treated
first rate there Mrs Tomkins is "a nice
little woman, but he is the snarliest cur
that ever gnawed bone. He is a terrible
suily nelghbor, and leads her dogs life
She missed II marrying the fellow, but YOU
see she had hard time of il with the
farm after Jones went OFF soldering and
when nay son came back and said Ia was
dedd-he saw hIm bleeding to death on
the battle iield-she broke right dow n. and
TINS Iomkins came along and got into
work for her | advised her 10 have him
and / am sorry did it always have a
bite .or any poor fellow that's fought for
his country.
'Thank you kindly" returned the sol
der, e. but Mrs. Tomk n i d;staut-a
sort o. old acquaintance The fact is,
used to know her first husband, and
guess will call there
Mr. Towue watched him as he went VI
to the door and knocked, and saw that lac
was admitted by Mr.. Tompkns
a. Some old sweetheart OF hers may be,
said Nr Io"ne, noddIns 10 himself lie
comes too late; poor woman. she has q
went home TO supper, and we will 20 IL
with tie soldier
Could you give poor soldier a mouth
ful to eat r he asked of the pale, nervous
woman wt-o opened the door
Ny husband does not allow me To give
any thing TO traveller, she said, " bat
always ieei Tor the soldiers coming back
ana ii give you some supper If you won
be lon- e.tii,., il; she wiped her eyes with
her white and blue checked apron, ano
set with alacr.ty about provIa:o. refresh
neDts ior the poor man, who had thrown
himself IN the nearest chair, and with Ia.
head leaning on his breast, seemed toe
tired even 10 remove his hat from hi:
head
; = ! am glad 10 have you eat, and would
not hurry you FOR anything, she said IN q
quick frightened way, =" but you will ca
quick, wont you, for expect every min
nte he II be Ia.
The man drew his chair up to the table
keeping his hat on his head a. though Ia,
belonged to the Society OF friends, bu
that could hardly be, foc the friends d,
uot eoao the wars lie ate heartily o
bread and butter, aud cold meat ana nov
long he was about 1t
Mrs Tompkins iidgeteJ Dear me,
she said 10 herself If he only knew h.
wou.dn bc so cruel as TO let iompkiu
come Ia aud tinI him here She wen
and looked from the window uneasI!y. bu
the soldier gave no token Of hi, mea
coming to an end "Now he IS pouiin.
vinegar on cold cabbage and potatoes
can not ask him 10 take them away in hi
naud-Oh dear, how slow lie is hasn
the man got any teeth p At last she said
mildly, am ve:y sorry to hurry you, sir
but couldn't you let ine spread you som'
bread and butter, and cut some slices O
+ meat, to take away with you? Ny hus
band will use abusive language II he find
you here.
Before the soldier could reply, fcots;ep
were heard on the stone at the back door
aud a man entered He stopped shor,
and looked at the soldier a. :. savage do
might look. Then he broke out in !. ton
between now. :;:ic: S:ii,: :. :"ar;
Hey dey, Molly, pretty piece oil Dus.
ness! What have | told you, time ane
again, madam? You Il find you had bet
ter mind your master. And you, you lazy
thieviug vagabond, let me see you vel
out of my house and OK my ladd a gooo
deal quicker than you came on the pre-
nises
Your house! your land T. exclaimed
the soldier starting suddenly up, cree
and tall, and dasting off his hat with
hasty and fiery gesture. His eyes tiashel
like tightening, and his lips quivered witt
indignation, as he confronted the aston
ished Tompkins. The latter was evlden.
" afraid OF him, and the poor wife hat
given a sudden nervous shrek when tn,
soldier first started TO his feet and daehe,
of his hat, and had sunk trembling anC
half fainting i'll her chair, FOR she recog
nlzed him. ...
You hain't any business to interfere
between HE and my wife, said lompkin
cowed by the attitude of the soldier
Your wife, exclaimed the soldier
with the very concentration of contemp
expressed in his voice, and pointing to hin
with an indignant finger,
:" am Harry Jones, since you ask, re
Piled the soldier, the owner of this hous
and this land, which you will leave thi
very hour! As for Molly" sottening hi
tone as he turned TO the woman now sot
bng hysteric,lly, she shall choose be
g tween us.
20 Harry" sobbed she, while Tompkin
! stood dumb with astonishment, take me
save me
With one step he was at her side, hold
!. ing her In his arms What did yo1
mean treating this poor child so Didyo'
think because she had no earthly protee
tor that there was not God in Heaven t,
take her part against you
No man who is cruel to a woman is eve
trulp brave, and Tompkins SUNK ava
like a beaten spanel. .-..... q
The next day had not passed away be
fore everybody in the town knew tha
Harry Jones had come home alive ant
well to rescue his much enduring, patien
/ wife from a worse conStraint than that O
British prson--but what they all said
: and what Molly felt, must leave you t,
imagine, for here the legend ends