The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-08-09

when spread it out i saw at the top,
my dear SON
| knew the beggar must have drop.
ped it, and then my heart gave one big
thump, as if it had been turned into q
hammer.
Perhaps the story was true and he
had mother. / shivered all over,
and the fire and candles and the nice
comfortable smells might as well not
been at all. / was cold ard wretched.
And over and over again l had to
say to myself what Id heard our pas
tor say SO often, Never give anything
to chance beggars, my friends; always
bestow your aims on worthy persons,
through well organized societies, be-
fore | could get bit of comfort. And
what fool | was to cry, / thought,
when found my checks so wet
But did not cry long; for, as / sat
there dash and crash and jingle came
a sleigh over the road, and it stopped
at our gate, and l heard my Charles
voice crying:
4 'Halloa, motheisp
And / went out to the door, and had
him i'll my arms my great, tall, hand
some brown son.
And there he was in his uniform,
with his pretty shoulder straps, and
as hearty as if be had never been
through hardships. He had to leave
to put the horse up, and then had by
the fire again my own boy. And Dru-
silla, who had been up stairs, and had
been crying-why, wonder ?-came
down in a hutter-for they were like
brother and sister-and kissed her.
and she kissed him, and then away
she went to set the table, and the nice
hot things smoked on cloth as white
as snow; and how Charlie enjoyed
them ! But once, in the midst of all,
felt frightened feeling come over
me, and ! knew / turned pale, for
Drusilla said, What is the matter,
aunt Fairfax 2
[ said nothing, but it was this: Kind
o like the ghost of step, going
champ, champ, over the frozen snow;
kind O like the ghost of voice, say
ing, 1et me lie on the floor before your
fire, and give me any kind of crust; !
kind O like seeing some one who had a
mother, dropping down on the winti'y
road, and freezing and starving to
death there That was what it was.
But | put it away, and only thought
of Charlie.
We drew up together by the fire,
when tea was done, and he told us
things about the war I'd never heard
before. How the soldiers suffered
and what weary marches and short
rations they sometimes had. And
then he told me how his life had been
in danger; how lie had been set upon
by rebels and badly wounded; and
how at the risk of his own life, fell
low-soldier had saved him, and carried
him away fighting his path back to
camp.
I'D never have seen you but for
him, says my Charlie. And if there's
man on earth love, it is Rob Hada-
way-the dearest, best fellow We've
shared each others rations, and drank
from the same canteen many and many
a time, and if ever l had brother,
couldn't think more of him..
Why didn't you bring him home TO
see your mother, Charlie 2 said l.
why I'd loved him too, and anything
l could do for him, for the man who
saved my boys life, couldn't be enough.
Send for HIM Charlie But Charlie
shook his head, and covered his face
with his hands.
Mother said he, L don't know
whether Rob Hadaway is alive or dead
to-day. While was still in the ranks
he was taken prisoner And the rebel
prisons are poor places to live in,
mother. I'd give my right hand to be
able to do him any good; but L can
find no trace of him. And he has n
mother, too, and she is so fond of him.
She lives at Greenbank--poor old lady
My dear, good, noble Rob, the preserv-
Ell of my life
And / saw Charlie was nearly cry
ing.
Not to let us see the tears, he got
up and went to the mantle-piece. l
did not look around until l heard a
cry:
Great heavens what is this 2 And
l turned, and Charlie had the tobacco
pouch, the man had dropped in his
hand.
Where did this come from 2 said
he. i feel as though L had seen n
ghost l gave this to Rob Hadaway
the day lie saved me.
We soldiers have not much to give,
you know, and he vowed never to part
with it while he lived. How did it
come here, mother?
And fell back i'll my chair, white
and cold, and said /, "A wandering
tramp left it here. Meyer your Rob,
my dear; never your Rob He must
have been an impostor, l wouldn't
have turned away person really in
want. oh /! no, no; it's another pouch,
child; not that, or he stole it. A tall
fellow with blue eyes and yellow-b brown
hair; wounded he said, and going to
his mother at Greenbank. Not your
Rob
And Charlie stood staring at me
with clinched hands; and said he, it
was my Rob, it was my dear old Rob,
wounded and starving my dear old
Rob who saved nv life. and Won have