The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-11-14

10 her fathers 10 St.Louis, wAitin' fof hin
TO come for her. That night he started
expectin' to get back In about thrc
weeks. Fore be went he gave me finl
dollars Of mine that he had be allewo,
to get bis check cashed In the city.
seed him on, an then walked back to tht
house here with the hfty dollars in m,
pocket. Il was mighty lonesome here
an alone SO starts sn' goes over ther,
70 that rum-mlll for company. Well,
sposc you can guess the rest colonel. II
bout an honr was warped the worst =,
ever seed-you knows what | am sicl
timcs-an' kept Il up. In ten days
don't believe eat days rations; fist
poured rum, rum into me all the time
til wasn't ft for nothin' but a straight.
jackeet or knockin' in the head. Fact
was jist as crazy as hoss In fire, an
list made this town howl.
1t was one night late came rollin
home from the tavern full as a tick, q
mutterln, crazy.like, an strikin' ont al
things thought was a folerin me, when
as ! come mp near the door here, seed q
man a-movin' around IN that sittin' room.
There was candle burnin In that bed.
room, where Forty-Eights a-slcepin',
now, an the man seemed to be a tryin' to
light fire in the other room. ! was Just
achin' for somebody to pitch into, an as
! didn't expect the leftenant for bout two
weeks yet, | hadn't no thought but that
II was somebody In there after somethin'
wrong. fist gave one yell, jumped into
the room, an bad him quicker nor light
MIN. I'm ugly when Pm warped, as We
knows, colonel, and il wasn't half sec
ond before had that man up In my
bands, an was just goin' to bring him In
a smash down onto the hearth, when the
door of the bedroom opened, an she came
ont mot a-rushin' an a-screamin,' jst
quiet an quick, like thistle-down blowed
across the floor by puff or breeze. She
came right up TO me--all in white she
was, an her long hair a-streamin over
her shoulders, an her big eyes Iookin'
at mean she jist laid her hands on
one of my arms (she had to reach up for
to do it, and felt as though had been
struck with lightnin'. List wiIted right
sorry, skeered, feelin' | don't know
how. ] let go my hold on the man.
heard his voice, an gave one look at him !;
II was the leftenant; an then the cryin' of
q baby came out from the other room.
I've heard fellows talk bout wishin'
that the ground would swoller them up,
but never felt like wishin' that same un-
Ill that time. seed that I'd hurt him
bad; he could only ketch his breath, an
speak word now an then as he lay on
Ihe floor, with her leanin' over hin. !
hadn't q word to say. Jlst turned
'ound TO go out an get away--anywheres
| didn't care where. lie must a-said
something to her, for she came after me
% the door in her bare feet, on the cruel
,old floor, an she laid her little hand on
ne again, an says, lew, sorry-like, jist
Inc sound of soft music.
Saml Come back, Sam, an help me
AXE care of him.
Colonel, broke right down. didn't
lnow before that there was any cry In
ne, but 1t came then. Ye see, was
weak from drink an not eatin' nothin'
IN it was that, or somethin' that unset
led me-
She knowed me from hearin' him talk
about me- The reason they'd come
nome sooner was because some sickness
lad broken out in her fathers house, an
70 he brought 'em home for fear of the
)abby. | went back with her, sir, an
helped the leftenant up, an did all
,ould, but couldn't look him In the face.
An herl didn't dare to speak to her at
III. SO little, so light, so brave-seemed
o me as though my big, heavy voice
would hurt her, never felt as though
he was a human being; seemed as tho
he'd just come from somewhere-from
Up above-jist TO keep me from kiIlin'
him: an watched, an watched, ex-
,eetin' every minute to see her vanish.
] did all could that night, an then
aid down on the floor and, tried 10 sleep.
Next mornin' was mighty low an shaky
m couldn't hardly move my head. The
eftenant was about, but never said a
word Of the row. She came an made me
get up an 90 up stairs an lay down on
ny bed, an then she brought me tea an
.oup that she'd made with her own
lands.
An that ev'nin' she sat with me up
here an 'twarnt no preachin' nor yet jist
ike talkin-what she said warn't. IT,
sind Of come over one just like the music
lsed to sound Of a still Sunday cv'nin'
when fellow was a-layin' out on picket,
m the band, way back in camp, would
play some Of them hymn-tunes, and the
1reeze would bring Il through the air
over the tree-tops, til you thought il was
Il often have when I've shut my eyes
he bright angels a-singin' quiet happy
.ongs' way up in the sky.
An then she asked me, for her sake to
promise that wouldn't never touch rum
20 mote, an did promise An that prom
se an that promise | have kept, and
viii keep 50 help me Godi'
What times them was, colonel, when
he an him was hcrel Seemed TO me,
when she was around, that we warn't
ierc at all. couldn't no more have
bought bad thought or said bad
yord than | eould have struck her.
didn't know myself. ! used to pinch my.