Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1874-12-31
TIE BITrxRk0 VETERAN

"Pore soi.ii.r 2" exclaimed lone old
widow In East Tennessee. a. n battered
Veteran In blue appeared nc Asv door and
lnerkly asked for q cup of cold water ;
pore soldier know In rvsson that
son are tired and thirsty, and that you
vii DC powerful glad TO get drink OF
water. not 10 speak VI little sushin 10
mix With II"
Thank you, mum. but belong 70
the Daughters OF Temperance, AMI can
drink, unless it's n little Ina the way OF
medicine, and do feel very weak, as 1
H~v" marched more than forty mii1s TO-
day"
:rursy mile the laws have massy -
How could you do itS Why, il would
kill my mule."
III Is very hard; but we gct used to 10.
wouldn't have minded IL II had lad
any thing 10 eat"
"Sakrs alive Do come In and ate
down. Pore soldier ;"
The GOOD old lasly brought out o black
bottle, from which the battered veteran
poured lea-spoonf,Il into glass Of wa
Ter. and took u vigorous pull III the bot
Tie when her back was turned. Then she
placed before him substantial supper
of ham and eggs and corn bread and
coffee, upOa which BIC advanced in gal
lant sivle.
And YOU are mighty young 10 be Q
soldicrin'." she said. looking ~ him be-
nignantly over her spcct9clrs.
"Yes, NUNS am the only son OF my
widowed mother; but my country called
me. and my duty TO my country is only
second to NV duty tony Orator.
"Sho Way, you talk as Pesrt As
minister"
Il was studying FOR the ministry when
the war broke out 4"
chad notion that the soldiers were
all 90 wickeds but I'm glad to find out
that they ain't You have seen . power
OF ightin'. / reckon '"
* great deal, mum. II Is hard for
Christian 70 take life, but the enemies OF
our country must be punished"
Jess so. Have you ever been wound
sdi"
VERY often. / was once shot through
the heart
Through the heart Lawful sakes
Didn't II XIII your
mot quite The Internal muscle was
penetrated longitudinally aud extrsvs-
ranged across the left lobe Of tbs arach-
mold artery, producing comminuted
fracture Of the anterior process OF the
serebrllum, and causing lesion OF the
spinal viscera, and the hypophosphates
Of the fibuls, and tha, delayed my TO
eoxeFy"
"Yoa don't mran 10 say that you lived
through all that ?"
"Iwas spared, mum, 10 be an humble
monument Of the mercy of Providence.
should think So" What was that
noise II sounded like somebody down
she cellar"
Nothing but rats. Don't be alarmed,
madam lam here and viii protect you.
! once defended the house of widow
when 10 was attacked BY dozen guerrii-
las. I WAS obliged to kill seven OF them,
and the rest run away"
"DO tell Should think you ought TO
be an officer"
1.-THE President has tried TO persuade
me 10 accept commission as general,
but have believed that can serve my
country better In my present sphere.
Thank YOU, don't care il / do take
spoonful Of that. must be going now,
Il nearly time for our evening meeting,
and must be there to open It. Have you
such thing rs pocket Bible TO spare!
Mine was DESTROYED In the last battle, By
being struck By bullet in my coat -pock.
ct. 1t WAS the last gift OF my beloved
mother, and il saved my life.
Lawful sakes What blessed thing
IL Is TO have Bible There Is one that
belonged 10 my Matilda Jane but l
know that You will make good use of
IT. Twill remember you in my prayers,
pore soldier!
As the last rays OF the setting sun light
Ell up the fac. Of that battered yeicran,
they shone upon two big tears that slowly
trickled down either cheek, making
miniature canals through the dust that
coated his epidermis He walked up the
road until he was joined BY several more
battered veterans, who came out ola cor
ner of the fence Two Ofthem bore keg.
others carried tin bucket, others had
their arms full of bottles
Have you got il, hoysf ?" asked the
veteran " whom the Bible had been pre-
senied
IAN right Ten gallons OF peach
brandy, krg Of apple jack. aud ever 50
many bottles OF blackberry wine. The
old lady WA well fixed.
You made such noise that she would
have snakcd you " hadn't been there
to.throw her of the track Let's 90 and
divide. fought 10 have the biggest share,
a. / had the hardest part of the work.
IL is thus that patriotism and virtue
are rewarded.