The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-07-15
AN L SOLDIER.

On a December evening in The year
1870 q train, entering the depot with
much noise and hustle, elected Gottlieb
Braun into the city streets.
There was nothing remarkable In the
circumstance. He was small and insig-
nificant in appearance, with an express
sion of patient suffering, and one arm
rome. Such was Gottlieb Braun, one
of those quiet natures capable of BRAY
cry, also capable of fighting in the last
trench, as he had done in the war, which
had manned, crippled, and made him a
pensioner. Had you asked him where
the arm was lost, he would have replied
with military brevity, Gettysburg"
Or did you inquire as to the cause of an
ugly sabre cut across the brow, and a
woundin the thighrendering quickmove-
ments painful, he would have added,
"Seven Oaks" and "Shenandoah."
Despair had rendered him a nero for a
brief moment; he had sought death in
the ranks and had not found it, but hope
had died within him long before, when
his little daughter Gretchen was swept
away by the fever: a lonely, quiet man,
of whom war had made a cruel sport, and
left alive. Humble as he was, Gottlieb
still cherished ambition; in summer he
was a peddler back among the hills; in
winter he mended shoes. The ruin of
large business houses cast a shadow
abroad; the ruin of Gottlieb Braun,
soldier-peddler, occasioned no comment
in the mercantile world, and brought
--.zf 1-1- - lie o--, Ioar4 rm,o a-4,.a-
mists of mountain lakes had claimed him
as a victim of ague, and while he was i'll,
strong men robbed him of his little
stock. Surely, among the crimes of
earth that cry out to heaven, this rob-
berry must be heard Did Gottlieb weep
and repine2 Not at all. He was now
coming to draw his pension of 800, and
in the spring would start life again.
Here he was in the city streets, gazing
about him blankly, without a friend,
and, still worse dilemma, with no money
III his pocket. 1t would make no differ
ence to any one how he went or came,
he thought; and yet at that very moment
Christine Carlen, terror in her wide blue
eyes, WIS saying to the shopman, 81
never did itp'
The chance of being left supperless
and without shelter had a still worse
aspect when it is remembered that it was
Saturday night, with Sunday coming,
and Gottlieb would not receive his pen
sion until the following Wednesday.
Up among the mountains the Sabbath
meant nature-worship to Gottlieb; skies
were then brighter, and sunshine rippled
the silver waters of cascades; the breeze
played among the leaves; and In all the
voices of woods and air he heard only
the laughter of his child Gretchen. Often
at such times he took a pen and endeav.
ored to write his thoughts of her on the
day of days, when heaven kissed earth:
but his great need would NOS flow IL
words on paper; he remained dumb, the
purple mountains raising a prayer al
about him.
In the town all was different. He
paused on the ~curb-stone irresolutely
pierced by the miserable conviction tina
he was weary, hungry, and cold. A car
rage drew up, and a gentleman who's
bearing betrayed fussy importanc,
alighted.
"Bless my SOUL I am late, actual,
late for a dinner partyinmy ownhousel'
he exclaimed, testify, his glance falling
on Gottlieb Braun.
The gentleman, whose middle age wa
smooth, rosy, and rotund, ever as that o
Gottlieb was sharp and meagre, ascende(
the broad steps of a house, and was me
at the threshold by a trim servant.
"Haye not arrived, eh?" he said, rub
bling his hands. every good. Still tn
fish may be spoiled, Maria" Again hi
preoccupied gaze fell on Gottlieb, who
victim of circumstances, advanced an
begged for assistance.
Mr.. Caldwell listened with a certai
exasperated composure. He was a pei
son of weight in the world, wealthy an
noted for being connected with man
branches of charity; still he never CAV
at the door. A safe member of society
this, not liable to be carried away by in
pulse; whose very heart must be divide
into sections for distinct emotion,
whose principles, measured by rule an
compass, did not permit Gottlieb Brau
to gather crumbs which fell from til
table spread for a foreign attache an
Mr.. Thorn the millionaire.
The trim servant still held the doc
open, permitting a glimpse of marb.
vestibule, q rim of crimson rug, I'll
sweep of a velvet curtain, and a group
lovely children playing with a poodle.
SIT is against my rules to give none,
I dare say your story is true. Served
the war, Ell? And did not run away2"
"No," said Gottlieb, simply.
Mr.. Caldwell pursed up his lpssourl,
and did not spare himself. At the ris
of having his guests discover him wit
out a dress-coat, he searched in a corpr
lent pocketbook for a small red ticket.
"Take that to the Poor Bureau.
policeman will direct you. Now be off
Gottlieb turned away. Curious fres
of destiny! AS Gottlieb, a poor &c
man, was thus dismissed, the attach
also a German, was received with exec
sive urbanity in the house he cond
scended to honor. The trim servan
Maria, ran out ON the step after adm
ting the visitors, fumbling in her peck
for pennies. Gottlieb had disappeare
Half an hour later he found the b
reau, having twice Numbered and MISS
his way. The place was closed for Il
night. He wandered on without pu
pose to the corner. The bitter wind III
lulled; the somber clouds, gathering
dense masses overhead, promised Il
first snow of the year.
MI. Caldwell, adjusting his napkin al
presiding owe a table glittering wi
silver and gorgeous with flowers al
light, was observing:
eff trufles are not indigenous in t
country, Count, they may be cultivated
Gottlieb observed q church, massi
and dark, with a slender shaft toweril
far above the surrounding roofs. T.
church meant cool darkness, silenc
purity, after the reeking streets, if o.
could gain entrance. He tried the do
mechanically; it was locked, VIII