West-Jersey pioneer., 1878-06-27

ureduiul, dHu III WAS eVeTyWuero dC OHce
/ They were afraid of her. They might face
the enemy, but Aunt Teddy was something
more. And Charley. She just went up to
the poor lad, and took his face between her
two bony hands.
"Charley?' she said, And he turned
his smiling, meaningless face to her, and
laughed low, and did not know her.
She sat quietly down, and rocked herself
to and fro. No; Aunt Teddy could do moth
ing, either.
So the days. wore on, and some of the
boys saw her sitting beside Charley, holding
his hands in hers, and looking tiercely about
her like lioness guarding her young She
would not have him stir from her, and he
seemed perfectly contented beside her.
And when the men saw her sitting there,
fierce and on guard, holding the boys hand
in her own, and he smiling and happy y-look-
ing, they felt lump in their throats; and
in way they respected Aunt Teddy more
than if she had cried over him, calling him
loving names, for they saw strength there,
like their own-strength for protection.
And, do you know, it was said that when
Sandy Green saw her coming on that day,
he hobbled out as fast as he could, and
with white face; and he would not 90
near her, when she asked for the man who
had written her about Charley; he, too,
was afraid-the gaunt, grim apparition.
To the 1ootnrc Sba uaS litfla ,,,o,o oo,,
ciliating, and, although she told them they
did not understand their business, yet, when
one of them leaned down, and tried to take
Charley's hand from hers to give it friend
ly shake, she said:-
"Don't please! want to hold him to me,
for he's all I've got" And the doctor
could not help grasping hers, with great
choke in his throat.
eff we could awaken Charley to some
memory Of the past" said the doctor to her,
one day, "1f we could bring him back to
the day before the fight-if he could recog-
nize something he had known then, we
coud save him, perhaps
'1'm not rich woman" was the reply,
"but lll write, this instant, to my agent to
sell my house. And that money-all have
in the world-I'll give to the man who
brings my boy back to me.''
Now all this was duly reported about the
eamp-all this, and more. And it was told
to Sandy Green among others. He shook
his head gruffly.
But in the middle of the night, Sandy
rose up like one possessed, and searched
around, and found an old flat cigar box.
All the next day he worked mysteriously
and kept lookers-o on away. For two days
he scraped at it. On the thild, Charley
was to go away with his aunt, for she had
determined to take him home.
On this last evening, Sandy Green was
seen lurking about the hospital; and once
when Aunt Teddy rose and went to see
about some final preparations for the depar-
ture, he darted in, caught Charley by the
hand, and limping swiftly away with him
to little knoll far off, took him to drum,
laid sideways on the ground, and seating
him there, pulled out a cigar box, shaped
like violin, the strings of Charley's own
lost instrument stretched upon it. Then
he brought out a rough bow.
Charley sat down there, and smiled vag-
uely up at the sky. Sandy drew the bow
across the strings, but before he could re-
peat it, a rustling sound was heard, and
there was Aunt Teddy, frightened ont of
her wits at missing Charley, and she was
followed by half the boys, and the two sur
geons among them.
Sandy Green raised his hand to warn
them. They stopped motionless. Then
slowly, laboriously out on the pleasant
evening air, came the old tune of s'Home,
Sweet Home" rudely and brokenly played,
but there it was. there it was!
The smile on Charley's face faded out
like the light of the ignus fatuus: STAR
tied expression came instead-he leaned for
ward-he listened.
The boys pressed closer and closer. Sandy
GREEN'S fingers trembled so that he could
scarcely hold the impromptu fiddle.
All at once, two tears rolled down Char
ley's face; he started up, looked confusedly
about him, opened his lips.
"Aunt Teddy!' he cried.
He was saved! HIS aunt was kneeling at
his feet, hugging his knees, crying wildly.
The boys stood there, glitter in their
eyes, until the two doctors went up to
Sandy Green, and shook him by the hand,
for he had done more than they could do,
and they owned up to it, Then they all
every man of them, went up to Sandy and
wrung his hand. He let the fiddle fall to
the ground, and his rough face " as scanned
with tears.
"Here! somebody lead me to Sandy
Green" cried voice, the voice of Char
ley's aunt; ''for can't see, I'm crying SC
hard, and my legs are clean gone from un-
der me-"
And Aunt Teddy was marched to him
but not before Charley had caught botf
Sandy's hands in his.
And what did Aunt Teddy do? She just
threw her arms around Sandy Green's neck
and gave him sounding kiss, before al
the boys, too.
And from score of strong throats came
a cry
"Three cheers for Sandy Greenland {
tiger"'
And she shook hands with them, ever.
one.
Aunt Teddy did not have to sell he
house, as reward for "any one who coult
save her boy"
The cigar box fiddle may be often seel
there, and often is seen there by Sand.
Green apd others, and it is christened-
"Charley's Fiddle ."-Feterson's Magazine
81 have brought you this bill until an
sick and tired of it," said collector to !;
debtor, upon whom he had called at leas
! thirty times tsYOu are ell ?'' cOOlly repliet