The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-25
"What a strange child" Mr.. Leonard

was thinking.
"He was so handsome and tall, went
on the little fellow, looking back into the
fre-lights. "He wore nice clothes, too,
like yours, and he lived in great big
house, most as big as this. l used to sit
next to him at the table, and he gave me
that to drink" pointing to the wine glass.
"Mother would cry sometimes but he
would kiss her, and tell her that good
wine would make me strong and hand
some. One day he went away for long
time, and mother cried all the while he
was gone. When he got back he struck
her, and then fell down on the floor
screamed because l thought he was dead
The black man that drove the horses
came up stairs and helped mother get
him to bed She said he was sick. He
used to scream and fight if any one went
near him. 1t was the red wine that
made him so. mother said. And then
one night he died, and there was great
funeral. After that, mother packed up
our clothes and went to live where she
could get some money. We've only got
two little rooms now. Mother sews on
a machine. Sometimes she cries all
night, guess"
He had been talking very last, but
stopped suddenly.
Mr.. Leonard moved uneasily.
} "This is what you wanted to tell me.'
eyes, sir. Every time come by the
window and see you sitting here, you
J make me think of my father, and | won
dered If you had any little boy at home,
) and how he and his mother would feel if
you should die because of red wine," and
, then the tears came, and Eddie Boynton
: slid down from the big arm chair and
stood beside Mr.. Leonard, who had turn
ed his face away. Eddie wondered if
: the gentleman was crying too. He could
not see the big brown eyes, for his head
was dropping upon his breast.
t "Pm going home now, sir. My mother
| will have supper ready, and be frightened
| if don't come," and before Mr.. Leonard
/ had reused from the painful reverie, the
child had slipped from the warm cheer
r full room, and was running down the
, dark street to his waiting mother.
In all the years to come Arthur Leon
| ard and Eddie Boynton-man and boy
! may never meet again. The room in
| the luxurious club house is deserted
the fire is out, the room is dark, the
heavy curtain is down at the big win
dow; but in beautiful home the brown
, eyes look lovingly at sweet woman,
and to the rosy boy that hangs around
his neck the father whispers: "God
bless you, my child, and keep you from
the destruction of the red Wine"
What Presence of Mind Did for a Soldier.
1t was during the siege Of Wagner, and
the Union parallels were but a few hun
dred yards away from the line of grim
black tubes that ever and anon "embow-
elled with outrageous noise the air-dis-
gorging foul their devilish glut-of iron
globes" A line af abattis was to be built
across clear space in point-blank range
of the rebel gunners and sharp shooters.
Sergeant" says the officer in charge
, Ego pace that opening and give me the
l distance as near as possible" Says the
. sergeant (for we will let him tell the rest
, of the story, 81 started right off. Wher
> I got to the opening put 'er like the
devil in a gale of wind. What with
e grape, canister, round shot, shell and 6
s regular bees nest of rifle balls, / jus
think there must have been a fearfu
!. drain of ammunition on the Confederate
, government about that time. l dom,
know how it was, but | didn't get 81
much as a scratch, but I did get power
: full scared. When l d got under cover
' couldn't er told for the life o ME wheth
S er it was a hundred or hundred thous
q and paces I should sooner er guessed {
hundred thousand. Says the captain
well, sergeant, what do you make it7
t Soon's could get my wind, says l., 'Givt
$ guess, captain He looks across tht
, opening second or two, and then says
"A hundred and seventy-five PAGES, say.
Thunder, captain, says l, you We madl
!, pretty close guess. It's just hundred
e and seventy-one.' "And," added TIL,
t sergeant, after the laugh had subsided
that's how l got my shoulder straps"
+ "Old Nails"
I boston Commercially
Tho wirv old President of q CONNER