The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1879-08-07


it, and written on il in ink, From G.
L. to II. II. ! and on the inside was
a bit of tobacco, and an old pipe, aud
a letter, rumpled old letter and
when spread it out ! saw on the
top. My dear son.
L knew the beggar must have
dropped it, and my heart gave one
light thump, as though it had been
turned into hammer.
Perhaps the story was truo and he
had q mother. | shiverod all over.
and the fire and candles aud the
nice comfortable smells might rs well
not bavo been at all / was cold aud
wretched.
Aud over aud over again | had to
say to myself what | heard our pas
tor say often Never give anything
to chance beggars, my dodr friends /.
always bostOw your aims ON worthy,
persons, through woll-Orgauizgd So
cieties,' before could got a bit of
comfort. And what an old fool | was
to cry, | thought, when | fodnl my
cheeks wet.
But l did not cry long, for as ]
sat there, dash aud crash aud jingle
came sloigh over the road, aud it
stopped at our gato, and | heard ny
Charities voice crying, "EallO, moth
er T. And | went TO tho door, and
had him in my arms-my great, tall,
handsome brown son. Aud there
bo was in his uniform, with his pret'
ty shoulder straps, and as handS
some rs il he had mover been through
any hardsLips. He had to leave mo
TO put the horse up, all then | had
by the fire my own son. Aud Dru'
silla, who had been up stairs Gnl
had been crying-why, l wonder
came down all in llutter-for they
were like brother aud sister--and lac
kissed her aud she kissed him, aud
then sho went to set the table aud
how nice the things smoked on Il
cloth white as snow and how Char.
lie enjoyed them But once in the
midst Of all felt Il frightened feel
ing como over me-, and knew
turned pale, for Druilla said What
is the matter, Aunt Fairfax ?
/ said nothing but it was this
Kind o. like the ghost of Il step go
ing champ, champ over tho frozen
snow; kind o like tue ghost Of d
voice saying /: "Let me lie on th,
aoor before your fire, aud give III,
any kind of u crust kind o like
some one that had a mother dowr
IN the wintry road, freezing anC
starving to death there. Tnis is
what it was. But 1 put it away, u ID
only thought of Charlie.
We drew up together by the fir,
when tea was done, and he told Us
u Iys about the war never heart
before-how the soldiers suffered
aud what weary marches and shJit
rations they sometimes had. Ant
then he told me his life had been IL
danger how he had been s9t upon
by the foe aud been badly wounded
md how, ut the risk OF his own life
a fellow had saved him, aud carried
him away, fighting bis way back tt
camp.
II would never have seon you bu,
for him. says Charlie And /
there's II man on earth | love, IL!
, Rob Hadaway dearest best fol-
| low! We've shared each other
rations and drank from tho same
canteen many and many time an,
if / had brother | could not th.al
moro Of him.
why didn't you bring him Lom'
to see your mother, Charles I? sale
II. "Why, I'd love him, too, and
anything could do for him, for the
man who saved rny boys life, coul(
not bo enough. Send for him
Charlie,
But Charlie shook his head an,
covered his face with his hands.
Mother, said he, 4 don't know
whether Rob Hadaway is alive oil
dead to-day. While was still i,
the ranks he was taken prisoner
And tho military prisons are poo
places to 1.-Two in, mother. I'd give
my right hand to be able to do hin
any good but l can find no traco
OF him. And ho has n mother, too
and she is so fond of him She live
at Greenbauk-poor old lady. NJ!
dear, good, noble Rob, tho preserves
Of my life !
And saw Charley was noarl.
crying.
Not to let us 500 tho toars no go
up and went TO tho mantal piece
| did not look around until 1 hearI
q cry:
.t,reat heaven what is it y
! And | turned, and Charlie had th
tobacco pouch tho man had drop
ped in his hand.
"Whero did this come from
feel as though l had seen n ghost,
gave this TO Rob Hadaway tho da
he saved me. Wo soldiers had no
much TO give, you know, and h
vowed never 10 part with 1t while h
, lived. How did it como here moth
eri'
Aud ] foil back in my chair, whit
and cold. Said l:
"A wandering tramp loft it here
Never your Rob, my dear, neve