The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-06-21
But Charlie shook his head and covered his

| But (NdTiIC SHOOK MS ncuu anu CoNcTcu nl
face with his hands
"Mother," said he II don't know whc,hc,
Bob Hadaway is alive or dead today While
| was still in the ranks he was taken prisoner
And military prisons are poor places to live
| in, mother I'd give my right hand to be able
to do HIM any good; but | can find no trace
| of HIM, And he has Il mother, too, and she Is
so fond Of him, She lives at Grccnbank-
poor old lady Ny dear, good noble Bob, the
prescrver of my life
And saw that Charlie was nearly ready to
cry.
Not to let US see the tears he got up and
went to the mantlepiccc. | did rot look at
HIM until heard cry:
Great heaven! what Is IT."
And turned, and Charlie had the tobacco
pouch the beggar had dropped on the floor, in
his hand
Where did this come from: ! feel a-
though | had seen ghost gave this to Rob
Hadaway the day he saved me, We soldiers
had not much to give you know, and he vow
ed never to part with II while he lived How
did it come here, motherY'
And fell back IN my chair, white and cold
SAID |
"A wandering tramp lett it here, Never
your Bob. He must have been an imposter,
wouldn't have turned away a person in real
want Oh, no, no; IT'S another pouch child,
or he stole It, \ tall fellow with blue eyes
and yellow brown hair; wounded he said, and
going to his mother at Greenbank. Not your
Bob"
And Charlie stood staring at me with clcnch
ed hands; and said he
ut was my dear old Rob, wounded and
starving my dear Bob, who saved my life,
and you have driven him out in such night
as this, my mother. My mother, to use Bob
Iladaway sou
condemn me, Charlie" sid l. condemn
me if you like; am airaiG God VIII. Three
times he came back; three times he asked for
only crust and place to lie, and drove
now. On if had only known"
And Charlie caught up his hat
"I'll find him if he's alive said he "Oh,
Bob, my dear friend"
And them never saw the girl in such TAX
ing. Down went Drusllla on her knees, as If
she was saying her prayers, and says
Thank God, dared to do it,
And says she to me
"Oh aunt, | have been trembling with
fright not knowing what you'd say to me |
took him in the kitchen way. couldn't see
him go faint and hungry, aod wounded, and |
put HIM in the spare chamber over the parlor,
and have been 50 awtuly frightened all the
while"
"Thc Lord bless you DrusilIa," exclaimed
Charlie.
Amen " said l.
And she, getting boller went on:
And took him some hot short-cakes and
applc-s;,ss and tea" says she, land took him
Il candle and hot brick for his feet, and | told
him to eat and go to bed IN the best chamber,
Aunt Fairfax, with the white cOuntcrpanc and
all, and locked him IN and put the key in my
pocket, and | told him that he should have
one nights rest and that no one should turn
him out unless they walked over my dead
bodyr
Drusilla said il like an actress in IA tragedy
and went off into Mysteries the moment the
words were out of her mouth. She'd been ex-
pccting to be half murdered, you know, and
the girl was rs, and always before minded me
as If | was her mother
Never was there any old sinner so happy AS
was that night, so thankful to the good Lord ;
and it would have done your heart good if you
had gone to see the two meet in the morning
Charlie and his friend Bob. And Charlie
who got so well, and who has mother, not so
poor either, helped Bob into business. And
he got well over his wounds at last, and grew
as handsome as picture, and to-day week he
is going to marry Drusilla.
nd give anything | have said /, land
won't refuse you even DruSlla," when he ask
ed me, telling me that he had loved her ever
since she was so kind to him on the night I've
told you Of
And Charlie is TO stand up with him, and
am to give Druslla away, and Bob's sister
from Grccnbank is to be bridesmaid, and |
have "a guess that some day Charlie Will bring
her home to me in Drusilla's place.
don't drive beggars from the door as
used to, and no doubt I'm imposed upon; but
this is what say: "Better be imposed upon
always than be cruel to one who really needs
help" And I've read my Bible better OF late
and know it says, Even rs you have done it
unto the least of these ye have done unto me-"