Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-10-16

tuetu. Dut ouco IN the MIDST OF all
! | felt frightened feeling come ovel
/ me, and l knew l turned pale fol
Drusilia said, sWhat is the matter
i Aunt Fairfax r.. e
81 | said nothing; but it was this
} kind o. like the ghost Of step, 60
ing champ, champ, over the frozen
! snow kind o. like the ghost of a
voice saying; Let me lie on the
, floor, and give me kind OF crust !;
, down on the wintry road, and freez
, ing and starving to death. This il
what it was Bot put it away and
only thought OF Charlie.
We drew up together by the fire
when the tea was done, and he told
things about the war I'd never heard
OF before-how Isie soldiers suffered,
and what weary marches and short
rations they sometimes had. And
then he told me how he had been set
upon by the foe and badly wounded;
and how at the risk Of his own life, a
fellow soldier had saved him, fight.
ing his way back to the camp.
I'D never seen you but for him,
says my Charlie. And if there's a
man on earth | love it's Rob. Hada.
way-the dearest, best fellow! We've
shared each others rations and drank
from the same canteen many and
many times, and if / had brother
could not think more OF him.
why didn't you bring him home
to see yopr mother, Charlie? 2 said l.
sWhy I'd love him too, and anything
| could do for him, for the man who
saved my boys life, couldn't be
enough. Send for him, Charlie
But Charlie shook his head and
covered his face with his hands.
Mother, said he, don't know
whether Rob- Hadaway is alive or
dead to day. 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 fihd no trace of him And
he has a mother, too, and she is so
fond OF him |! She lives at Greenbank
poor old lady. Ny dear, good,
noble Rob. the preserver of my life =
And lsaw Charley was near crying.
| Not to let us see the teaIs he got
up and went to the mantlepiece. Il
did not look saround until 1 heard
him cry 4ss r...
'Great Heavens what is it? \.
And turned. and Charlie had the
tobacco pouch the man had dropped
in his hand.
where did this come from p said
he. Il feel as though had seen a
ghost. | gave this to Rob. Hadaway
the day he saved me. We soldiers
had not much to give, you know,
and he vowed never to part with it
While he lived. How did 1t come
here, mother p
and cold, and said:
"a wandering tramp left it here
Never your Rob-, my dear; never
your Rob-, my dear; never your
Rob. He must have been an impos.
tor. | wouldn't have turned away a
person really in want. Oh, no. no;
it's another pouch, child, or he stole
it. A tall fellow, with blue eyes, and
yellow brown hair; wounded, he
said, and going to his mother at
Greenbank. Not your Rob.
And Charlie stood staring at me
with clenehed hands; and said he:
1T was my Rob! it was my dear
old Rob wounded and starving my
dear old Rob. who saved my lite, and
you have driven him out on such
night as this. mother! My mother, to
use Rob. so!'
Condemn me, Charlie, said L
condemn me if you lke-Im afraid
God will. Three times he came
back /; three times he asked only for
crust, and place to lie, and / drove
him away-I.-I-and he's lying in
the road now. Oh it had known =
And Charlie caught up his hat.
'Tll find him if he's alive SAID he.
'Oh Rob. my dear friend !!
And then-I never saw the girl in
such taking. Down went Drusilla
on her knees as if she were saying
her prayers, and says She
Thank God | dared to do it!
And says she again to me-
oh !! aunt. I've been trembling
with fright, not knowing what you'd
say TO me. l took him in the kitchen
way. couldn't see him 60 faint
and hungry, and wounded, and l put
him in the spare chamber over the
parlor, and I've been frightened all
the while
4 Lord bless you, Drusilla' said
Charlie. aa.4
'Amen,' said l.
sAnd che. getting holder, went on
tAnd took him up some hot short
cake and applesass and tea, said she,
and took him candle, and hot
brick for his feet, and told him to
eat ana go to bed in the best cham
Der, Aunt Fairfax, with the white
couDterpane and all, aud / 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 himout unless they walked over
my dead body
4 And Drusila said it like an actress
in tragedy, and went off into hys-
terics the moment the words we're
. out of her mouth. She'd been ex-
pecting to be half murdered, you
know. and the girl was bat sixteen,
and always before minded me as if
was her mother.
4 Never was there an old sinner so
happy as was that night, SO thank.
tul to the good Lord; and it would
+ have done your heart good if you
had gone to see the two meet the
next morning-Charlie and his friend
Rob. And Charlie had mother who
was not poor either, and helped Rob
into business. And he grew well
over his wounds at last, and grew as
handsome as picture, and TO-DAY
week he is going to marry Drusil-la
I'D give you anything have said
l, sand I won't refuse you even Dru.
siIIa, when be asked me, telling me
that be loved her evec since she was
50 kind to him on the night | told