The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-08-12

his coat from It's peg, and, taking
his AK upon his shoulder, he started on
a brisk walk for home. AS lie was near
ing a crossing Of the road that led past
the cemetery. he saw q drayman. and
directly behind him on the 'dray an
other NAM seated upon one Of those
dreaded boxes that told of another IN
fortunate 4
AS they drew nearer Harry recognized
one Of his near neighbors. who had
charge Of the box, and, as he felt an In
terest in the affair, he halted the dray,
and, addressing his friend, said:
Who have you there this time,
Tom? It must be some of our neigh
bors."
But Tom made no answer. He could
deny nothing. His face was downcast
and a sorrOwfM expression upon it. The
other was also silent, but peculiar ex-
preston was on his countenance, which
still more mystifed Harry.
Why don't you answer, man ?" asked
Harry, as suffocating feeling was gath
ering about his heart.
1 cannot, I cannot, moaned Tom.
'sWhat is the matter? Why don't
you answer? It is-it is-no. no. it
cannot be Nellie, 2 Harry went on. as
Tom made no reply 1T must be Mel
lie. Oh, Nellie, Nellie"
Still Tom could say nothing. There
he stood upon the dray, with folded
arms and averted, sorrowful face: for he
knew within that rude casket was the
body Of Nellie Kews.
In an instant Harry sprung on the
dray, and, thrusting The dumbfounded
Tom aside, with few well-directed
blows with his AK he had the lid of the
box lying in pieces about him. As he
leaned upon the handle Of the ak, as it
rested upon the platform, the look that
overspread his face was one of intense
anguish and horror at finding the darling
Of his. heart in this rude casing and being
dragged from his sight to be buried with
out his knowledge or farewell look. Not
word or groan escaped from his lips.
He stood over her, as pale as herself
dumbfounded, horror-stricken and in de-
SPAR. His eyes were riveted upon the
upturned face Of her who was dearer to
him than all the world beside. But in
moment his aspect changed; his eyes
had the bright look of great hopes. He
was now all animation, and, dropping his
ok, he reached forward and gently, but
wonderfully quick, raised his darling 70
his breast, and, stepping down, strobe
rapidly toward his home with his precious
burden. Not word had been spoken
by either party. The amazed men could
say nothing. They were speeches.
They thought that Harry Kews was a
maniac, and had taken from them a
proper subject for burial. But they APP
preciated their situation, and saw that it
was impossible to have a funeral proper
ly without a corpse, and that was the
thing they now lacked. So they turned
about as soon as their amazement would
permit, and followed the course taken
by Kews. Before they could overtake
him he had Disappeared through the
doorway. They saw him as he entered,
but concluded that it would be a danger
GUS task to try and secure him and get
the corpse without additional help, and
so they drove on, and searched the
y-depopulated place for assist
ance. After some time they had got
together all the force that could be
spared, and then proceeded on their way.
Upon throwing open the door their
amazement knew no bounds when they
saw that their supposed corpse was sit
ting up and leaning her head upon the
shoulder Of her devoted husband, while
he was administering medicine to her,
And what was better, she was able to
talk to him. The unbidden guests soon
saw that a terrible mistake had barely
been prevented, and as quietly as possible
most OF them Withdrew, only two remain
ing to help all in their power to save
the noble woman who had nearly given
her life for the good of others.
There is but little more to tell. It is
necessary to say before concluding, how
ever, that one of the neighbors Of the
Kews family had come in after Harry
had been gone from home an hour or
two, and had found Nellie lying upon
the floor apparently dead, and rushing
from the house told the first person she
met that there was corpse at the Kews,
house, and the proper parties had gone,
as soon as they could attend to it, and
had her boxed, and were off for burial,
when they fortunately met the husband
on the road, as related above, and which
prevented terrible catastrophe. am
unable to explain why the parties did
| not let the husband know of the death
of his wife, but they did not. (The
writer of this story wishes to say right
here that the last sentence, as well as
the essential part Of this article, is true,
or was related to him by parties in whom
he has implicit confidence, as facts.) The
only theory I can give for not doing SO is
this; they supposed Nellie was actually
dead, and they knew of the great love
between them, and thought that Harry
might insist upon keeping the body with
him for some time, thereby endangering
the lives of himself and others. Nellie
soon was as well as usual, but kind
husband prevented her from further
over-exerton, and so they both passed
safely through the plague without fur
ther mishap, and, I am pleased to add,
lived many happy years in each others
society-long enough, in fact, to tell the
story of their great experience during
the cholera season Of 1892 to Their
grandchildren, of how their kind old
grandmother was all but buried.
What English Soldiers Eat.
It will be interesting to our army men
to learn the details, just published, Of
the rations Of the British soldier in the
Il