The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-11-08
Not in the. RANKS,

oe SO lamltlar on our streetS; IL
one Of the rarest now; indeed it is SO
seldom seen that we involuntarily
turn and gaze after it, as something
that brings sad and often cruel mem-
ories. The otherday an old man wear:
ing a coat Of this kind, which reach,
ed down to his heels; stopped at a
cottage little ways out of town, and
asked leave to rest awhile on the
porch.
SIN bit tired" he said to the
woman who opened the door, an if
you don't mind I'll sit here and rest
myself a SPELL"
"You're welcome" said the woman
kindly, with u glance at the martial
siees ThsaSslsg' 'icfr him; eleNe, l,sss
after d little returned with a bowl Of
coffee and plate of white biscuit.
Eat" she said gently; ~ had
boy who was soldier"
"But I'm not a soldier" answered
the old man. II never was soldier;
my boy went to the war and was
was killed. He was all had, too.--
This coat was his; seems like he's
near me when | have il on. / gave
him to his country; the handsomest
and brayest boy he was, too, in the
whole regiment, God bless HIM. He
did his duty, he died on the field, and
this coat was all that came back to
his poor old dad. No; | never was d
soldier.
The woman went in. and brought
out some cake, and the whitest hon:
ey, and added it to the coffee and bis.
YAre you alone in the world?" she
asked.
"oh, no." answered the old man,
cheerfulIy; ave got a sister,, but
she's oldan lame, land she has daugh:
ter that's sickly and ailing. You
see, | have them to work for, and
they're sight of comfort to me-
Many's the time I'd have broke down
since Mary died, but for them poor
critters. Mary was my wife, ma'am;
she was master hand to nuss sick
folks, and she thought after Tim.
died us it were her duty to go into
the hospital service, and help to nuss
the soldiers, and she died there six.
teen years ago, but she did heap of
good work first Many u soldier has
kissed her shadow on the wall! Ma.
ry, darlin', God wanted ,ye in the
ranks up there! I've often wished
that had been soldier, if only to
be for the little mother and Tim; but
| never was" sa
lie drank the coffee, ate the coed
food thankfully and offered to pay
for it'with some boarded pieces of old
worn silver, but the woman shook
her head.
"Put back your money. My boy
was soldier" she said.
"But I'm not soldier-well-well,',
as he looked in her face, 81 thank
you and take it for his sakep
He wished goodnight to his kird
entertainer and turned away. Ashe
walked of slow and limping, bent by
infrmity, the long skirt of his army
overcoat struck bright and blue
against the splendor of the sunset;
he shaded his eyes with one tremb-
ling hand and looked wistfully at the
rose amethyst door that seemed to
open in the west.
What saw he there2 A littleround.
shouldered woman with small
homely face; lank overgrown boy
with sparse red hair. Aye! and of
such as these are angles made! So
watching, he passed down into the
shadows and disappeared.
The woman at the gate looked af-
ter him.
"No, soldier?' she said gently, "but
! wonder if the boy who died ett his
first battlefield ever fought as he has,
or sacrificed as much to his country
All the soldiers didn't go into the
war with flying flags and rolling
drums; some Of them staid at home
and fought, harder battles. I'm. glad
gave him bite and sup He is
a soldier and brave one, too, and
one day he will know III"
And l think she was right.-Eee
Press.
He Paid.