River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-11-09
.ANGRksH DEEDS.
1 STORY OF THE GREAT WAR.

| The ed army oyercoats that used to
be such familiar sight in our streets il
one of the rarest now; indeed, it is SC
seldom seen that we involuntarily turn
and gaze after it as something thai
brings sad and often cruel memories,
| The other day an old MAJ wearing a
coat of this kind, which reached his
heels, stopped at cottage little ways
out of town and asked leave to res,
awhile on the porch.
"I'm bit tired" he said to the VIC
man who opened the door, IAN if you
don't mind I'll sit here I'D rest myself
SPELL"
you're welcome said the woman
kindly, with glance at the martial
blue. Then she left him alone, but after
little while returned with bowl Oh
coffee and plate of hot biscuit.
Eat" said she, gently; II had boy
who was 3 soldier"
But I'm not soldier" answered the
old man. 81 never was soldier; my
boy went to the war aud was-was kill
ed. He was all had, too. This coat
was his; seems like he's near me when
have it on. / gave him to his country;
the handsomest and bravest boy he was,
too, in the whole regiment. God bless
him He did his duty, died on theIfeld,
and this coat was all that came back
to his poor old dad. No; | never was
a soldier"
The woman went in and brought out
some cake and the whitest honey, and
added to it the coffee and biscuit.
Are you alone in the world? ?" she
asked.
"On, no" answered the old man
cheerfully; "I've got sister, but she's
old and lame, and she has q daughter
that is sickly and ailing. You see
have them to work for, and they're a
sight of comfort to me. Many's the
time / would have broken down since
Mary died but for them two poor crit
tiers. Mary was my wife, ma'am; she
was master hand to nuss sick folks,
and she thought after Tim died as it
We're her duty to go into the hospital
service and nuss the soldiers, she died
this sixteen years ago, but she did a
heap of good work first Many q SOL
der had kissed her shadow on the walll
Mary, darlin' God wanted we in the
ranks up there I've often wished
that | had been soldier, if only 10 be
fit for the little mother and Tim; but |
never was"
He drank the coffee, ate the good
food thankfully and offered to pay for
it with some boarded pieces of silver,
but the woman shock her head.
"Put back your money. My boy
was soldier" she said.
r
as he looked into her face, 81 thank
you and take it for his sake"
He wished good night to his kind en-
tertainer and walked away. AS he
walked off 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 trembling hand and
looked wistfullv at the rose and anne
thyst door that seemed to open in the
west. What saw he there? A little,
round shouldered woman with a small
homely face; lank, overgrown boy
with sparse red hair. Ayel and of
such as these are angels madel So
watching, he passed down into the
shadows aud disappeared.
The woman at the gate looked after
him.
mo SOLDIER she said gently, "but l
wonder if the boy who died on his first
battlefield ever fought as he has, or
sacrificed so much for his country ?
All the soldiers did not go into the war
with flying flags and rolling drums;
some of them stayed at home and
fought harder battles. I'm glad l gave
him bite and supl He is soldier
and brave ore, too, and one day he
will know IL"
And she was right.