The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-05-28

SpaTh Oh I3Lns. IOOE OlO 1NiA lL1h
passed through whole srmy of
memories patiently. But now he was
ready to cry. And then the sun was
30 warm on his bowed shoulders, and
the ar so crisply sweet, that the army
he had passed through formed their
ranks, and, led by tAat pipe o. Tan
tulus, came on.
And he might have disarn;ed Them
with Whit WAS cruel.
But presently hope dOwned a man
was coming towards him from the d.
rectiof OF Hunchester-a man might
ha c Il Undertook and tiI.ler to spare
for charity. But - might he might
not: and that would be the mockerx OF
| fate inieed The man came nearer.
But no sooner was he full in view than
he began to turn sharp up the level path
| and move up the hill.
| Such balk was not to be borne. The
farmer put his hat on the end of his
stick and waved it in the air. "Yo-
how" he shouted; not with the lungs
OF old. but with some very effective re-
mains.
And his signal was seen. The man
turned back, came to within half a
dozen yards of the stile. and looking at
the farmer without speaking.
Il want to light my pipe said Tom
Blackthorn, in a rather querulous way.
:. Have you got such thing as finder
box? | thought You were never going
to hear. But It's strange how deaf
everybody's growing. l suppose that's
what makes them all humble so that
nobody else can hear email but my
! girl"
| The man was one to whom Farmer
Blackthorn would never have spoken in
the old times save to drive him oft his
! land. if there he had caught him, with
lifted stick and hard words. For he
was a tramp: and a tramp of what was
then held the worst and most danger
Gus sort of a tramp-a wandering SOL
der. 1t was always the soldier tramp
who was made answerable for the
burned hayrick. and the farmers wife
stopped and plunderel on her way
| from market, and for the entries into
| houses that stood alone, and for the ex-
cesses of alehouse jollity. Considering
what our soldiers were doing, it was
amazing how grateful we all were to
them wheneve.. they Glanced to come
home And, unhappily, they were often
hard put to it to find an honest living,
and so took, or returned to dishonest
ones, while many soldier who traded
Oh his scars had never crossed salt
water and had himself manufactured
his own stock-in-trade. So, after all,
nobody was so very much to be blamed
Under the circumstances. however,
the tramp was not one whom feeble
and elderly man with a good coat that
had pockets in il would care to meet
alone in the fields in those rough times.
He was sadly dilapidated tramp in the
matter of ragged regimentals, and too
stalwart and young to make it fitting
that he should be out of work, if but a
laborer's. There was something pc
culiar in his look, too, as he looked on
Farmer Blackthorn without speaking a
word.
Cant you speak, man? Have you
tind T. boX-ar or MOP
The mans hand made dive some
where, and brought out a battered tin
box, once round in shape, that brought
sparkle into Tom Blackthorn's eyes.
THANK you, my good fellow. A
friend in need is friend indeed" He
drew in the first smoke, all the sweeter
for DELAY, and exhaled it with a grunt
and sigh.
$50 you're soldier?" asked he.
Il have been soldier" said the
man. Don't you-don't you know
who"
..Ah; I'm sharp enough. L thought
SO. bv YOUR clothes. 4 soldier all.
Soldiers sad word to me. But proud
one. too"
He must have changed, indeed, to be
sitting on stile and chatting with a
wandering soldier. So changed that
he half smiled in the others eyes, rs if
counting a question, so that he might
have an excuse for chatting a little
more. But, as no question came, he
went on talking as much to himself as
to his listener, rs old men will when
they turn garrulOus and have no outlet
in common way.
Yes" said he. II had boy sol
der; but not a common one, like you.
: He was sergeant! Think of that, my
man-an officer, eh!'
Good God!" exclaimed the tramp.
why
All thought that would take your
breath away, talking to q full sergeant's
father. Poor Dick! but he always was
wildish; a bit too much like the old
block. I'm afraid, when the old block
was new. Yes; full sergeant was my
boy Dick" said the old fellow, cough
; inc, As it might be with the smoke, and
rubbing his hand across his eyes.
! R11t hn
sir, he died. You see my hat-band?
That's for my son.
.'Diedr'
"Ay. You may well wonder thai
it's the worst that are left and the best
that 90 He was the best of sons; and
bows will be bows. Did You ever hear o.
the battle of Talavera. my man-eh?'
Ta!avera-why, was there.'
"God bless my soul! Man-give u:
t your hand.'
Don't you remember
Notwithstanding. I'm won
, derful for memory. | remember thing;
that happened when l was seven year:
, DID, ay. and before then. What make:
YOU look so sad and queer? Dash 1t,
you're hero. il YOU was there. Sc
You was at Talavera. in Spain! May be
, may bel WAS his father, you know
may be YOU knew my boy? May be yoa
, saw him die?"
Farmer Blacs thorn"
"Ah. Blackthorn-the very name
Sergeant Blackthorn-Sergea Mt Richard
Blackthorn," went on the old fellow,
eagerly. Yes, sir: twas at Talavera
: that my boy Dick. fighting like glori'
Gus lion for King George and Old En-
f gland, died! I'll wager there wasn't ;