The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-07-24

property and position, to condescend
to address a joke to the vagabond who
trespassed on his domain; for the ras-
cal to presume to assume a jocular tone
toward him, III turn, was intolerable!
He thought of the underwriters and
the increased premium, and interrupted
the fellow angrily:
Come now, this won't do! Get out
OF here, and away with your
''Sorry TO be unable to comply with
your polite request, sir, but 1 don't
think / could walk very far tonight !"
"Humbug! ] want you to under
stand that you are on my ground, sir.
Every moment you stay endangers my
property. Out of this place in two
minutes, or I'll have you under arrest.n
Brewster had worked himself into a
fine rage, and felt that he was acquit-
ting himself with credit. His self-con-
gratulatory meditations were inter-
rupted by movement within the
tramp's domicile. The highest section
of the root was pushed away by thin
hand, and tall erect figure rose
through the aperture like jack-in-the-
box. Something more than the unex-
pected nature of the apparition caused
Brewster to fall back with start, as if
he had seen a ghost. He was not a
fanciful man, but the uncanny locality,
the noisome smells, the curling wreaths
of vapor, the moon struggling to pierce
the thick veil of mist overhead, coupled,
perhaps, with the afternoons remi-
niscences, carried him back twenty
years, and he was in the pens of Ander-
sonville, waking from a troubled sleep
to see the thin form of Lenoir stealing
to his side at midnight to thrust into
the lads pocket crust of bread saved
from his own scanty rations. He put
the recollection of that wretched ex-
perience resolutely from his mind, but
it left its impression. Along with Wis
ionary plans of riotous feasts
and gluttonous indulgence common
ly planned by hungry men in
such extremities, to be carried out in
case of release, he had taken one sol
emn oath. He had vowed that if ever
he escaped from that wretched hole, so
long as he lived and had it in his power
he would never fail to feed hungry
human being. Through all the fuctua-
tions of his business career and the
manifold duties of his busy life he had
kept this pledge inviolate, as many a
drunken loafer and disreputable bum
mer in Steuart street could attest Re-
solve had grown into principle of ac-
ton, and principle into habit. He re-
called this custom now.
Here, sir; this will get you round
meal down yonder, nodding in the di-
rection of the cheap eating houses in
Fourth street, as he extended quarter
he had extracted from his trousers
pocket, carefully weighing it in his
hand to make sure that he was in no
danger of giving away gold piece by
+" Do you think that if WANTED char
ity would be occupying this palatial
and fasting until refuse gar
bage seems mess for King?"
Brewster recalled what Martin had
said, and drew back his well-meant Of
fering with a sense of personal injury.
'Oh, come now! Be off, like good
fellow, and make no more trouble
The lumberman was impatient to
bring the interview to a close. He still
fingered the silver piece with an uneasy
sense that it would be better in the pos
session of avagabond. The man raised
his tattered hat, with hooking bow,
and essayed to step over the walls of
his abode; but his legs proved too I'M
steady for the successful accomplish
ment of his purpose. He stumbled,
reeled and sat down on his own roof
top, which rasped and clashed in dis
NAL chorus.
Brewster knew the meaning of the
action. How many times had he seen
some poor fellow, reduced to the last,
limits of inanition, falter and fall by the
way on forced march, His reflections
exploded in two words, each possessed
Of three syllables, and followed by an
exclamation point. The first was
sstarvation;" the second differed only
IN the first syllable, and represented a
very essential article of faith in the
creed. He supplemented the
remarks with an imperative order to the
who forthwith seized one of
the Migrants arms. Half leading, half
him, ignoring his faint pro-
ests, they took him up the path to the
office, and placed him on chair before
5he fire.
AS they progressed on their Shiny
path, Brewster inconsequently recalled
,he battle of Shiloh, when Lenoir, badly
and thrown from the saddle
If dying horse, had been led to the
ear, protesting and fighting every step
If the way. AS he came into the light
If the office windows, he accounted for,
he sensation by the discovery that the
nan wore cheap overcoat of military
cloth and cut, of the stamp usually
affected by the 'leay- bunkers. .
They placed him in a chair before the
ire and he sat there mutinous cap
i've, his felt hat with it's battered brim
1rawn down over his eyes and partially
shading his face. The first glance at
'he stranger in the honest light of the
office lamp had in measure treasured
Brewster and put to fight his absurd
ancies. There was nothing striking or
uncommon in the spare figure, or the
Did face with its lines of care and pain.
It was a very ordinary face. an emil
lertly prosaic face, he assured himself;
If the same type as ten thousand others
n the city, but he could not resist
,razy desire to see the forehead barred,
o look at the left temple and =
Bah! Back to those old memories of
The war again! So much for the per-
licious effect of the afternoons associa-
ions. Well, what was it, after all?
Only young fellow, his blue suit in
5atters, crazed with fever, crswling past
he dead line, a strong hand stretched
out to save him, dull report. bullet
eaving bloody track across the tenn
pie and along the scalp of the rescuer.
And why had he lost sight of the gall
ant old soul all these years? Con-
found it! Lenoir aUas just the one to
sneak off from his friends if the world
Used him i'll, to live in a dugout and
line on scraps rather than ask charity.
Yes, and to jest and flash out with a
1auntless spirit in moment of humil-
alton and shame that held worse terror
% proud soul than the bravest SOL
1ier ever faced on the battlefield.
Could poverty, and despair, and i'll
health, reduce the high-souled gentle