Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-04-04
Teddy more than If she had cried over
1 r II

! him, calling him loving names; for they
cav strength there, like their own
strength for protection.
And, DO you know, it was said that when
Sandy Green saw her coming on that day,
he hobbled out as fast as he could, and
with a white face; and would not go near
her when she asked for the man who had
written to her about Charley; he, too, was
afraid-the gaunt, grim apparition
| To the doctors she was a little more con-
ciliating, and, although she told them they
did not understand their business, vet
when one Of them leaned down. and tried
10 take Charley's hand from hers TO give it
a friendly shake, she said:
| Don't please! l want to hold him TO
me, for he's all got" And the doctor
could not help graspisg hers, with a great
choke in his throat.
II we could awaken Charley TO some
memory OF the past" said this doctor to
j her one day " ii we could bring him back
TO the day before the fight-if he could
recognize something he had known then,
we might save him, perhaps"
Pm not rich woman" was the reply,
but III write this instant to my agent to
sell my house. And that money-all /
have in the world-Pll give to the man
| who brings my boy back to me-"
Now, all this was duly reported about
the camp-all this and more And it was
told to Sandy Green among Others. He
shook his head grufiy.
But in the middle Of the night Sandy
rose up, like one possessed, and searched
around and found an old fat cigar box.
All the next day he worked at that box,
worked mysteriously and kept lookers-on
away For two days he scraped at it On
the third, Charley was to go away with his
aunt, for she had determined 10 take him
home.
On this last evening Sandy Green was
seen lurking about the hospital and once,
when Aunt Teddy rose and went to see
about some final preparation for the de-
parture, he darted in, caught Charley by
the hand, and limping swiftly away with
him, took him to a little knoll far of
took him to drum, laid sideways OF the
ground and seating him there, pulled out
cigar box, shaped rudely like a violin,
the strings of Charley's own lost instru-
ment stretched upon it. Then be brought
out rude bow.
Charley sat down there and smiled
NdSuSt. up a. Tic shy '2duuN ulSN tIie
bow across the strings, but before he could
repeat it, rustling sound was heard, and
there was Aunt Teddy, frightened out of
her wits at missing Charley, and she was
followed by half of the boys, and the two
surgeons among them.
Sandy Green raised his hand 10 warn
them. They stopped motionless. Then
slowly, laboriously, out on the pleasant
evening air, came the old tune of Home,
Sweet Home" rudely and brokenly PLAYED,
but there it was! there it was
The smile on Charley's face faded out,
like the light of the ignis fatuus; a start
led expression came instead-he leaned
forward -he listened.
The boys pressed closer and closer,
Sandy Green's fingers trembled SO that he
could scarcely hold the inpromptu fiddle.
All at once two tears rolled down
Charley's face; he started up, looked CON
filsedly about him, opened his lips
Aunt Teddy y he cried.
He was saved HIS aunt was kneeling
nj his feet, hugging his knees, crying
wildly.
The boys stood there, glitter in their
eyes, until the two doctors went up to
Sandy Green, and shook him by the hand,
for he had done more than they could do,
and they owned mp to it. Then they all,
every man of them, went up to Sandy and
wrung his hand. He let the fiddle fall TO
the ground, and his rough face was scanned
with tears.
Here! somebody lead me 10 Sandy
Green cried a voice, the voice of Charley
aunt; for | can't see, I'm crying so hard,
and my legs are clean gone from under me"
And Aunt Teddy was marched up to
him, but not before Charley had caught
both OF Sandy's hands in his
And what did Aunt Teddy do? She Just
threw her arms around Sandy Green's
neck, and gave him sounding kiss before
all the boys, too.
And from score of strong throats came
q cry:
"'Three cheers for Sandy Greenland
tiger"
And she shook hands with ehem-every
one.
aunt Teddy did not have to sell her
house, Us reward for anyone who could |
save her boy.
The cigar-box fiddle may be often seen
there, and is often seen there by Sandy |
Green and others, and it is christened |
A." CHARLEY's FIDDLE" Peterson's Mag |
aZine