The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1885-07-30

solve had grown into a principle Of ~
ton, and principle into habit He 10
called this custom now.
"Here, sir; this will get you round
meal down yonder," nodding in the d.
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
mistake.
"Do You think that if wanted char
ity l would be occupying this palatial
mansion 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 sense of personal injury.
"Oh, come now! Be of, like good
fellow, and make no more trouble.n
The lumberman was impatient to
bring the interview to close. He still
fingered the silver piece with an uneasy
sense that it would be better in the pos
session of vagabOnd. The man raised
his tattered hat with q 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
starvation" the second differed only
in the first syllable, and represented a
very essential article of faith in the
orthodox creed. He supplemented the
remarks with an imperative order to the
Waterman, who forthwith seized one of
the vagrants arms. Half leading, half
supporting him, ignoring his faint pro-
tests. they took him up the path to the
office, and placed him on chair before
the fire.
As they progressed on their, Shiny
path, Brewster inconsequently recalled
the battle of Shiloh, when Lenoir, badly
wounded and thrown from the saddle
of a dying horse, had been led to the
rear, protesting aud fighting every step
of the way. As he came into the light
of the office windows, he accounted fol
the sensation by the discovery that the
man wore . cheap overcoat of military
cloth and cut, of the stamp usually
affected by the ''hay-bunkers."
They placed him in chair before the
fire and he sat there q mutinous cap
tive, his felt hat with its battered brin
drawn down over his eyes and partially
shading his face. The first glance a.
the stranger in the honest light of thu
Office lamp had in o measure reassureC
Brewster and put to flight his absurf
fancies. There was nothing striking o.
uncommon in the spare figure, or tn
old face with its lines of care and pain
1t was a very ordinary face. an emf
nently prosaic face, he assured himself
of the same type as ten thousand other
in the city, but he could not resist
crazy desire TO see the forehead barred
to look at the left temple and
Bah! Back to those old memories O
1.-The war again! So much for the per
nici0us exact of the afternoons associa
lions. Well, what was it, after all
Only q young fellow, his blue suit il
tatters, crazed with fever crswling pas
the dead line, strong hand stretches
out to save him. dull report, bulle
leaving q bloody track across the TEN
pie and along the scalp of the rescuel
And why had he lost sight of the gal
liant old soul all these years? Con
found it! Lenoir vas just the one t
sneak off from his friends if the worl
used him i'll, to live in a dugout an
dine on scraps rather than ask charity
Yes, and to jest and flash out with
dauntless spirit in moment of humi
iation and shame that held worse terrC
to a proud soul than the bravest so
der ever faced on the battlefield
Could poverty, and despair, and il
health, reduce the high souled gentle
man and soldier to the likeness Of thu
old scarecrow? Brewster stepped in
pulsively forward, reaching over for
+ chunk Of firewood, awkwardly brush
ing the strangers head with his arr
and knocking off the SLOUGH hat.
He hesitated just long enough to oil
serve a white track across the temp
and through the sparse gray hair, thel
with his brain in whirl. secured Il
stick of wood, laid it carefully upon u
blaze, took out pencil and nOte-bo
and scrubbed a few lines to his wife.
close carriage, . fire in the best room
. warm dinner; his pencil checked q
the items at lightning speed. +
called the Waterman and dispatche
| him with the note, meeting the man
wondering look with one Of stern d
: cision. As the door closed behind Il
messenger, and his departing footste]
echoed fainter and fainter In the d
lance, he turned to find his compulsol
guest arisen from his chair and CO
fronting hin? with . white face.
. The alms.house? Ill die first!"
= "Never While / Hce, Colonel Lenoir
: Having uttered this blunt assuranc
Brewster sat staring at his old friel
through q mist of tears. The old m,
answered with startled look.
drew the SLOUGH hat over his eyes. Il
chin worked convulsively.
. Old and thin and gray, overtaken
! reverses, crushed by misfortune, 4
Colonel was found out.-Sdn Francis
} lngleside.
8 "A contributor to Cosmos says Oh
. II there DO cut out Of black paper t,
, similar figures, two crosses for exal
: pie. and placed. their extremities