Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-05-14

! spark of flame? Poor old Tom had
passed through a whole army of
memories patiently. But now he was
ready to cry. And then the sun was
| so warm on his bowed shoulders, and
| the air so crisply sweet, that the army
he had passed through formed their
ranks, and, led by that pipe of Tan
| tulus, came on.
And he might have disarmed them
with whif-it was cruel.
| But presently hope downed- A man
was coming towards him from the d.
rection of Hunchester-a man might
| have a Undertook and a finder to spare
for charity. But :. might he might
not: and that would be the mockery of
/ fate indeed. 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 a balk was not to be borne. The
| farmer put his hat on the end of his
| stick and waved it in the air. 1o-
hoy" 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
| dozen yards of the stile. and looking at
L
Il want TO light my pipe" said Tom
| Blackthorn, IN q rather querulous way
- Have You got such Il thing as a finder
! box? / thought YOU were never going
/ to hear. But it's strange how deaf
everybody's growing. / suppose that's
WI at 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 of 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 tramp-a wandering sol
der. 1t was always the soldier tramp
who was made anSwerable for the
burned havrick, and the farmers wife
stopped and pluniered on her way
from market and for the entries into
| houses that stood alone. and for the ex-
cesses of alehouse iollity- Considering
what our soldiers We're doing, II was
amazing how grateful we all We're to
them whenever they CHANGED TO come
home. And, unhappily, they were often
hard put to ii TO lind an honest living,
and 50 took, or returned to dishonest
| ones, while many a soldier who traded
on his sears had never crossed salt
water and had himself manufactured
his own stock-in-trade. So. after all,
nobody was so very much 10 be blamed
Under the circumstances. however,
the tramp was not one whom a feeble
and elderly man with a good coat that
had pockets in it would care to meet
alone in the fields in those rough times
I ! IL.
matter of ragged regimentals. and too
stalwart and young to make Ii 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
word.
Can you speak, man? Have you
finder box-ay or MOP?
The mans hand made a dive some
where. and brought out q battered tin
box, once round in shape. that brought
a sparkle into Tom Blackthorn' ; eyes.
Thank you, my good fellow. i
friend in need is a friend indeed He
drew in the first smoke, all the sweeter
for delay. and eXhaled it with a grant
and sigh
so your soldier?' asked he.
i have been a soldier said the
man. Don't you-don't you know
who"
..Ah; Tn sharp enough. l thought
so, by your clothes. A soldier an
Soldier sad word to me- But proud
one. too
He must have. changed. indeed, to be
sitting on a stile and chatting with a
wandering soldier. So changed that
he half smiled in the Others eyes. as 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, as old men viii when
they turn garrulous and have no outlet
in common way.s
Yes" said he Il had boy a sol
der: but not a common one. like you.
He was a sergeant. Think of that, my
man-an officer, eh.''
Good Cod exclaimed the tramp
why
All thought that would take your
breath away. talking to a full sergeant's
father Poor Dick. but he always was
wildish: 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
lng- As II nllylt be Win Inc SMOKE. anu
rubbing his hand across his eyes.
And as brave as lion. But he died,
sir, he died. You see my hat-band?
That's for my son.
Died.
"Ay. You may well wonder that
its the worst that are left and the best
that 60 He was the best of sons: and
boys will be boys. Did You ever hear Of
the battle of Talavera. my man-eh?'
Talavera-why, / was there
God bless my soul, Man-give Us
your hand.'
Don't you remember
Every hing-evcrything / m Won
derful for memory. remember things
that happened when / was seven wears
old: ay, and before then. What makes
you look so sad and queer? Dash 1t,
Won re hero. if you was there. SO
YOU was al Talavera, in Spain, May be
may bel was his father, you know;
NAV be YOU knew my boy? May be you
saw him die?'
Farmer Blackthorn-"
"Ah, Blackthorn-the very name!
Sergeant Blackthorn-Sergean Richard
Blackthorn.' went on the old fellow,
eagerly. Yes. sir: twas at Talavera
that my hoy Dick, fighting ike glori-
Gus lion for King George and Old In
gland. died, I'll wager there wasn't
man before him. They sent me word
from London how he gone down; and
by Heaven. sir-I was the proudest-
the proudest- Dash it all. man; did
YOU never see chap swallow his smoke