Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-07-10
: THE COLONEL.
A STORY OF AN OLD SOLDIER.
CHAPTER III.

dow and looked In the direction Of the razed
village, 20 detect some sign of life but they
saw only stray dog who wandered dlscon-
solately amid the ruins, smiling the heaps OF
garbage with disdainful air. The light
waned and the serred ranks of mist that had
been lying in wait amid the western hills and
across tho straits, closed in upon the city. |
The merchant grew impatient under the long
delay.
az can't understand, Martin, why you
didn't get rid of the man along with the rest.
Did he venture to question your authority
or my right to control my property p
"Why, you see, sir, I didn't like TO speak
| rough TO the old chap I'd venture TO say he
hasn't always been what he is now Fact IL,
| I didn't speak to him direct. ] thought he'd |
| take the hint and leave
| "My soul ~ The man sbrank from the in |
| dignation and disgust expressed In his em- |
| ployer's tone, then hastened to smooth away |
his indignation with happy yafter-thought.
I" Come to think Of il, haven't seen sign |
| of him since yesterday Like ~ not no has |
gone of his own accord, unless" The
| watchman's face became suddenly grave.
"Well, unless what 9'
"IIe's lying down there all this time He
was thin, weakish-looking fellow the kind
that go off quick, sometimes"
| "What a ghoul You are, Martin " Brews.
ter laughed short nervous laugh. Pleas
! ant suggestion this, that on his own land, not
forty rods away, dead man was lying, who
had perhaps rershed from lack OF proper
food and care Then better sentiment
|, | stirred his heart lie was narrow-souled
| man, but not hard hearted.
| 'Take your lantern and come ahead Mar
tin; no morgue on my premises, II ] can
help it"
They stepped out into the chill and dark
ness, carefully locking the door behind them
as precautioD against lawless intruders. As
they left behind them the tall lumber-piles
with their sweet scent of the woods, aud ap-
preached the border OF Mission Creek, ma
: larial poisons filed the air, and host of un-
Q savory odors assailed them. Reeking vapors
seemed 10 arise from the putrid heaps ami
clutch at their threats with phantom fingers.
, Their ieet slipped and sank into the masses
;. of fostering decay. 1t was Brewster's first
, visit To this choice portion of his recently ac-
: quired possessions, and the thought came to
his mind that 1t was a poor stick of a man
IL who would deny fellOw-crcature tho hos
o pitalty of such an accursed spot, any
y grounds than that Of its uniitness for human
n occupancy. Suddenly Martin brought up
q with a short stop, swinging his lantern
" around to illuminate the spot for his em-
~ ployer's inspection.
" "Here we are, sir"
0, Brewster leaned forward and deserted a
lr | low, Irregular structure, not four 1cet above
4, the ground at its highest point. His pre-
- conceived notions of the style Of building
=, operations pursued in these primitive dwell.
OF ings were completely overturned. lnssead
d. of neat and shining rows OF tin cans, rising
or tier upon tier into "A pretenti0,is and fanciiui
lie structure, he beheld a rude framework of re-
n, fuse boards imperiectty covered with rusty
- ~ strips OF tin, AN humble defense against
wind and weather the merest apology for d
ne covering. lie had time TO take but cursory
" glance at these details, when weak voice
On from the interior hailed the visitors.
i'm "Nho's thereP'
- =. plying. He could not announce himself as
y. | friend, for his mission was far from iriendy v
I'd lie resolved to present himself on strictly
RS neutral grounds.
| Lnttr lam I1rI
.'Sorry not to give you more fitting re
cepton mine host, but as I'm hardly il
IN shape to receive company-if you'll be kinC
70 , enough to slip your bill under the door
70 Brewster's dignity was offended. 1t wa
- all very well for him, tho man Of propert,
aud position, to condescend to address
joke to the yagabond who trespassed on hi
'rs domain for the rascal to presume to as
y, | suIHe q jocnlar tone toward him, in turn, wa
rk intolerable He thought or tho underwater
re and the increased premium, and interrupted
~, the fellow angrily
=" " Come now, this won't do Get out o
'e. here, and away with you y
nd " Sorry 10 be unable to comply with you
no polite request, sir but don't think | coul'
rp walk very far tonight"
;ai Z" "Humbug / want you 10 understan,
/" that you are on my ground, sir Ever
W moment you stay endangers my property
y, Out OF this place in tw q minutes, or I'll hay
eS you under arrest "
nd Brew ster had been working himself into
he fine rage, and felt that he was acquittinj
10 himself with credit. His selfcongratu lator,
meditatons were interrupted by move
'u- ment within the tranp's dOmicile. Tn
highest section of the roof was pushed ava,
ire by a thin hand, and a tall erect figure ros
rat through the aperture like a jack-in- e-box
,at Something more than the unexpected natur
-, of the apparition caused Brewster to fall bacl
" with start as il he had seen a ghost III
is was not ianciiul man, but the uncann,
iy locality, the noisome smells, the curling
lr- wreaths Of vapor, the moon struggling L
er- pierce tho thick veil OF mist overhead
ns coupled, perhaps with the afternoons rem
49, iniscences, carried him back twenty years
-, and he was in the pens OF Andersonyille
wv waking from troubled sleep to see the thii
or form of Lenoir stealing to his side at mid
se night, TO thrust into the lads pocket crus
vi of bread saved from his own scanty rations
an He put the recollection of that wretched ex
~ ~ perience resoluteiy from his mind but il lei
io' its impression. Along with visionary plan
's- of riotous feasts and gluttonous indulgence
commonly planned by hungry men in sucl
extremities to be carried out in case of re
ed lease, he had taken one solemn oath. He hat
for vowed that If ever he escaped from tba
NJ wretched hole, so long as he lived and had
~. in his power he would never fail to feed
'' hungry human being. Through all the fiuc
tuations of his business career and the mani
fold duties of his business life he had kep
this pledge inviolate, as many drunkeI
* loafer and disreputablo hummer in Steuar
'es street, could attest. Resolve had grown int
ir. principle of action, and principle int
nd | habit. He recalled this custom uow
is "Here sir ; this Will get you round mea
in down yonder," nodding in the direction o
es the cheap eating in Fourth street. a
cd he extended quarter he had extracted from
ro- his trousers pocket, carefully weighing 1t il
y his hand to make sure that he was in no dan
es | ger of giving away gold-piece by mistake
nd ado you think that # wanted charity
it would be occupying this palatial mansion
It's and fasting until refuse garbage seems mes
at for kingY'
,st Brewster recalled what Martin had said
MS and drew back his wel-meant offering will
a a sense of personal injury.
m sob, come now! Be OIL like good follow
ne and make no more trouble"
gh The lumberman was impatient TO brig tn,
Ie. interview to close. He still fingered tn,
ks | silver-piece with uneasy sense that j
a would be better in the possession of vaga
ed bond. The man raised his tattered hat witt
ed a mocking bow, and essayed to step over tho
,s- walls of his abode; but his legs proved to,
da | unsteady for the successful accomplishment
n of his purpose He stumbled, reeled and sa
40 | down on bis own roof top, which rasped anC
I'd clashed i'm dismal chorus.
;" Brewster knew the meaning of the action
How many times had he seen some poo
fellow, reduced to the last limits of inanition
falter and fall by the way on a forced march
His reflections exploded in two words eacl
~ possessed of three syllables, and followed by