The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-01-07


'To end them with me. you mean.
said Joe. with some emotion. II
haven't much. Gideon. bnt you re well
come to share H. There : room enough
here for both Of us. and you won't 90
on 10 Newyiile with my consent
Life in the country will suit you
better than he iu the town. and all
the old friends are dead, or have
moved away"
'Tll stag with you. thon,' said
Gideon. "dnd it's ike you to m axe
the offer. comralc. I'm COOL for
many a days work yet, and / won't
be no burden on you Bat how hap
pens you'er liyir' alone, Joe? When
you was mustered oat. you said yon
was goin' home 20 be married.
Joe sssace changed perceptibly.
II was expcctin' it," he said, slow
". "but when / got back found my
Alice was another man wife. She'd
got word that was dead, and her
folks--thoy live in the valley just
below here-had persuaded her into
marryin man who WAS going out
West 10 settle. He'd bought big
prairie farm, believe. and was worth
some money. I'd only time 10 see her
once, aud we neither Of II, said much.
There wasn't no use in 1t. yol sec.
Aud didn't rcproach her none for
what slio'd done. Sac wasn't 10 blame.
She was always easy lel. was Alice.
Just before sald good-bye, | told her
I'd wait for her. for knew we worn't
goin' to DO parted forever I'm waitin'
yet"
"You haven seen her since?"
Joe shook his head.
mo; she hasn't been home. She's
Jcen out there o'eyen years, now and
sho's got six children--so / heard
Her folks live near here, rs said. an
| bought this place on that account;
but ] don't soc nOthin' OF en-. cx-
pect thoy fool kinler moan yet bout
the way they tormcntcd poor Alice In
to marryin' that man"
Your wailin' won't be Of no use.
joe" said Gideon; you'll never see
her again"
Joe rose. and walking TO tho door,
stood there n moment, looking ont
Then he came back 10 his friend
again.
Something tells me that wtH soc
her again. Gideon" ho said. at ;
that that gives me strength 10 wait Tor
her. knoU she'll come. Mine
warn't no boy's love, you see. / was
consid BILE over thirty when we was
promised to each other I'd neycf
cared bout no ono before that; aud /
never have since. | mean to wait.
and she'll come some day; ! kao0 it. y
The two men settled down very cas-
lily to life together. Joe enjoyed hayy
ing n companion to whom he could
talk freely. and the friends spent long
hours in recalling to each otheP's mem-
ory incidents Of the war, and rcmins
iscences of bivouac and battles, camp
fire and weary march. Thoy had
borne muskeis sid, by side for four
long years, aud the friendship formed
then had never waned.
Gideon found plenty Of work to do,
and he frequently spent days Mt time
in the employ of Alicc's father, old
Mr.. Harlan. who sent for him whom
ever extra help about the farm work
was needed.
GIDEON never returned from the HaP-
Ian farm without having some thing
TO tell Joe of Alice whose name ho
contrivod To Introduce into his con-
versation with Mrs. Harlan. who was
always ready to talk on the subject OF
her absent daughter
"She amt happy out there, Joe, "
said old Gideon, one night Her
husband drinks. Her mother heard it
quite by accident" "
There was no noed to explain to Joe
who was meant by ''she.' lie under
stood. at once, that his friend referred
10 Alice
'Iwish she'd come back" said joe
But she'll think it her duty TO stick
bv him, no matter what he does.
Alice always had n tender heart, poor
girl!'
Year after year went 10y. Joc's
sixticth birthday had passed. 1t was
nearly twenty years since he and
Gideon had been mustered out in
North Carolina; nearly twenty-five
since the day Alice Harlan had prom.
scd To bc his wife. But he was faith.
full still. He still insisted that he
would see her before he died
The terrible exposure and privation
they had endured during the fouryear:
they had spent In the dcfonso of their
country's tlag, had had their natural
effect on both the old comrades, and
they had become deaf. and we're Grip.
pied with rheumatism. And Joe suf.
fered from some peculiar trouble o:
the heart, which the doctor he con-
suited could not relieve.
"But I'll live to see my Alice again, "
the old man said, hopefully. 'lshan't
die till I've looked once more In her
sweet, fair face. dear child! | told
her I'd wait. and I'll keep my word. "
IL did not realize that the years
which had made al oil man of him.
must have left their traces on Alice. rs
we'll. He thought Of her alway rs the
fair. blue-eycd, golicr-haircd. laugh
ing girl of tWcljy. II did not occur
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