Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-08-31

father and mother endeavored TO reassure
her, but she refused to be confortel, and
long after they had gone TO bed sat at the
window watch COMMANDED a view of the
mooniit village street, so that Abner, who
had to pass the cottage on his way home,
might not escape her notice.
| At midnight at which hour the picbets
had managed to clear the streets of Emit
with falr success, young fellow, in q
bright new uniform, was seated on the re.
| spectacle stepof one Of the most respectable
private residences. He was very drunk;
his shake was lying on tn, pavement ana
his head was bent over his doubled-up
knees.
10 him came the pickets, They aroused
him after the usual gentle fashion OF pick
cts, and tried to extract from him the street
and house whore he was billeted He could
tell them nothing.
"Where shall we shove him, sergeant"
asked one of the men.
Anywhere; there, into that outholse,"
was the reply.
Look here, Young chap" roarel the SER
geant in the ear of the young man, who had
been partly brought to his senses by the
tumble into the straw, '.the reyally goes at
sour to morrow morning. There's your
musket and your traps. You've got four
hours to sleep Of your drunk, a nd mind, if
you don't answer your name at roll -call,
you'll be put in the goal as a desertar. If
you don't believe, real that there notice +"
And he directed Abner's glazed eyes to a
bill affixed to the wall headed e. r., on
either sido of a big crown and thrsatning
dire penalties to all who, having taken G.
RS shillingS, should get away without Civ
ing G. r. an equivalent for them.
Then his coat, trousers and boots were
taken on, and he was left At O'Clock
the next morning Elmford was reused from
its brief slumbers by the rattle of a dozen
drums in the market place. At ) o'clock the
roll was called. At 8 o'clock the men were
dismissed to breakfast, and at o'clock,
under clear blue sky and a smiling sun, the
battalion marched out OF the town, colors
flying, band playing, to the accompaniment
of cheers, AMI God-speeds, and cries, and
sobbings from the vast crowd which march
ed along with it until it was well on the
London road.
At 10 o'clock Abner Harrington awoke.
He sat up and looked around MIN with the
air Of man just returned from long visit
in far country. pressed his han Is to his
aching head and tried ID collect his wits
"Why, hang it! There's something
wrong. I'll swear | was q soldier yester-
day. had red coat, and tall leather
hat, and gun, and knapslck, and-w hy,
what could have happenedH'
He stood up and looked round tho shed.
lie must either have been dreaming, he
thought. or very drunk, for in the place of
his militarg outfit there were his own
clothes
There was pump outside. He gave him
self good sluicing and felt 4 triae better,
although his head seemed as if it did not
belong to him. Then he dressed himself
and went ont. The first thing that attract
cd his notice was O. r. proclamation He
read it through more than once and at the
end cime to tine conclusion that nothing but
keeping himself studiously out OF sight
could preveat him from being arrested and
punished as a deserter.
He peeped into the market pllce All
was quiet AMI sunny: and but for the pres.
en- OF workhouse men sweeping away the
refuse Of the last weeks excitement, il
would have been hard TO realize that this /
scene OF Baotlan calm and Stiffness had
ever been otherwise.
Well" he said to himself, "as am de- |
serter I'd best NOT b. seen. Poor 'HitabEe!
How glai she will be TO sec me. and how / |.
viii repay her for having behaved myself
like q bruter
He sluuk ont of Elmfori by back streets
and by-lanes until he reached the main road
quarter OF a mile out of town Halt an
hours further walking br0u ghE him into !
CutOn. Soma young fellows were talk NJ |
in group oatsi lie the "2e Lion. i" and be-
fore lie could ges out of the way, had o. |
served him.
why, Abner man. said one, "we |
Thought as how 70 gone and listed |
LeIst%ays, Jack Wright says he saw you
in the king Lively a-marchin along like /
the dock hissolf"
Yes, and poor Mehita5le Butt-ick went /
well nigh distracted, +" said second "She's I
been asking about yoI, and crying, and /
going on ter bic to see. Coma in, man and |
have mug.'
But Abner had ale enough in his head to
last him for some time, and with an excuse,
he proceeded on to the Buttrick cottage
Mrs Buttrick met him at the door. She
possessed Mehitable's physique without the
grFs Tenderness Of character, and her fac,
warned the penitent that storm was in
for him.
Shame on you, Abler Harring onp'
. 7ld 4'uItIiCA. 2i4dlS Oh You LOT muir Z
dererm
"A murderer3'
''Ye5, cowarl'y murd srer" repeated
Mrs. ButtriciE. you've driven away our
'Hitlble, with them harum .scarum tricks OF
yours. When She heard you'd listed She
went away, and moody hasn't set eyes on
her since; and heaven ab1yo only sees
where she isl
Abner stood shame. STRICKEN and heard
in silence the torrent of abuse showered on
him by Mrs. Buttr OK, until the poor won.
an sank down on seat in the porch and
sobbed bitterly. He did not attempt to con.
sole her, for in truth. his thoughts were
with Mehitable: and, If ever man stood
self-conyicted Of unmanly, dishonorable
conduct, it was Abner Harrington
He walked away rapidly. All that morn
ng,all that afternoon, he sought Mehitable.
The penalties for dssertion had no fears for
him now, and he walked boldly into Elm.
iorl. Every one in Elmford knew Mehit.
able Buttric!s. no one had seen her since
Inc previous morning, when she had come
N and iquired for Abner
All sort of terrible thoughts crossed the