St. Landry democrat., 1889-06-29
Not in the Ranks.
Detroit Free Press.

| Detroit free Press.
The old army overcoat that used to b.
such familiar sight on our streets is on,
OF the rarest now indeed it is so seldom
seen that we involuntary turn and gaze
after it, as something that brings sad and
often cruel memories. The other day ar
old man wearing a coat of this kind
which reached to his heels, stopped at
cottage little way out of town and asked
leave to rest awhile on the porch.
I'm bit tired" he said to the woman
who opened the door, land if you dom
mind I'll sit here and rest my self a spell. ,
~ cure welcome" said the woman
Kindly, with glance at the martial blue.
Then she left him alone, but after little
returned with bowl of coffee and a plate
of white biscuit.
Eat, " she said gently; Il had boy
who was soldier"
''But I'm not a soldier" answered the
old man. 81 never was a soldier nv bow
went to the war and was-was killed. He
was all had, too. This coat was his
seems like he's near me when have it on,
| gave him to his country the handsomest
and bravest boy he was, too, in the whole
regiment. God bless him. He did his
duty, died on the field, and this coat was
all that came back to his poor old dad.
No l never was soldier"
The woman went in and brought out
some cake, and the whitest honey, and
added it to the coffee and biscuit
Are you alone in the world?' she
asked.
ooh, no." answered the old man, cheer
fully ; Give got sister, but she's old
and lame, and she has daughter that is
sickly and ailing. You see, have them
to work for, and they're sight of comfort
to me. Manys the time I'd have broke
down since Mary died but for them two
poor critters. Mary was my wife, ma'am :;
she was master hand to nuss sick folks,
and she thought after Tim died as it were
her duty to go into the hospital service
and nuss the soldiers, and she died these
sixteen years ago, but she did heap of
good work first Many soldier has kissed
her shadow on the wall Mary, darlin',
God wanted ye in the ranks up there
I've often wished that had been soldier,
if only to be fit for the little mother and
Tim but never was"
He drank the coffee, ate the good food
thankfully and offered to pay for it with
some boarded pieces of old worn silver
but the woman shook her head.
Put back your money. My boy was
a soldier" she said
But | am not soldier-well-well," as
he looked in her face, 81 thank you and
| take it for his sake p
He wished good night to his kind en-.
tertainer and turned away. AS he walked
off slow and limping, bent by infrmity,
the long skirt of his army overcoat struck
bright and blue against the splendor Of
the sunset he shaded his eyes with one
trembling hand and looked wistfully at
the rose and amethyst door that seemed to
open in the west. What saw he there A
little, round shouldered woman with a
small, homely face; lank, overgrown
boy, with sparse, red hair. Aye and of
such as these are angels made So watch
ing, he passed down into the shadows and
disappeared.
The woman at the gate looked after
him.
''No soldier p she said, gently, "but l
wonder if the boy who died on his first
battle field ever fought as he has, or
sacrificed as much to his country? All
the soldiers didn't go into the war with
flying flags and rolling drums some of
them stayed at home and fought harder !
battles. I'm glad l gave him bite and !
a sup He is soldier and brave one,
too, and one day be will know it p
And l think she was right