The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-06-12
THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL WEDNESDAY JUNE u

laughter There was even bright light
in Mrs. Buttrick's ewes. Abner could not
for the life of him make it out, for assur-
edly never was a story more devoid OF
comic element than that which he had
been telling.
So he rose and quietly lifted the shawl
off Mehitables shoulders.
The right arm was gone from the shout
der.
''Mehitable :" cried Abner, "what does
this mean? How did you have this done?
Wur / the cause OF It?'
You wurl You wurl" roared the
keeper, unable any longer TO suppress his
feelings. "If it hadn't been for you her
arm would haveIbeen as fast as yourn."
Abner looked at him, then at Mrs. Butt
rick, then at Mehitable.
''It ant of no use," continued the
keeper. I'm a real bad 'un to keep Sc
cret, | am; but"
''Stop father-stop said the girl. Let
me tell it. Abner, do you mind the night
the sodgers went away-the first lot, l
mean-you got drunk, very drunk
Eyes, do. Well?"
"Well, l had been looking for you fur
two days. fur 1 had an idea you'd gone
and listed, and / was giving it up as bad
Job, when all of a sudden | seed you lying
down in Simpsons clubhouse. I'd read
the notices all about deserving. ] knew
you couldn't be up in time to answer your
name and that they'd find you. Well, so
i took your things, and I answered your
name, after I'd put my own duds away
under the bridge"
You went for a sodger, and you was at
Waterloo exclaimed Abner, in utter
amazement
"Yes, she wur! that she wurr' ex-
claimed the keeper in voice of triumph.
"And where's that thing the colonel
brought We just now?
Never mind that, father" said the girl
eyes, l was at Waterloo, Abner, and /
lost my arm there; and l was in the
church"
Abner sprang to his feet.
"And you were that kind, good nurse,
who couldn't speak, he cried. 40, Hi
table! 'Hitable why didn't you tell me ?"
But she ant told you the best part,
Muster Abner," said the keeper. "She
wouldn't ha' told us, but the colonel,
who's staying up at the hall, he told us
how she'd saved your life, and lost her
arm in doing of it. and this very evening
he browt her a silver medal bigger than
crown piece"
Ills was tOU Ulutu lOl <ADlCls IAC
dropped his head on his arms and cried
bitterly. Mehitable raised his face to
hers, and said:
"Abner, did my duty, that was all"
''No, 'Hitable, it warn't your duty to do
all this for worthless vagabond like me, "
said the young man. But how did you
get on with the fighting?"
81 didn't fight, Abner," replied the girl.
'They saw | knew nothing about muskets
or drill, so they told me off to help the
surgeons"
Eyes, and you should hear what the col
onel has to say about her." said John Butt
rick; "that she didn't care no more for
bullets and swords and them things than
does for flies"
But I've always loved you, dear" said
Abner. "And when l came into the viii
lage and no one could tell where you were,
and saw your clothes lying under Elm
ford bridge, said I'd just go in and look
for DEATH as l made sure I'd as good as
murdered you. And may l love you STILL
'Hitable?"
ayes, Abner; l am happy now" an
swered the girl.
So, in a few weeks Abner Harrington
and Mehitable Buttrick were married at
Cuton church, and the colonel of the regi-
ment not only attended the ceremony in
full uniform, but made the bridal pair a
handsome present, on the condition that
both should wear their medals in the
church. They did, and old Oily Turner,
who died the other day at Cuton, used
often to describe the unique ceremony of
marriage between young Abner Harring-
ton and the girl he loved, who had but
ore arm and wore the Waterloo medal on
her wedding dress, adding that he
minded it wur rainy April mornin', but
as the weddin' party came out of John
Buttrick's cottage the sun came out and
stopped out all day"