Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-08-06
ANIDYL UPON CRUTCHES.

| AN1DYL UPON CRUTCHES.
It Is to be seen often enough in Cen
trail park.
He, pale, emaciated, one of those men
who carry ticket for Charon's ferry
boat in his pocket, and is only lettering
little by the way. She, as full of life
as the lilacs near which they sit, CRATE
full to the eye in her beauty as they to
the sense in their fragrance. He the
weakness, she the strength, Of the part
nership. She as upright as tall lily
stem, with health to pay Time full rent
through along life, he STOPPING painfully
over the two sticks that prop up his
nerveless body. Those are the crutches.
Now for the idyl
There was feverishness Of life in
New York city. North and south had
grappled by the throat War was whip
ping the tops of commerce until they
hummed again. The government cried,
''Giyel givef and merchant, manufac-
turer and artisan toiled and moiled.
Even man as man had value In the
market; flesh and blood was dear.
A youth and a girl met at church
door, and strolled away together. In the
course Of the seryice-for it was the
Sabbath day-the minister had invoked
the divine blessing upon the Federal
arms, and made passionate appeal to
the congregation to aid with purse and
person to keep intact the grand old flag,
that not single star should be rent
from the union, not one stripe from its
field. And hearts had throbbed and
eyes had welled over with tears that
morning. There were dollars for the
wounded and volunteers for the war in
that sermon.
rs it true that you have bought sub
stitute, Edgar"
1t was the girl who spoke as the pair
turned up Lexington avenue.
''Umr' and Edgar nodded his head
afirmatively. IA German, who thought
his body and bones worth 81 ,000."
She looked straight before her, kicking
the point of her parasol with her boot
tips as she walked
''The last steamer brought 500 emf
grants, Georgia The price of substitutes
will go down for bit 1t isa pity I did
not wait little"
Eyes, it is"
She said this quite seriously, and stop
ped before the door of the house she lived
in.
''Well, don't look so serious about it,
he added cheerfully. 81 have put 81 ,0OG
to worse use before now, Georgia"
'Never in your life, Edgar"
"Eh?"
Never in your life, | say, Edgar" She
jumped up two steps, and then turned tc
confront him. "All the substitutes will
be gone after awhile, and then they'll
have to call upon us girls to go to the
war. If were drafted I'd not buy sub
stitute; rdgor
II understand you," said he slowly,
and leaned against the plaster. "You
love your country more than all besides
eh, Georgia."
She looked down at him with halt
perplexed expression in her hazel colored
eyes; and just then some leaves from the
creeper that clambered the front Of the
house came fluttering to the ground be-
tween them. STOPPING, she picked red
one up and held it up to him by way
of diversion. ''Is not that beautiful
color?''
ut is red-a very suggestive one just
now, and quite apropos Of our conversa-
ton, Georgia. Give it to me. That will
be leave taking, won't it?''
There was a tone of bitterness in his
voice; it was not hard to see that he was
angry.
you understand me in part, Edgar.
1t is the worst part that you understand;
the better escapes you"
mo, think not, Georgia" He push
ed his hat back from his face and gazed
steadily at her "You believe honestly
that it is on my account, for my good
name, that you are solicitous. Come,
now, some of your girl friends have
been twitting you with my inglorious
proclivities for a whole skin, contrast
ing the patriotic nobleness Of their
sweethearts with the selfish pusillanim-
ity Of yours The thought has grown
up in your brain that by and by it will
be said to you, Your husband bought
substitute when he was drafted; you
married a man who, when old and young
were going to the war, sheltered himself
behind his dollars. Well, now, Georgia
listen to me-
'sStop moment, Edgar. Tell me,
have you never felt any of this for your
self2 No one has ever twitted rue as
you say, but have thought, not in my
brain but in my heart, where all my
thoughts of you grow, Edgar"-her
cheek flushed, but she spoke resolutely
-"that hereafter men may twit you,
and you in turn may twit me, because
when our country cried out loudly, and
fathers and brothers, aye, even to the
very school lads, took their lives in their
hands and answered the cry, perverted
love to selfshness, and so stopped your
ears that left you to be one that men
could point at and say, He stopped at
home"
Edgar B. The hospital aid read
the name from pass presented to him
by a lady who applied to see patient.
Edgar B, No. ward, madam; sixth
bed on the right
The hospital was clean enough and
tidy. considering its crowded state, but
the smell of chloride of lime and carbol-
ic acid could not altogether quell the
sickly odors that drive in waves through
military hospital
'rEot dead. Oh, no. madam; mes
asleep. He was rather more favorably
thought of this morning Both legs am
putated at the knee.
He is not dead, but sleepeth. Un-
consciously she quoted holy words in her
heart-her numbol heart. that seemed
one while to stand still, and then to
throb until her breath failed. That
will be leavetaking, won't iti' The
red leaf that had futtered between them
rose in her memory, and the words and
the look that accompanied them
He opened his eyes and another pair
are looking into them. A pair Of eyesi
All, no; soul is looking through them,
a soul that measures every variation Of
intelligence in his--marks when the
stranaeness of surprise dissolves into the
new shape Of recognition, when the hazi-
ness of pain clears up into the distinct
ness of comfort
Not word is spoken Only the two
Ga ~-.11