The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-01-07
THE OLD SOLDIERS NEW YEARS.

= 8 .
"Thank Godr said the car driver, earn
estly, as the great church bell, three or
four blocks away, struck the midnight
hour on New Years eve.
"What forp" asked the passenger who
stood muf1ed up on the front platform,
putting at a short pipe. There. had been
no conversation, and the drivers .pious
ejaculation seemed to have startled him..
The driver looked around, doubtfully.
It seemed as il he wanted to speak, and
yet hesitated TO talk to a stranger. The
other smoked on in silence. -
"It always makes me glad" said the
driver after long pause, when another
year goes by. I don't know but what I'd
fight as hard as the next man for my life If
I had to. It's natural, suppose. Every
body hates the notion of dying when 1t
comes to the pinch; but after all it's
mighty comforting to know that you've
got one less year o. this to go through"
Then he stopped, and the passenger watt
ed a little. Finding the driver had stopped
he said between puffs, Don't find it worth
while, eh?" .,,... j. ..,
eyes, I do" retorted the driver half an
grily. "I don't rightly know how to ex
plain 1t, but maybe you'll know what
mean II you weresin' the army. Did y
ever go through big battlef"
The passenger nodded, and the driver
continued: "Wen, then, p'raps you've felt
like you'd be glad when twas over. You
warn't afraid exactly, and you thought It
was worth while to keep on fghtin' under
orders, and you had no thought o. rqnnin'.
but all the time you kept thinkih' how
hard it was and how you hated to keep on.
And when you noticed how the sun was
goin' down in the afternoon you thought
how pleasant 'twould be to wrap yourself
up in your old blanket, and lie down on
the ground and sleep and dream about the
folks at home" ..s +.
Another nod and another pause. e.
Things is good deal like that with
M" continued the driver, in a voice that
was not exactly sad, and yet had no ring
Of hope or gladness in it. I'm drivin'
up and down this blessed old road thirteen
hours a day, and maxim just enAugh
money to keep tn old woman and me from
bein' hungry or cold There don't seem to
be anything in it, does therei And yet 1t
is worth while in one way. amt exactly
religious. You wouldn't think was to
hear me cuss sometimes, but learned in
the army that nothin' gives felIer so
much satisfaction as helpin' somebody else
that's in trouble, and that's come to be q
sort o. religion with me. So jog along,
getting what satisfaction can out Of it
all, but desperate tired Of the whole busi-
ness.
"And when look around and see other
men it's like the army again The officers
get more pay and better rations and better
clothes, and some of 'em ride horseback.
instead o. carryin' knapsack and gun;
but after all they're all doin' about the
same work, and there's mighty few Of 'em
that would be missed much If they was
killed. . . ~
"Of course, there was a time when l
didn't feel that way. 'Tsin't natural for q
young man to feel the same as an old fel-
low like me, and / was as spirited and
lively as any O. the other boys. but I've
had my day. 2.
IT s'pose man feels different, too, when
he's got children Of his own growin' up
around him. Me and th'old woman are
all there Is left now, and we hain't neither
of us goin' to last much longer, I'd be
sorry to go and leave her If thought she'd
have much longer to wait before we'd be
all together again, but know she'd foller
me pretty soon If it come my time, and,
stranger, have a powerful longin' once in
while to see my boy an girl again.
don't think that's cowardice, Is iti You
know an old soldier would hate 10 be q
coward, no matter what might come to
him. We've all got to stay under orders
as long as the Commander-in-chiet wants
US. an Pm willin' to stay here and peg
away the best know as long as he says.
All the same, I'll be glad enough when
my time comes.
"As | said, it's the children, after al,
that makes all the difference. II you've
ever had children of your own, stranger,
and known what it was to lose'em"- s.
The driver looked around, but all he
saw was his passenger jumping of the car.
DAVID A CURTIS