The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1891-01-02
THE OLD SOLDIERS Anew YEARS.

"Thanll God!' said the car driver, earn
cstly, rs the great church bell. three OF
four blocks away, struck tho snidnight
hour on New Years eve.
"What for?" asked the passenger who
stood mul1led up on the front platform,
putting at !. short pipe. There had been
no conversation, and the drivers pious
ejaculation seemed to have startled him.
The driver looked around, doubtfully.
1t seemed IT'S if lie wanted to speak, and
yet hcsit;tesi to talk to Il stranger The
other smoked oni il silence
ut always makes me glad" said the
driver after IL long pa,lsc when another
year goes by | don't know but what I'd
fight us hard as he next 1nan for my life if
l had to. Its natural, suppose Every
body hates tie notion of dying when it
comes to the pinch, but after all it's
mighty comforting to know that you've
got one less year O. this To 90 through
Then lie stopped, and the passenger watt
cd a little. Finding the driver had stopped
he said between pI!tfs "Don't find it worth
while, chs'
"Yes, do" rctorte,l the driver half an.
grly, 81 don't rightly know how to ex
plain it, but maybe you'll know what
mean if you were in the army Did y
ever 30 through n big battle:''
The passenger nodded, and the driver
continued: "Nell, 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 ightin' under
orders, and you had no thought O. runnn'.
but all the time you kept thinkin' 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 ut home.'
Another nod and another pause.
Things is a good deal like that with
me-" continued the driver, in Il voice that
was not exactly sad, and yet had no ring
OF hope gladness in it. "1m drivin'
up and down this blessed old road thirteen
hours q day and maxim just enough
money to keep th' old woman and me from
bein' hungry or cold There don't seem to
be anything in it. does thcreS And yet it
is worth while in one way aiu't exactly
religious. You wouldn't think | was TO
hear me cnss sometimes, hut learned in
the army that nothin' gives feller so
much satisfaction rs hclpin' somebody else
that's in trouble, and thats come to he Il
sort o religion with me So | jog along
getting whnt satisfaction | can out OF 1t
ness.
And wien 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 ON ride horseback.
instead q carvyin' ii lnaps;lck and gun.
but after all they're all doin about the
same work, and there's mighty few of 'cm
that would be missed much if they was
killed.
"Of course, there WIS Il time when
didn't feel tl.tt way 'i'ain't natural for
young man to feel the same us an old fell
low like me, and | was rs spirited and
lively rs any o the other boys, but I've
had my day
II s'posc Il man feels different, too, when
he's got children of Iii, own CROWN up
around him. Me and TIL old woman are
all there is left now, and we hain't neither
of us go,!' 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 u powerful longin' once in
while to see my boy an girl again.
don't think that's cowardice, is it? You
know an old soldier would haze to be
coward, no matter what might come to
him. We've all got to stay under orders
us long as the Commanher-in-c wants
us, an Pm willin' to stay here md peg
away the best know as long rs he says.
All the same, III be glad enough when
my time comes.
las | said, it's the children, after al.
that makes nll the difference. If you've
ever had children of your own, stranger,
and known what it was to lose 'enl''-
The driver looked around, out all he
saw was his passenger jumping of the car
DAVID A CURTIS