The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-09-06

The old man sat down upon one Of the
red chairs with which the porch was
furnished, and Beulah knelt down be-
side him, and they wept together like
two children for their lost dear one.
That year. for the first time, Mrs. Bar
ton did not give her girl birthday
party. Beulah was very i'll on that an
niversary, and though she did not die,
she settled down into an invalid-one
of those interesting persons who exist in
every village, to whom people take jelly
and flowers and religious books, and Of
whose case the doctors find it impossible
to give diagnosis.
1t was a great trial for Mrs. Barton,
who was spirited person, and who final
~ became not SO sorry for her daugh-
ter as angry with her.
"Of course Reuben Spicer was very
nice young man. she said to herself,
'sand dunno as should have objected,
but widders marry again in a couple OF
years sometimes, and feel as if Beulah
needn't carry on so SO long"
And when August came and Mary
land peaches were ripe and stood in big
basketfuls at Mr.. Spicer's door, Mrs.
Barton, thinner and sharper of feature
than of yore, butstill as neatly cuffed and
collared and coiffured as ever, stood be-
side the couch on which Beulah lay
propped up by pillows, and said slowly
and decisively:
"The last birthday party you had,
Beulah Barton, was in sixty-one Two
years I've skipped it. This year Pm
goin' to give you one"
s.Motherl" cried Beulah.
81 be-" said Mrs. Barton, who, when
ever she wished to be impressive, re-
turned to Yankee dialect.
'sMotherl' repeated Beulah, when
you know I'm dying of broken heart.
81 didn't know no sech thing, Beulah
Barton, said her mother; anyhow you
air actin rebe1lious, and blessin's never
follow that sort of thing The Lords
win has got to be done. August the fifth
sees you havin' birthday party, and
you're goin' to set up to it ef / hev to
carry you down stairs pig-a-back.
Hear?.
Eyes, ma'am, said Beulah, closing her
eyes.
Very well, you kin look over them
samples and see what / shill get for you
a dress" said Mrs. Barton, laying great
envelope on the afghan that covered
Beulah as she reposed on the couch,
land choose a proper nice patron, do
Mother, you're talking dreadfulIy
Yankee" said the girl. 81 wish you
wouldn't"
But Mrs. Barton had left her alone,
and after awhile she opened the envelope
and found within bunch Of silk sam
pies and a little fashion magazine. and
shortly grew interested, and finally, when
her tea was ready, pronounced with a
sigh in favor of heliotrope color and
white lace dounces.
Old Mr.. Spicer was taking his dinner
in the little back room while his boy
watched the shop.
Meal times were sad affairs in these
days. Ghosts were with him then. He
used to fancy that he heard Reuben run
lightly down stairs and up to the very
door of the room, and lift his head half
expecting to see him enter and to dis
cover that he had been dreaming bad
dream
Today this had happened half dozen
times, when the lad put his head in at
the door of the room.
"What is it, JohnT asked the old man.
"Well, Mr.. Spicer, them there Mary
land peaches is goin' Eastern you'd like,
that's all.
II suppose you're afraid to chase the
boys away? You amt got no more spunk
than a hen," said old Spicer.
He arose, stalked through the back
room and out upon the porch in haste,
but there stood STILL 1t was not boy
who was stealing peaches out of his bas-
kets, but soldier. Thin as skeleton,
his shoes like those of tramp, every
thing he wore falling from him in rags,
and the left sleeve of his wretched jacket
pinned empty to his breast, he sat there
eating peaches as coolly as if they be-
longed to him.
Making free, you see," he said. II
couldn't help it if was to be shot for it
You'd have to live on moldy crusts as
have, to know how these peaches taste
to me-"
Help yourself" said old Spicer trem-
ulously. ''I'm glad to see any Of the
boys in blue for the sake of one had
that marched away and won't never
march back again"
lyon can't be sure of that, said the
soldier. without looking up
"Ah, he was killed" said Spicer.
.Killed."
"They reported me killed. said the
soldier, taking another peach, "and all
the while was in southern prison. i
reckon I'd have died there, too, If it
hadn't been that remembered an old
father had that was fonder of me than
| deserved, and would be glad to see
what was left of me. There's a good
deal in will power. ! said I'd live, and !
did"
MY Godr' cried old spicer, 81 guess
I'm goin' crazy at lasti Let me look at
youl Let me look at you"
Dad cried the soldier.
"Reubenl" screamed the old man.
Heaven is too good to me. I've got you
again. The next moment he had
Reuben in his arms In the old familiar
back room they had a long, long talk
Meanwhile customers raped upon the
counter in vain, and wondered what had
become of Mr. Srieer