Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-03-23
CHAPTER XIX.
HOME, SWEET HOME.

Whenever a railroad train rolled up
to the station at Meltonburg its passen-
gers were accustomed to smilingly re-
mark that every man, woman and child
in the place was loafing on its platform
to gaze at the arrivals and departures
What, then, must they have thought
when one bright August morning the
express from Columbus dashed up to
the little depot with series of jubilant
shrielxs that showed that the engineer
was In sympathy with some unwonted
excitement, and they saw the depot
draped in futtering bunting and alive
with hundreds of country folks arrayed
in their best, while local band, with
more energy than harmony, brayed the
air of 'See, the Conquering Hero
Comes!''
And the conquering hero who came
to Meltonburg on that sunny morning
was none other than Frank Besant,
who was dumfounded at his noisy re-
ception, which was really due to the
energy of the editor of the Weekly Ad-
vertiser, who had reused the honest
rustics to what he afterwards described
In the columns of his journal as 'a red
hot burst of enthusiasm" And, when
the village president, an aged and es-
Unable hardware merchant, stepped
forward and fred an Grafton at him,
which was a little personal at first, but
soon drifted into Fourth of July
screed, that Frank thought he had
heard before, the young soldier felt
that he would rather endure another
Chickamauga than go through the Or
deal But he had to face the music-to
hear Rev. Lubin Ferry compare him In
dulcet tones with every Biblical hero
from David downwards, and declare
that his ma thought this a day that the
Meltonburgers would forever be proud
of-and to accept at the hands of a com.
mittee, of which the Advertiser man
was spokesman, the presentation of a
sword, on which was engraved list Of
the battles In which he had-or ought
to have-taken part. AS the Adver-
tiser said, ''itewas a high old time, and
the wellxin rang with the plaudits of
thousands, when the youthful hero, in
few but appropriate words, gracefully
acknowledged the tribute to his BRAY
cry"
But they let him go at last. Even the
little boys, who had shouted themselves
hoarse, had sense to leave him, when
he opened the garden gate and turned
up the avenue Of walnuts to his home.
'Motheri''
my boyl''
draw the curtain over the tender
scene and leave them to their bliss.
And Grace came, too, blushing and
trembling, and OIL so glad, that Frank
took her In his arms and stroked her
hair and rained kisses upon her uplifted
face, just as though he had q right to
do it and she was his afianced bride,
not at all In the subdued, yet affection.
ate manner in which he greeted cousin
Kate. Why, the two receptions would
not bear comparison; and was she not 6
happy girl? But she was happier when
that night the young soldier told her
the old, old tale of love, which in hel
ears sounded as sweet and fresh a
though ICONS of ages ago it had moi
called the blush to the damask cheek OF
woman.
And when on Sunday Mr.. Brentwood
preached to q crowded congregation &
memorial sermon, in which, after {
touching tribute to the Meltonburr
buys who had died in action, he remind
ed his hearers Of the debt of gratitude
they owed the brave survivors of tina