The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-04-08
ONE OF THE MISSING.
An Old Soldier Who Wandered
Back to His BoyhOod Home.

u
way that belted with white the green
expanse of a Connecticut meadow.
Little puffs of white dust rose at each
football, and hung behind him in a
lengtbening wall. He came heavily,
slowly, the imperscnation of weari-
ness, vet steadily. There was that in
his gait which associates itself in the
Elind with bodies Of men in column. He
seemed the material part of an invisi-
bic whole. His gaze was fixed ahead,
A. though on the back of a front-rank
ilc, and the momentum OF marching
comrades swept him along.
Yet the meadow farmers and the
iwcllers in the village, whose church
5tccplc rose beyond a fringe of trees,
distinguished him only as one of that
irregular army Of foragers against
whom, as reputable citizens they were
arraycd They would have given no
attention TO such fine individual dis
t.nctions even had their critical quality
been educated to it, and il was not.
Thirty years had gone by since they
bad been enlivened by the presence Of
the military; and then it had been for
but = few DAYS and their materialized
patriotism marched away in blue TO
the southern war. No. Tramps were
y
life and property. And TO be in very
bad odor IN the village. q stranger had
but 10 present himself travel-stained
and tattcrcd.
lie marched mp the road in that un-
seen column, 4 man Of defeats. Some
times he leaned so far forward that his
balance became uncertain, and he
vavcred to the plumb Men at work
aficld leaned on their hoes as he
passed. to regard him with hostile eyes.
With some his unSteadiness was the
occasion for derisive mirth. But the
elder ones grimly forecast his deten-
ton in the calaboose. the cost Of his
maintenance, the tax it brought upon
them. and resumed work with a fierce
sense of personal injury And the
tramp, after each wearied lapse, com
PEELED himself TO attention, and
marched on
White, snug farmhouses stood now
and then along the road. As he came
abreast Of one a woman appeared At
the door, but, seeing him, sic hastily
reentered and fastened the door. The
tramping man turned into the door
ward, but he halted as the woman APP
peared at chamber window, hutter-
ing her arms a. though soaring chick
ems She called TO him, nervously, APP
prchensivcly:
Go right away. I've got nothing
for you"
At once he turned and took up his
line of march along the dusty road
The woman observed the heavy, me
chanicaI way in which he put his legs
successively forward, his arms hanging
like sticks of wood at his sides, and
felt pity for him.
I'm almost sorry ] sent him away,
she said. But she did not call him
back. and he passed out of her sight,
leaving. however, the cadence OF ms
monotGnous, sing-song step, to which
her mind set itself for the rest Of that
day.
in another house. as he approached.
a girl was singing shrilly Sunday
school song:
But syyeeter than rherny's breath,
And than the rose more fair,
The tender love OF human hearts
UpsprinEiuE CyCrywhcrc
Then the song broke off, and the
singer called, warningly: Mother,
there's a tramp coming up the roadI'
And the voice of the mother came
sharply out to him: See if tho front
doors locked"
He plodded past, watched furtively
from behind window blinds. lie swung
along painfully. for his joints We're
merely worn out, rusty hinges by
which his limbs hung. The hot sun
sweItered him; the fine dust choked
him: his heart was gone out Of him.
Still lac went on, like q tired soldier
expecting the welcome Halt. Rest.
until he reached a tree by the roadside.
On the grass beneath he stretched him
self, and lay motionless.
Slowly his fatigue lessened. By and
by he sat up. The dust of the march
had settled thiclIly in the deep lines
and wrinkles of his face, and gave ii a
drawn, sharpened look. His mouth
was firmly set, and his dim eyes looked
out resentfully at the bright world
He felt the utter friendliness Of L lone
ly man, and he talked to himself:
They think me capable Of any
thing" said he, bitterly. It's not
what l have been, it's what ] am
tran p-they judge me by. A war
record don't count nor three more en-
Gstments, nor knocking about in the
mines I'm a tramp.
Thirty years ago, when we marched
out of this town, there were cheers anc
wavings There's wavings enough
now, and they mean go same as then
Only there's a curse with 1t now, in
stead of a cheer"
He pulled a square of hard breaC
from his pocket, I2oistened it in the
runlet at the foot of the tree, and bit j
savagely. He heard door at the mex
farmhouse shut, and knew a womaI
had come out towards him. He eN
pected a sharp order 20 move on Sh
| had nearly reached hlm, when IA
looked up and saw that she held Gu
in her hand, extended towards him.
Would you like this millk?' said she
He put his hand out slowly, and Wit
the cautious alertness Of 4 dog tina
| coyets a prOffeIed bone. but doubts III