Evening star., 1895-11-09

| four chairs, one pine table, one copy of
| ''Hardee's Tactics" one flag, two Kerosene
| lamps, one melodeon and dozen patriotic
| song books fell & prey to the remorseless
flames; no insurance. All that was saved
was case of canned peaches, and they be-
| longed to Simms.
| In this most critical emergency Luc1uS
| came to the rescue. Il am, by the kindness
| of fortune" said he, enabled to do some
| what for this noble cause. l will build a
| building for Corporal Tanner Post and give
| the hall in the upper story to the post for
permanent occupancy, reserving only the
rentals derived from the two stores in the
| lower story" This was generous. indeed.
| The building was handsome one of brick
! an architect from Cedar Rapids devised it.
| At the dedication of the hall speeches eulo-
| CYSTIC of Lucius were delivered, and at the
next regular meeting of the post Lucius was
| elected chai1 nan of the delegation to the ma
| tional encampment. The other delegate was
| jovial Hank Baker; Hank had bled at Antie-
| tam
This was the honor that Lucius had long
coveted. I'm BayoEet county, said he to
| himself, 1.-The soldier boys have, by a most
| unjust decree of perverse fate, fallen into
| disrepute. Elsewhere it Is otherwise. 1
shall go to the national encampment, hear
| the old songs. see the old faces, be honored
as veteran soldier and return home en-
| couraged and rehabilitated."
Susan couldn't bear the thought of his 60
| ing away, and it was only after he had prom
| ised to bring them something that the chill
| dren became reconcled to his departure.
Don't go out after dark or you'll get
| stabbed" were Susan's last words; those
| city folks are powerful bad hear"
why on earth have you raised the price
of tickets?' asked Lucius OF the station
| agent. -'- '-. |.' 't t''-' +t.
1--WE had to do it," said the agent. 1.-The
| war in Hayti has given everything an up
| ward tendency. you know"
Lucius didn't know, but he supposed 1t was
| all right.
| Curiously enough, the other delegate.
| yio1 Rob al mt sbax Qt he
| railway station; but presently Hanks old
| est girl (she had pale blue eyes and long
| yaller hair came moping along. Mother
allows that father amt goin'." said the girl.
| "Ain't goin'?" echoed Lucius.
Nav, mother won't let him." said the
girl.
Lucius was very much disappointed and
'If 1 was Hank I'd go anyhow" said
| Lucius. 3d. .a.-'. .
| But he can't" demonstrated the girl.
| "f'r mothers took off his leg md locked
| 1t up"
CHAPTER II.
| So Lucius had to pursue his journey
! alone. The train was crowded Lucius
| finally, however, found a seat beside a
grim but intellectual-lcoking passenger In
| the smoking car. The atmosphere Of the
car was oppressive AS night came on
there was Titanic snoring all around.
| Lucius tried to raise one Of the windows
but the rain of the previous day had
swelled it and it stuck fast.
Il wonder" said Lucius to his grim but
intellectual-looking fellow traveller. Il won
| der what makes the air SO close IN this
carr"
emnIy: Il opine that some gentleman has
drawed boot"
They stopped eight minutes for breakfast
next morning. The menu was soda crack
1 II
asked to pay 70 cents for this entertain
ment he eXpostulated.
What do you expect for rs cents?" de-
mandcd the callous money changer at the
door; "terrapin soup and lemon pie?"
Lucius returned to the smoking car only to
find that during his absence his seat had
been taken by a lady with the asthma
For the next 100 miles LuciuS stood up
| buying things of the train boy every time
that enterprising person came along. 1t
was dreary, weary while, but Lucius was
not sorry that he had come. Il shall pres
emily be more than repaid" thought he.
The destination was reached at last
Every city is hot in the middle of an Au-
gust afternoon. Lucius' paper collar fell
off just as he stepped from the train. AS
he sought to elbow his way through the
how nice and cool it was under the soft
| maple trees of a certain Iowa home lot he
| had In mind. For some reason or other his
| carpet bag seemed to weigh a ton. Il must
! be all worn out," thought Lucius. WELL
| no wonder, for 1 didn't get wink's sleep
| all night"
Lucius tried nine hotels but couldn't find
accommodations. He began to feel nervous
and hysterical. because everywhere he went
| he was conspicuously advised by legends
on the walls and buildings to Beware of
Pickpockets" A raging thirst overcame
| him and he stepped into a convenient place
and asked for drink of water.
I'VE don't keep it," said the fat proprie-
| tor of the place.
ssDop't Loop e. acboad Trof,,e
No: 'ta'n't healthy; there's germs in it"
| said the fat proprietor. But can let you
| have nice cool beer for cents
An expressman agreed to take Lucius to
| a pleasant boarding house for s., and in
climbing into the wagon Lucius split his
| coat very badly across the shoulders. The
boarding house was in the suburbs; the
terms were 81 day in advance. Lucius was
assigned to cot in the room over the kitch-
en-; the room was neither large nor royalty
| furnished, but 1t was warm: there were
seven other cots in the room, and it was
| the desire of the proprietor to put two men
| in each cot. Are my fellow-lodgers vete-
ranS?' asked LuciuS.
mo. they are brewery employees" was
| the answer.
"They have given up their regular rooms
| temporarily in order to accommodate the
visitops.'
For supper they had cold bologna sausage
in the shell, and dark bread with aromatic
| pills in it. Then Lucius went for walk. A
brass band was paradng the street, dis
| coursing lively music. Il wonder what pa
triotic air that is.'' thought Lucius. I've
| lived so long upon my Iowa farm that I've
quite forgotten the good old songs We SOL
| diers used to sing" He asked a stranger,
and was told that the band was playing a
! selection from ''Ermn;e." Lucius did not
| know what that meant, and he was too mod
(! est to ask.
| Poor Lucius! He sought everywhere for
| familiar face, but could find none; no
| familiar voice fell upon his ears; the sights
| and the sounds of the big, hot city were
| strange to him. He had hoped to have
| "reminiscences of the glorious old war days
| revived but none around him seemed to
| know that there had ever been a war. The
| bands played lively music, the cabmen
| whirled hither and thither, innumerable
| fakira nlied their trades unon every hand.