Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-30

'if wasn't a husband and father, I'd lose
the farm without a groan, for the sake of
being a soldier in these times
AS he spoke his eyes fias3Ief1and he stood
very erect His wife and child gaZed at
him admiringly. So. did IsBHueston' who
us there nothing you can do-nothing
besides farming?'
I'm not a fool; had fall ell ton, and
l try to keep my brains as clear as my
neig hbors'."
See here my friend" said Bullcston,
that drafted man of whom | spoke wants
just such man as you for substitute.
He'll clear your entire debt, if you'll go to
the army in his place. s.r
The farmer started. looked exultant, then
determined, but his wife exclaimed:
Don't Tom! We can better lose the place
than lose you"
Dear girl demonstrated the man,
don't talk and think as if all soldiers got
killed. I've read lot about it, and cipher
ed it over. Why, at least nine of every ten
are still alive"
that there's one chance in ten that you'd
be killed.
The child said nothing, but her eyes filled
as she pressed close to her fathers side,
and the mans face resumed its sad eA-
preston he said:
You see how it is, sir, and can't blame
them I'd carry a worse wound than any
bullet could make il l went away from
them to the war, although l could and
would endure it for the sake of the cause -
Tom exclaimed the wife, you know
we've talked the entire subject over before.
Suppose the entire mortgage We're cleared
away, what would your wife and child have
to live if you were killed or held pris-
cner for a long time? You know what
awful troubles some soldiers families about
us have gone through. Suppose you We're
to send us all of your pay. how far would
II go, while prices of everything are so
high?"
There's sense in that" said Bulleston
Little though he knew of business he could
imagine the thinness of thirteen dollars
when stretched to cover entire month
Seldom was there day in which he did not
spend more than thirteen dollars on mere
trifleS.
You mustn't think us selfish sir" said
the woman to Buleston. We simply can't
spare him. and the only way to keep him
from going is to brighten him about his
wife and child. You mustn't think Tom
selfish, either, for he doesn't think bit
about the possibility of making money in
any way by going to the war
Money" exclaimed the farmer, with a
frown and sheer IF I'd no one but nv
self to think of I'd gladly serve in the ranks
Tor nothing. If / We're rich, I'd gladly pay
for the privilege. Money is well enough In
us place-nobOdy knows it better than /
but 1t takes men-men who are men ali
through. to save nation that's in peril"
Bravo. shouted Bulleston. Allow ME
to shake hands with you, sir Madame. al
low me to congratulate you on being the
wife of such a man"
The woman looked proud and pleased
BuleStOn continued:
You're just the man that well the
truth is. am the drafted man of whom
have been Speaking. A few moments ago
offered you five times the government price
OF substitute. l did it because | thong hit
you thoroughly fit to do what | would do if
there were not special reasons why | can
not go to the war. l want my substitute to
be as much of a man and gentleman and
patriot as l believe myself to be, and can
afford to have him soft l can find the
man. l am fully satisfied that you are he
The farmer looked at Bulleston; then he
looked pleased, for the chance visitor was
handsome man, we'll dressed. and had the
air of Importance which distinguished his
class. To be compared to fine looking a
man was a compliment of a kind not com
mon in the farming locality. Bulleston
went on:
Il am rich: I have no relations nor any
one but myself to spend money upon, so l
want to make you another and still better
offer If you enter the army, you will be-
come a commissioned officer in time you
have the manlness and character which
must achieve success among men. I'm SO
sure OF it that / now make you this offer:
Beside doing all that I've promised | will
make L special deposit in the bank or trust
company, the income of which shall equal
monthly the pay of a lieutenant which is
ten times much as d private soldier s
wages. This income your wife shall draw
monthly until you obtain a commission and
can draw the amount from the govern
ment. The entire sum shall he bound
by the terms of the deposit that neither |
nor any one else can disturb the principal
until the war ends: but, should the worst
befall you the entire sum shall go to your
wife and daughter"
"Whew!" exclaimed the farmer, while his
wife opened her eyes very wide in amaze
ment. Bulleston noted the effect of his Of
fer, SO he made haste to say:
Madame, he hesitates only for your sake.
1t remains with you to say the word that
shall save your home, provide we'll for your
future and that Of your child, for whose
education also 1 Will pay handsomely. for
the daughter of such parents deserves
every possible advantage. 1t is for you,
also. to say the word that shall give your
country a defender whose equal can't easily
be found. unless l am poorer judge of
human nature than l think myself"
The woman clasped her hands and ex-
claimed:
GO, Tom! May heaven have pity upon
me If l am wrong"'
Bulleston kept all Of his promises: the
farmer entered the army, and BuileSton
had new sensation which was worth all
1t had cost. He exchanged letters with his
81 bstitute, who put so much spirit into all
he wrote that Bulleston sometimes half
wished there was no magnificent Miss Ma
laise, SO there would be nothing to prevent
him entering the army himself He vas
so grateful to the man that he insisted
upon being better than his word. He
hired a person to work the rescued farm,
he put piano into the cottage and hired a
teacher to instruct the little girl in music,
and he talked so much al his club about his
substitutes family that he was obliged to
knock down a member who inSinuated that
he was in love with the substitutes wife,
who was merely a pleasing looking little
woman, instead of with the magnificent
Miss Malaise.
Those were great days, back in the late
summer of '3, for other men as well as
for Bulleston-fOr fortunes as for families.
Many "shaky" merchants became suddenly
rich through the demand for and enhanced
prices of what had been dead" stock in
trade; men who had been poor and plain
suddenly began to ride in carriages. buy
diamonds, and found new aristocracy.
Many men who had been rich fell into pow
erty through the failure Of their "securi-
ties to femain true to name, or through
ated rapidly.
One day Bulleston paid large wager by
giving check upon the executor of his
fathers eState-the only man who knew
lhe extent ana nature of the deceased mil
lonalres property; the check was not
honored. Bulleston went down town to see
about it, but there was no one to see: the
executor had disappeared and with him
the Bulleston milions-even the house in
which the heir h ad lived from his birt h.