The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1896-11-26
IO& MY ATKINS

liwngatea rousucs 70 the brFtaDiaf
rLtu iaarr is tie middle sud 10 TIE s1
3 tvs1 ,stse oas
Vi ntGshte kiBgaaB. duriBss pon'
.laass cgau'y hus llst sfifted bi
urld 10 walct bsusltau d to1ien vs.
sfatrIs.as pullsi 90 30 wsfch them
xheu. vgls9al ite lssst vstGlas, oos'
ueli the 'roal t.ut ou their kue.s. 40 o
hasr ,beulcd Elr,l .sd % wsut tie IoDl
- l.st e. be eaali Jay his Irs' to tb'
~ aa3
X mru teuaR tsfy tisep, Gnptglecied
deonvtY got more tb.a . ulle shead, the
r.. .LleBeI gir -sbe wss ouIy IS --stt hef
istl ss.ias, the spl..bb0afl and pulled
dtsptratsIy Sac cnt Der gloves rib
boas, but Blb gall ed on shh speed 20
sba,el sud dasblas rguod . ootner slmost
pIung,d ilt1 ooupaUy Of soldiers.
The msu spfsus risll and left all bot
oat. he made a leap al the ruua~sy sod
caught hold Of the lridls Terrified
saes, the pony dragged bim some hItl~
4nttuce bat falling to shake him Of
eventually gave up the struggle
on course Gtrtie batst iato tears when
gate cure the dagger vas oytr. go the
soldier .ot up beside her aud drove her
bali mile ol ber way
I've oily sbriitus, she said, ohs'iug
tbe cola wish II vas sovereign. II
you tell me you, usmh Uucls John viii
seud yon one tbauk yoa very much
sud shall uey,r forget that you saved my
life
The soldier took the shilling and eyed
i, comically He was asell SET up fellow,
snd be looked very handsome in his red
coat. SO at least Gertis thought
csL't take tbi., don't y know. be
said, smiling.
Aod be 10 sed the t'illiog into Gerties
lap.
Bn, Won, you t Il M yoar name' sbo
urged, thinking the sm-l,ue-s Of the sum
was the reason OF its rolaccc t,Ice.
The soldier lsugLed u zig.
with pleasure, l's Tommy Atkins
Private Tommy Atkins. Now, don't you
forget 1t
And, with smother laugh, Of he ran,
1srtle watching him, very Cofry that the
iespised shilling was all she had. The
,sldiers formed when Private Atkins re
oined them aud t1rDiug the corner at the
iouble passed out OF the girls sight
Gerlis was visiting her uncIe, John Ray
lor OF Bslcomer.
Yol will send it, wont your she asked
%, yes, certainly, my dear, be answer
ID, laughiug, To Private Tommy Atkins
II the Heuford fusIlee'sP 1t must be
Dicks regiment There's no ether 10 the
county. Wouldn't the fellow roar Bat
t shall be sept, Gertie. I'll forward it to
be canteen keeper. Then your p rlicu
or Tommy will be Iratty sure to get a
bare Of the proceeds.
Nine years passed by. Gertis was now
Iiss Kingston of Bslcomer She hsd not
1pected any such stroke OF fortune. but ,
wo male cousins had died and third
sd offended Mr.. Raynor, who, being able 9
D dispose Of his property as he saw tit,
sd bcqueathed few thousand to the OF
ending nephew and the Balcomer estate q,
0 Gertis.
The girl never, TO her knowledge, met q
lis distant cousin Richard, nor, indeed,
as she aware that she had displaced him,
hat had been kept from her, =.
Daring all those years she had not for
often Tommy Atkln, the name by which :,
be persisted 10 speaking OF the soldier
ho had stpped her pony. Although Oh !
a private, he was ber typical hero, yer :
able Paladin, ,
1t vas not surprising, therefore, that one !
her first resolves, on realizing what
emed TO her nnlimted wealth, should
B to reward her hero 10 the proper man !.
af.
Having afcettaiued that the Hertiord :,
ileers we're stationed 1t Pembury, she :,
slted jewelers. shop and bought an
sborlts gold watch and massive chain
the same costly metal. The watch she
u a La unt,.htV euIr4ypd
Presented { Tommy Atkin. Of be first
= talon, Hertfo-dshlre regiment, by Ger
ode King,ton a. msrk OF gratitude. /.
dou't suppose lhtt is the soldier's =.
,me, Miss Kingston explained, but |
att 1t PIT on the w,tob. He saved my .
Ie and that was the name be gave me. -
Having purchased the mot eIpeD,iVe
arse the shop contained, she placed in :,
de it Eve bank notes. When the wstch
ID been delivered, the set out alone for
-mbury. ;,
T. aud fro be door which led to the Of - -.
,ers quuters II Pembury barracks Pr
.'r CLOSEUP was doing sentry go. T.
Mis Kingston stopped 10 her path. ,l
Can you tell me. she asked If there is =,
ldier here named Tommy-Thomss At =,
nsg
Private Glo.sup grounded bis L'e-Met ,
"a.
Thtt's tny pSme. be ssij, With a knos :,
z wink. Then bringing bis rifis 10 bic .
ould,r emartly, be marched to the seq ~
' boz, turned night about face and
srcted back.
At tbi. iaasture Serge Dt Smith appear
10 the doorssy, smar "a sasb, gloves
4 swotd sud sSiuglng natly cane. -
lee King.ton addressed her qnestlou 10 y
u
somsbody's been having yon 90 toast,