St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-27

like. She was a very popular author
ess, though 1 never read her books my
self. What was it she wrote?"
The World correspondent mentioned
1.-The Hidden Hand' 1.-THE Missing
Bride "Miriam's Revenge" and other
Ledger successes, and the old man nod
ded aff1rmatively. Yes, 1 remember
now," he said. "She was a fine-looking
woman in those days. I mind seeing
Gen. Winfield Scott, the hero of the
Mexican war, come through here once
from Washington. He was fat,
fussy old fellow, if remember, and he
cussed at slow driver all the way
from Frederick to Hagerstown, I
heard.
1T was when the canal was finished
I came here; tbs over sixty years ago.
l worked first in the mines around
Frostburg until I got too old for the
job. When the war broke out /
thought I ought to fight to save the
Union, and I enlisted in the Second
Maryland, as did my two sons. They
were brave boys, and their father has
never had cause to feel ashamed of
them. In truth I've always been hap
py. I've had sorrows and worries in
plenty, of course, but I always left
them with the-Lord at the altar in the
holy church after confessing to the
good father
"And now that's about all there Is
to my life-4he life of a man who has
always worked hard; who lived de-
| Gently and in the fear of God, and
raised eight children to be a comfort
to him and the good mother who bore
them.
WALKED TO CHURCH AT A. M.
81 cannot say that I feel my years
|
! see, but I walked four miles to church,
and was there at 4 o'clock, Christmas
morning. My eyesight is good my
appetite is like school boys, 1 take
my dram when I want it, which is not
often now, and 1 can hear better than
most people Of sixty. 1 farmed four
acres this year; raised hay and corn
enough to feed two COWS and three
hogs, besides cabbage, potatoes and
| other vegetables enough to supply the
wants of six of us. I live with my
| daughter and her husband, who is an
! Industrious worthy man.
DO the years seem long? No.
Sometimes, when I am not we'll and
! fall to thinking of the friends who
! have been called away before me, get
| q little discouraged and lonesome like.
! Of the men who shared my toll on the
canal and in the mines when 1 was
| young anu H3EGy all are gone except
few, and not one is left that called
my friend IN those days.
IT have seenethem all pass up to an
! swer to thes Maker for the deeds done
in the body and when recall them,
one by one5 and think of some Incl
| dent of our liVes-whether merry or
sad in it's character feel so old and
useless thatjI begin to want to go, too.
81 am no scholar; never had much
OF a chance! But I've heard the good
fathers often talk Of the withered
branch and fhe dead trunk as Of some
| thing, the usefulness of which had
/ passed away, and then begin to real
ize that am a. cumberer of the ground.
| These thoughts stir me up like, and
| get out and move around and make
| myself useful
I'm determined not to be helpless,
| you see, and soon find myself feeling
better and really getting back little
/ of the almost forgotten feeling of
| youth, dye mind" And here the old
! man Strengthened up and smiled pleas
antly, while the old eyes family spar
kled with something Of the radiance of
vigorous manhood.
ENTERED THE ARMY AT SEVEN
TY-TWO.
''How old were you when you entered
the army, Mr. Welsh ?"
81 was seventy-two years of age
But, mind. 1 didn't look to be over