Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-05-27

and swung him to his shoulder. The
boy smiled friendly wise into the rough
face and remarked with wavering
sweep of his forehnger:
That's my fathers monument"
"Your fathers. hey?"
Yes. He was the bravest man in
the -th Pennsylvania. My mother
tells us SO often. He died for his coun-
try"
who was your father?' Struck
again by that dim resemblance to
someone he had known. he asked the
question. half shrinking from the re-
ply. yet never dreaming what 1t would
be.
Matthew Barlow. an my names
Matthew Barlow. but hers" indicat-
ing the girl-"ain't She's Dora Ma
tilda. after her aunt"
Well, and wherein lay the horror OF
1t? Had he not wished and intended
to hunt up his family and be reunited
to the children who had been babies
when he saw them last? And here ne
had stumbled across them without the
across his own monument!
where's your mother?" he asked In
whisper. not daring to look behind
him.
Out working. She cleans ofices.
mother does. an she couldn't afford to
take to-day of. cause it's desperate
hard to get along anyhow. she says.
and"
"Matty" In the girls tone of gen.
tie rebuke there was familiar cadence
he wondered at himself for not no.
ticing before. Rousing himself. hs
said to her tentatively:
How do you know your fathers
dead? Maybe he'll come back some
day with a lot OF money and make you
all rich.'
Dora Matilda shook her head. He'd
have come back to US before this" she
said confidently. He was reported
missing after the battle OF Bull Run
and mother says she's sure he's dead.
She says, too. that she'd rather he'd
left us what he did-an example Of
being brave and willing to die for the
Union-than hundreds OF gold and Sill
yer dollars
"Your mother amt married again.
then?"
Surely 1t was Lucy's own self in the
naughty fiinging back Of the head and
the answer which rung proudly out.
Certainly not!"
The deserter suddenly set the boy
down. Something bore too heavily on
his shoulders 1t was that great shaft
OF stone. his monument. The band
kept on pretending to play patriotic
songs. but really beating the air with
the refrain. Honor gone. all's gone!'
Had he dreamed Of something he was
to bring to these children. by answer
ing the advertisement which was to
lead him. perhaps, to unlimited wealth
and comfort? What wealth, what com.
fort could replace to them-or to him
the heroic image which his return
would blot out from their young mind
The ten years of poverty which had
been bitter to him had been sweet to
them with a sweetness he could never
know again. Let them work and toll
on. and even II they tasted the bitter.
ness of starvation or death, 1t would
be better than anything he could give
them, who, as the martial music kept
reminding him. had better never have
been born!
Sister works too." the boy prattled
on, ''in factory, and she saves money
through the year to buy flowers fol
Decoration Day. Then when all the
folks have gone away we put them on
fathers monument"
Matt Barlow reached out his hands
toward the bunch Of limp roses and
fading mignonette which the girl held
then as suddenly withdrew 1t. Keep
'em," he said grufiy, almost violently
II thought l wanted one. but I don't"
That evening, as the stars and the
gas lamps began to twinkle In unequal
rivalry over Washington square. the
man who had been sleeping heavily on
one OF its benches opened his eyes In
response to slight shake. Instinc-