The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-12-01

I - .-s-.-s-s. .-s------r-s- 'r.-
he wsod Asf sreoS4Ae snd searen1
iAsshter was pitifsi - wssaesA 6As
esuM NOT control hsrsen '.ft
"Oh. AaAe soried Latham; how thiA
end starved you look!" Then he walked
10 the bed where the children iay.
Leaviae the Arc she stood beside him
"Donr woke them" he said; and
bending down he kissed them.
-I hadn't heard from you IN three
months, Ben, and I feared you were
dead" said Anne; "and now you arc
here-oh, Ben. am 30 happy"
Latham gaxed at his wife tenderiy.
"And you-oh, ,Anne!-you are starv-
ingl" be exclaimed, for Anne's thin
face turned gray. and, reeling. she
would have fallen had he not caught
her In his arma
"Thank God, there's some bacon left
In my knapsack," said Latham. placing
his wife In a chair.
In . few minutes the frying pan was
sputtering on the hre and the frying
bacon flied the cabin with It's savory
scent, and q hurriedly-m hoecake
lay baking before the hot Goals.
''Oh. Ben! how long IL your fur
lough7" asked Anne, suddenly; ss she
sat BY her husbands SIDE, with the
coler coming slowly back to her hol-
low cheekA Hunger and sorrow for
gotten Ia the Joy Of Latham's return.
the only mote that could mar her hap
piness wac the thought Of future
parting.
Never mind about the furiough," re-
piled Ben, moving un easily in his chair.
1--WE won't talk about II tonight At
er a mans been fighting four years he
las right to kiss his wife and children
without thinking about the dreadful
war"
"Hew long Is It going 70 hst Benz
Latham had risen TO his feet and
was walking the cabin floor.
"God knows. But It can't last
much longer unless men learn to i've
without food and clothea ft's got
mighty nigh to that pass now. We
can't hold out year. 1t's two to one,
and we amt had any luck since Stone
wan Jackson was killed. The men fight
rs wei N ever, but how they have the
heart to keep up is a wonder, with let
ters coming from home telling Of
wives and children IN woeful want"
Den Latham stopped aud looked at
his wife with a reddish light shining
In his hagsard eyes that almost fright
sned her.
The men are fighting for theiz coun-
>ry, Beo," said the wife, enoourag-
ingly.
"For tAAr counAryI" exclaimed
Latham. What h country TO o man
when wife and children are starving?"
The seent meal wss now ready and
the two sat down to eat. There wsS
nnah to Be heard and told In answer
70 Asr husbands qussttons The w1te
esve tho ssorg ot her struggles and
nakeshifH When she had finished
latham inquired how much food thsre
wns In the "a bin, and Anne replied that
there was enough meal for two days,
but whom Il was gone theT~ was no
more corn In the barn TO be ground,
and the pota sees bad al rotted, weeks
ego.
Then the man said the country was
full o. gsnA During the four y-srS
strife bstwHsn north and south there
had been little hunting, with tho re-
suit that tho wild creatures, unharmed,
had multiplied almost beyond belied.
So that Latham told Anns he was sure
he could trap enough game 10 keep tho
family TN garden and field could yield
produce, sh4 furthermore, TIL the
truck grew be could also weave fish
trnps sf whits oak sp}ints and catch
Ash in Spsey r4vor. On, he could man-
ago, said the husband.
''But WON'T you have 10 20 back TO
the army before the crops madc?"
said Anne
The httis supper had been eaten md
the woman was now clearing the
table.
Anne" said Latham with o touch
Of lmpatienea Tive Just come; don't
let % talk Of my leaving"
I'm sorry I spoke Of It, Ben; but
I'm 30 glad to have you back again
the thought of your leaving keeps ris-
Ing before mo IKE ghost. replied tho
wife, with tears m her sad, weary
eyes.
well, let ghosts alone tonight. Two
seen enough dead men," said Latham.
with mir.hless laugh that sounded
dry ard forced.
Husband and wife continued to talk.
but something as intangible as shad-
ow marred al efforts at cheerfulDe So.
Az lat Anne. after a silence, ex-
claimed:
How glad all the neighbOrs will be
TO see you, Ben. They'll havea thou
sand questions to ask. There hasn't
been anybody home from the army in
six months.'
81 don't want "a see apy of tho