Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-06-02

sleepy nor submissive.
In the ordinary affairs Of his daily
life he was content to do as his wife
said he must do. But this was no or
dinary affair. 1t was an event.
For a few brief hours on memorial
day people recalled the fact that Lo-
rim Hankley, the humble cobbler, was
one Of those who had fought to save
the nation. Sometimes an impassioned
orator mentioned his name and called
him hero. His blood leaped faster as
he heard them tell again of the day
when, under a whitening fire, he had
stood by his gun, unmindful Of a shat
tered leg, and held the position until
re-enforcements came, not only saving
the battery, but keeping the enemy
back from the left flank of the waver-
ing line of blue.
For a long time he lay watching the
rectangle of moonlight that slowly
heightened toward the opposite wall.
Then he chuckled and soon after lifted
a resonant snoIe.
Mrs. Hankley was an early riser
1t was her habit to slip pinto wrapper,
90 down stairs and start the kitchen
fire before returning to complete her
toilet. This latter operation included
the adjusting Of her false teeth and her
brown wig for fifty years had left her
toothless, and typhoid had robbed her
of her hair Both of these calamities
Mrs. Hankley fondly imagined to be
secrets shared only by Lorin, but years
ago the village gossips had made them
common property. For the best of
reasons no one had ever limited to her
of such knowledge. Even the most
loose tongued of her enemies could be
discreet within earshot of Gritty Hank
ley.
His wife had no sooner closed the
chamber door than Lorin, who a mo-
ment before had apparently been
sound asleep, suddenly became very
wide awake. Swiftly but silently he
put on his uniform, rescued his wood
en- leg and strapped it in place. Next
he took the brown wig and stuffed it
into his inside coat pocket. The double
set of teeth he wrapped in paper and
slowed away with the wig,
With careful steps he started to de-
scend the stairs, but half way down he
stopped. The door at the foot which
led into the kitchen was ajar, thus
cutting off this mode of escape. Re-
tracing his steps with the same care,
he softly opened the front chamber
window past which stout wistaria
vine ran up and spread itself out over
the roof. He was Just about to climb
out when be heard his wfe's step in
the little hall below. At the foot of
the stairs she stopped and called
do, Lo"
lie made no reply.
10 Lor" came the voice in i'm
patient tones. "What are you DOM"
"Gittin up, pet. I'm gittin up.
I've been sleepin'. I'll be down in
minnit.
"Mebbe you will and mebbe you
won't. 1t depends" was the reply.
And he heard her 90 back into the
kitchen.
Again he grasped the vine and this
time swung himself clear, going down
hand over hand and landing safely on
the grass below.
Gee whiz, Lo House afre p
"Sh-h-h-h !" he whispered, as he
turned to the astonished neighbor, a
fellow comrade, who had witnessed his
unusual exit. Lets git away quick,
or it'll be wuss that. There's goin'
to be an explosion up there in about
minute And he stumped rapidly
down the street.
Once around the corner, he checked
his pace and allowed his face to relax
into a grin.
You haven't been riling Gritty,
have you" asked his comrade.
=" Fraid I have, Doug 'fraid have
You see, she'd planned for me not to
do any marchin' today, but I kinder
wanted to git out with the boys, SO
slid out the winder whilst she was
down stairs"
The old pirate But she'll be after
you when she finds you've gone
said she would. Said she'd bust
right into the ranks and lead me out
by the ear
"Great guns, Lo, but you're goner
them"
"Gritty's mighty determined wo-
man, Doug, but I've got her foul this
time.
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