Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-11-18

cane to her regularly for while,
and then, of sudden, they ceased
She thought OF those endless days
of waiting fol Just a word from
him, her boy, her J m. And then
at last. after centuries II seemed to
her, came the letter saying he bad
been in the hospital with the fever.
She remem bered how nearly c"az 'd
sine was after she read that letter.
Then came others saying he was
better, and then day after day
without a word, save once. when
short note, scrawled on "A biz OF
wrapping paper, came to her win
the news that his regiment was
again in tue United States and
encamped somewhere on the east
err coast. Aud at last tue DIS
patch OF that mOrnlng-'Conlng
home AMI sleep closed her eyes
At four o'clock Matilda Springer
arose. She burIIedly dressed and
called BUdd. Be went out and
hicheG up toe IwO bOrSes TO tue
old democrat wagOl aud removed
the back seat. lie k1ew he would
haYe to SIT on the bottom OF the
vehicle coming back from lne
station, for jim would be on The
trout seat with his mother, aud
there wOull have 10 be room be
hlud for ,le baggage. B0dd
thought of all the implements Oi
war that would be loaded into thal
wagon and wondered II jim would
give him bis gun aud cautren.
he led the horses up 10 the bach
porch and called to his mother
She came out dressed N brown
poplln, aud Oh her wavy gray hair
rested her best bonnet, a lltilr
affair of let with yiolets on onr
side and strings to tie under the
chin. Around h-r shoulders she
had wrapped shawl.
IL can't hardly wait she said,
hall to herself.
Budd helped her into the wagon
aud climbed in after her. lie drove
over the d1sly country road and
across the Old wooden bridge with
one hand holding the reins, tor she
clasped the Othci. She dii MOI
speak often during ,hat drive.
There are times when the heart Is
too full TO allow OF the lOhninG OF
words. This was one those times.
The mothers heart was flled TO
OveIhOwiug with love or that boy
whose f..ce she h d not seen for So
many, manN weary weeks, whose
brown eyes bad not looked down at
her for oh, 80 long.
The wagon roiled down the last
hill in the road and around the
carve at the bottom Is idd drew
up the horses AT The depot pla'. .
fJrm. Y W stiy he,e Az Mold
EN- said his mother. IN 20 over
there an SIT on that truck til' tn
train comes
Sue got out OF the conveyance
and walked around the station
house to the other side. UuObSer-
we'd b. B III she wipsi her eyes,
aud theu she sat down on the
truck.
b. sud by the vOIug age t
cane and unlocked tb, door Of the
building aud went inside. OU
upon the cool mornlug air wa
waited the 'clics, click Of the
telegraph instrument.
Mrs. Springer rose from her sea
aud entering the Duildiug walked
over 90 the ticket window.
is tn train fcom tn north o'
IL urP she asked.
Three minutes late at SlIvo
Like was the answer.
Wow lOng afOre it's dueP Their
was little ,remOc IN the voice.
Itll be here in eighteen miu
utes,' the operator replied.
Is, and by from away up tn,
, track came the rumOlIlg otan ap
, preaching train. Near aud neal eI
| aud then around the curve abov
the station the engine swerved.
The bell changed, and the trail
e stopped. Mrs. Springer ran bac
r to the passenger coaches. One o
I two sleepy heads were pOked OF
2 Of the windows. but 40 one got of
G The wOman's jaw Tell. No. lbeT
was no one N the rear cars q
e Evans Crossing, the brakem a
told her.
= Amt they some soldiers" 81
= cried. her face white.
o On, soldiers he said, rhey
some up in the baggage car.
The woman turned aud ra
: down the platform. Assbe reacbe