The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-05-01

"AaNNhNA tliiS pduptI was ~ OC dAiOnCu
to subsist on the spare bounty of their
parish, or even to be cast into the
streets to die of hunger.
The room in which the guardians sat
was well furnished and lighted, and
eighteen dignified gentlemen sat 10 the
right and left of a fat. gray-haired
chairman.
Redfern stood before the table of the
chairman, who questioned him as to
his place of birth.
Why you don't belong to this par
ish at air. he said, in feigned amaze
ment.
This was a signal for four pompous
gentlemen TO enter violent and indig-
state of affairs. They characterized
Redfern's action In coming there as
criminal beyond measure.
The fact that he entered the work
house as a casual" and then, by art
full trickery, sought to live in ease and
luxury at the expense of the rate-pay-
ers of that borough, filed them with
horror
AS they uttered these denunciations
they looked menacingly at one long
haired and one-spectacled reporter.
who had exchanged winks, and were
scratching down insane hierogIyphics
at the top of their speed.
The old mans wits at once left him.
He seemed to conceive that he had
been guilty of heinous piece of decep-
ton. He answered the other questions
with an air of meek penitence
Have you no family to look after
you?"
Yes" answered the old man; II have
a son, but l have not seen him for more
than twenty years. He was d fine lad.
AT Alma the colonel said to me. after
1 had saved his life: Private Redfern.
how shall 1 reward you? You may ask
me any thing and l will do it for YOU
Look after my son., / said, If you
would be so kind. He has no mother,
and he is a fine boy.
When the colonel came back he
took my boy. / used to write to the
lad, l got up into Northern Canada
and / lost the habit of writing. When
l came back, an old man. TO look for
the boy, l could not find him. My old
colonel is dead. But If my boy is alive
and hears that his old father is here,
he'd take him away-yes he'd take him
away But l can't find him." went on
the old man. He was only five years
old when saw him last He would not
know me now If he saw me-"
''Oh, We don't want any of those
sort of tales, hereH said the guardian.
Either you have a family to support
you, or have not If you have. they
must take you out of here, and look
after you. If you have not, you must
turn out and chance your luck. You
are only seventy-fve; you ought to
work for your living You look big
enough. Look at me. ] am not so big
as you-a bit fatter perhaps-and 1
work every day of my life"
He went into a comfortable office
for an hour or two every day; the rest
of his time he spent in eating, or in
sleeping, preparing to eat more.
The guardians all pretended to dis
believe Redfern's story about his son.
and finally, on the evidence of the
warder, who testified that the old man
was lazy and good-for-n nothing, they
gave him two hours in which to leave
the workhouse.
Redfern's face was gray with suffer
ing. and shooting pains from an old
wound in his shoulder caused him
agony. His knees trembled visibly and
his eyes grew dim and restless. He
summoned strength at last to ask the
guardians if he might have back the
medals that had been taken away from
him.
However. as the warder swore that
he had never seen the medals, which
DIT that very IubIllSAi were IESN4IiS III
his pockets, the virtuous, Well-fed
guardians of the poor ordered the old
man Indignantly for their presence.
He tried to protest, but the warder
scowled furiously at him and pinched
his arm for him to stop.
Then Redfern's weakness overcame
him. He pitched heavily forward to
the floor He was taken 10 the intirm-
airy again, and the doctor said that in
a few hours he would be well enough
to go out.
When the old man came to he saw
the warder directing the scrubbing and
of the ward with unusual care,
while women paupers were fastening
up fresh curtains TO the windows.
There was an air of hustle and prepa-
ration about the room such as he had
never noticed before.
A warder noticing that he was
awake, ordered him TO get off the bed
and smarter himself up. The pauper
told him that Capt. Armitage and his
young wife were coming 10 look over
the workhouse. The captain was a
fine young fellow, and he OWNED most
of the land round that part.
Redfern listened TO the information
listlessly, for he was too Ill to take in
terest in anything, and the prospect of
his expulsion from the workhouse
weighed on his mind. He was too par
alyZed to contemplate anything but
that in an hour or two he, soldier too
weak to work, would be cast out into
the world friendlesS and without hope.
All the paupers whispered incessant-
ly the name of Capt. Armitage, and at
last something in its sound awoke the
old mans memory.
Armitage-Armitage Why, that
was my old colonels name" he said.
"Ah. but this is q young man, and my
colonel is dead. Yes, he is dead: 1
shall be dead soon. I shall hear him
say: Redfern, you have been men
toned again in the dispatches Then
he'll say-yes, he'll say'-the old man
felt nervously over the breast of his
coat-"he'll say: Redfern, where are
your medals?' Yes, l must have my
medals.
He tried to raise himself from the
bed on which he was sitting, but the
weakness held him prisoner.
Presently carriage came through
the great gate at the entrance to the
workhOuse. At last a gentleman. tall
and handsome. entered the room with
a lady-a young lady, very little more
than a girl, on his arm. She looked
about her compaSsionately. But her
eyes wandered back necessarily TO the
ltdl g VI inc obib!lS man ny Llti SltIGs
who in his turn. looked down at her
smilngIy, and with Astounding love
and affection.
This happy, joyous couple seemed
like a glimpse of happier world to
the wretched beings whose lives were
ending between the grim walls of the
workhouse.
AS the captain and his beautiful
young wife came to each bed they ex-
changed words of comfort with the &C
cupant. At last they drew near the