Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-06-28
NECK OR NOTHING.
By JEANETTE 4. wALwoRTH.
Copyright. 1897. by the Author.l
CHAPTER Xxx.

bSobys'ohsv Ac~ss ~ sssS s~ss>sSs'S
CHAPTER Xxx.
The sound Of strong man sobbing IL
peculiarly trying to nerves not absolute.
~ adamantine There Is sense Of in.
congruity In IL approaching the ludi
crous Just near enough to destroy the
sympathy which should spring readily
at any manifestation Of grief.
Major Martin Of the Fifth found il 80
ON this occasion and sat twisting the
sunburned tips Of his long military
mustache in savage impatience which
found final vent in irritable speech.
III it was not for the vivid recollcc-
ton Of numberless occasions when you
have borne patiently with my cubbish.
ness and Ill temper, Seth Martin, l
could find II in my heart 20 kick you
out of that door. But as sent for you
OH much moro important business than
to ask you how You like my blue uni.
form ! would be obliged to you If you
would stop blubbering long enough to
listen to me. want to talk to you AS
one sensible man might talk to another,
not as Federal to Confederate nor as
brother to brother, simply rs man to
man, you understand"
Seth slowly removed the battered hat
into which no had been shedding his
copious tears Weeping had not en-.
hanced his good looks.
II can't see fur the life Of me what
you did send fur me any which away
for. should "a thought you'd ruthor
not amt no soldier. That privilege
was denied me / amt killed nary Yam
kec That privilege was denied me too.
But, talkin bout your clothes, IL amt
the blue uniform as hurts my eyes and
my heart 20 bad, Strong Martin; it's
what tho blue uniform stands for. "
The major was selecting cigar from
his case He was deliberate in all his
movements His selection made, he ex.
tended it to Seth with an inconsequent
remark: "You used to be great smok-
er. can recommend that weed" +"
"Durred if you can, so far as I'm
COuCtTucu.
Seth folded his arms virtuously across
the bosom Of his worn blue check shirt
and glared resentfully. while Strong
composedly bit off the end Of the cigar
and lighted it for his own consumption
Presently. through his clinched white
teeth that held his cigar immovable:
$50 il is what the uniform stands for
What does il stand for, buddy Seth:
Really, now, il would be- much more
sociable IL you would smoke too. Won't
you change your mindT'
Much obleeged TO you"
Seth stiffened his backbone into n
still more rigid angle OF resentment be-
fore resuming vehemently:
What does that uniform stand for?
To us it stands for injestice. cruelty
aud oppression, and. oh, my Lawd
A mighty" with despairing outward
sweep Of his long lean arms, lit stands
fur all the pure cussedness that the die
tionary is got words fur and Seth Mar.
tin ain
THAT is something 10 be thankful
for, for we have graver things to dis
cuss this morning than uniforms. either
blue or gray. After all, there's not
much choice between the men who ARE
inside OF them But the blue stands for
success and the gray for failure. For
the first time in his life Strong Martin
Is on the winning side. F"
Seth's protuberant blue eyes grew
yet more prominent, as he clasped his
hands about the elevated kneecap just
then doing duty as hat rack for his
brimless palmetto. He repeated Strong's
words dreamily:
1.-The blue stands for success and the
gray for failure? l don't seem to ketch
on, Strong"
mo? Nothing more natural. You
have teen Theoretically sealed out yon-
der ut Sans Souci. and you don't know
yet how badly you are whipped. I've
come to tell you. Practically the war is
over. brother Seth. The mutterings you
hear are from spent storm. ! may he
left here to keep things quiet, or may
bc ordered away by 8 O'Clock IN the
morning wanted 10 arrange for the
safety ard comfort of our mother and
sister, and the rest Of them, in case some
one less interested in them personally
should be left in command at this
point"
Il don't know as you can do any
thing for 'em. don't know as they'll
let you, in fact Ma and Liza are toler-
able bristly. you know"
Tell me about them. ;"
The soldier in blue and gold lace ga
lore sat down close by the rustic in
homespun and tatters and laid caress-
ing hand upon his shoulder. The pain
Of mighty yearning took sudden and
full possession Of him. All outward and
visible signs Of hostility between these
two counted for nothing at that supreme
moment. The smoke of battle that had
rolled in dense, obscuring cloud be-
tween Strong Martin and his past life
lifted to grant him clear backward
glance at the rough. unpainted over
seer's house in the Sans Souci quarters,
where his father and mother had reign
ed in smiling content with their lot,
humble and obscure as 1t was A loving
ehrAnle 0vennneia f!nrn6