Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-08-04
4 EuncIinack s Patriotism
90 EDITH ALLANDALE.

-TBROU6H tie witbsred haIis of
grain rode the hunchback. Sandy
Eartoz, Oh his blind ola bucl-sl-ir, Nell.
Rare, he descended from lis mountain
homo, heel.ly alive 10 hts defornlty,
he dreaded the 1Jugh good nature Of
Vaqusrc Wafer.
"Ai1.'t be'a down lately" comment
al the "jedge'-postmaster, notary,
stors-l1ee per. all In one--''not up to
date ON VA matters|
"Iyarl' cried the hunohback. VINO
With. What fo-2'
"Reckoned % much" returned the
other, with > complaccnt chacllle. set
night down II the Store, Sandy, an Rad
ger papers. youm ind 'em real eye
openers. Hold OF I'll the stage comes
in an g1t the latest news"
Ine hu1chback besitated, then turned
nd entered the darken5d store. To his
eIief, It was deserted by tbs usual re
cue1ters, raither lazy jim Green, the
Man il Politics, UoT SmoGse, ths Social
Is. q the Hills, was there. He strode
10 where the western light filtered
through the dingy pane, and there read
or, absorbed, breethIesz- For him 10
waiti1g day by day for new develop
ments; relentlessly from the sinking
of the Maine TO the esn ior olunteers,
maccbed events TO the Inevitable end
The evening loafera, uIleedod,
dropped IN by twos and threes, lounged
OIL the nail Kegs near the door, and
awaited their sole touch of contact with
= - = from a
Pelitas. Sprawiing on the counter was
the Man In Politics, person OF impor-
tauce in the village. His voice, raised
in 4 lazy scorn, broke in upon the hunoh-
backs reverie:
"Fiehti Not Z T know It! Two been
waiting ten years to get my hand into
the county treasury. It's in now, thank
The Lord, and don't take it out for no
blamed war"
Bursts OF obsequious laughter fol-
lowed. His hand In this same treasury
was worth a dollar a day to many
hanger-on.
slight as wei 60" said another
voice; "nothin' else to do--dry year, an
no thrashiu'."
"No." smotse shouted. turning his
gaurt, unshayen face upon the speaker,
i'for there oin't nothin' IN It! Look at
me. I'll be swi tched II I'm shot for s15
month. I've never worked for less'n
81. 80 u dayj I'd ruther starve on acorns
fust."
Begun already, amt you? Times
pretty bad in the Brush Hills, ehf"
"I'd kinder like to Co." drawled jim
Green, the village Hercules, diverting
attention from the angry smouse, but
tho folk won't let me, Ny mornmer
gays / amt big enough"
'sFor shamel" cried the hoarse voice.
OF the hunchback; Tor shame, to loaf
Mt your mothers apron-stEtnes, when
shose"-he pointed TO the papers,
strewn upon the hooT-''when those call
on you to 1ght."
Fight echoed jim, what forE I
Amt goin' 20 be shot for lot Of dirty
Cubens. Worse n greasere, anyway y
''Tor your flag, for your country
your country, right or wrong. = had
your strength, IL L" He broke of
with q muttsred curse.
why don't you enlist, Humpy ?" said
The Man IN Politics, With ga airy winl,
at his constituents. quit chopping
| wood; You can't make notkin' now It's g
dollar q cord an board yourself. Turn.
cut tha5 plug OF ynurn an git. Never
! mind your shape, your arms Gs strong
hs another's7 an you can holler re
member the Mainel' with the best Of
'en. Here's the stage, boys. S!ledad-
de"
IN the stampede which followed, San
! dy Hartog mounted Nell md rode
homeward through the gathering dusk.
| On. past fields Of dried-out grain; Iast
the Brush hills, laden with cheInisel;
through them, and beyond, to where La
| Panza mountain scared upward to the
eastern sky. Halfway up the precip-
itous slope perched the cabin On knoll
"a solitary spot, fit abode for q lonely,
| morbid man.
Not morbid now. The pent-up misery
of childish years, the adventurous long
ines Of his youth, The bitterness of 4
| manhood forswearing woman's love
| or homely foys-aH had vanished in the
/ gathering dusk. At last he felt man.
! Characteristic Of change IN the
dreamer, he fell to making plans-con-
eidering ways and means. Nell must
| so.
'I wouldn't sell you, old GAL" he
muttercd, mot for lapful of sparkling
gold twenties. bat you can't 60 with
me, and I couldn't turn you loose to
| starve. One shot, and it's over. For
our country and our fag."
he put his arm about her neck in
| mute farewelI; a shot rang out upon the
| still air; EeIl's halls tarved life was
over. Unlocking the clumsy cabin door,
| g.ancing hastily around 10 see that all
was wei, he made fer the farthest cor
ner OF the room, looseliug plank IN
der which lay concealed the spare saw