Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-10-19
NEWS FROM THE FRONT.

NENS fROM IHE FRONl.
"There amt anything short of a cy-
clone could get Judith Talbot and Achsa
Halves within speakin' distance, and then
they'd have to be bowed together face
tor
"You think they'd speak, then, Uncle
Purdy? | DON'T
Uncle Purdy wheezed gently in lieu of
a laugh. He felt over the arid waste of
his head for his spectacles. and adjust
ing them peered through at the two
women going by. They were on opposite
heads rigidly erect, and both their lean,
tall figures forged ahead with r~esolute
swings of stiff black petticoats.
Queer how them two women look so
much alike" murmured one of the other
loungers on the postofice steps.
chats all the likeness there is 'twiXt
'em!' chuckled the joker, who never
neglected small opportunities for want
of greater.
They're both real good women-real
good women" said the little man in the
blue jeans, mildly. The remark was we'll
claimed relationship to Achsa Halves
through the devious winding ways that
blood can run. Naturally it could not
be expected Of the little blue jeans man
to call Achsa's sworn enemy a ''real
good woman" The %loungers all appre-
ciated magnanimity.
"Oh, yes, they'll both go to heaven
Uncle Purdy said. There amt any
trouble with Achsa Halves and Judith
Talbot's bringin' up in the right place.
Only they'll cross over the golden
streets when they see each other COM
mo 110nn - tho O1or ,,nol Ioz,~,-o-
The two women were out Of sight now,
down the sunny street of the little town.
They were still abreast with only the
narrow stretch of dusty roadway between
them, but there was not the slightest
turning of their heads. Boys in blue on
parade could hardly have tramped on
more infexibly erect.
She's got on her best black skirt. too
thought Judith Talbot; Il can see it out
of the tail of my eye. I wouldn't be a
mite surprised if she's put it on for the
identical reason | did mine. Achsa's
dreadful fond of Ivory. l suppose she
takes it real hard"
"Judith's dressed up in black, too"
across the street Achsa Halves was mus
ing; sits that same black bombazine she
always wears mourning. Judith thinks
a sight Of little Jerome"
Both women drifted presently into neat
white houses at the extreme end Of the
sunny street. The houses were as much
alike as the women, but they, too, had
the same rigid, uncOmprOmiSing aspect to-
ward each other.
1t was the beginning Of the war. and
the little town of Priestly had but recent
~ sent away its generous contribution of
boys. Two of them had gone out Of the
neat white houses at the end Of the sunny
street.
L wore that dress to big Jerome's fu-
neral tOo,' the mother Of one of the boys
was thinking beside her WindoWful of
gay geraniums. Her thoughts were visit
full. 1t seemed such a dreadful little
while-one way. One way it seemed
such a dreadful long while since big Je-
rome across the way died. She remem-
bered just how little Jerome looked. He
and Ivory had walked together in the
procession, in their little decorous black
suits, and Ivory had slyly wiped little
Jerome's eyes with his wisp of white
handkerchief. Judith had insisted upon
Achsa's going with her, she said it was
such q comfort.
Dear landr!' murmured Achsa aloud.
She sat up straight, looking wistfully
back into the time when a worn white
thread of pathway led between the two
houses, and little studded shoes were
continually traversing it. How fond
Ivory and little Jerome had been of each
other. And now-what were the boys
doing low? Dear land, dear land!
In the other house little Jerome's mother
rocked beside her window and remem-
bered too. She was not wistful and sad.
She was thinking of the bitter time since
the grass had grown over the little mean
derlng path and she and Achsa had
walked on opposite sides of the street.
The old grievance ranked harder than
ever in her breast.
Il did think Aunt Purdy had said,
when the boys marched away in their
gallant blue, that now Achsa Halves
and judith Talbot would make up-both
their boys a-gOing to the war so. But
they haven't, and now I guess they never
Will"
Nothing short of a Kansas cyclone"
agreed Uncle Purdy, and ever then it's
got to be Achsa that starts in. Judith
Talbot won't"
mo, oh. no Judith Talbot won't"
One evening the news came that the
Twentieth regiment had been called to
the front. The boys from Priestly were
In the Twentieth. Achsa HaWes' boy
and Judith Talbot's little Jerome had
tramped away to the Twentieth drum
beat. They had been called to the front.
A desperate battle was being waged and
many reinforcement were needed. The
men at the postoffice talked it over eXcit-
eddy and through all the little town ran a
thrill of horror. 1t was so much worse
when the Twentieth was called 70 the
front.
Dear Lord. dear Lord!' sobbed Achsa
Halves on her knees. All night she tray
allied in the throes that mothers feel
when their sons are at the rOnt. Once
she pulled aside the curtain and looked
across the street. Judith's light was
burning, too.
After that the days went slowly in
many, many hearts in patriotic little