Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-01
CHAPTER. TT.

Mother Revell, old campaigner and
fearless of weathers, pulled on warm
~ lined pair Of rubber boots that show
cd honestly beneath her sensibly short
skirts, wrapped warm shawl over her
head and shoulders and vcntured boldly
away from her little cottage by the
creek, plodding through the knee deep
snow. The blizzard which the teamster
had scented afar had blown past, and
again tho wind was stillcd, so that tho
drifts lay motionless, freezing crisply i'll
the moonless night. No. OH the guard
house porch. beyond the lines of bar
racks and officers houses, lonely in its
grimness, saw her coming u cloth COW
cred basket on her arm, and challenged
her with smiling ceremony.
"Who comes there?" ho cried, and
she answered chcerily, "a friend"
"You bet you are, Mother Revell,
said tho sentry and helped her on to the
porch. "Want to see the sergeant"
Ho opened the guardroom door and
pushed her gently in.
Another prisoner for you, sergeant"
he said and grinned.
Hello, motherl" cried the sergean,
of the guard, coming forward from his
little Office bedroom. "What brings you
out in the snow?"
Its Mother Revell," the trooper.
called out, throwing aside cards and
! jumping from their hunks, land bas-
kot. What's in the basket"
81 thought" said the little, gentle
eyed woman, who for all her long, rough
life with the army could yet blush
pleasantly. II thought as it was Mar
tins first guard as sergeant you boys
wouldn't mind if just fixed you all q
lunch, seeing it's so cold.
The sergeant laughed and gave the
little woman boys hard squeeze.
"You ought to be brevetted colonel, "
screcched the young trumpeter.
Zach! Mutter Revell! Why vas you
not secretary of var made alrctty?" "a
Dutchman grunted.
No. l poked his head in at the door
anxiously.
make them keep some for me, Mrs.
Revell," he cried earnestly. eve half
an hour yet to freeze out here"
Hot mince pies and can of better
than mcssroom coffee came from tho
big basket, and the soldiers alto with
boistcrous good humor. Mrs. Revell sat
on the edge Of trunk and eyed them
comfortably She knew them all, knew
many of their secrets, as she had known
recruit and veteran, private AMI ser
geant of the old troop for 20 years and
more. Her quick gray eyes glanced from
one to the other motherly,
Brown" she said, "are those your
best boots? Mind you draw Il new pair
next clothing issue. You'll be on the
sick report with pneumonia if you don t
take care. Billy McNab, how's your
arm? Thought you knew better than let
your horse throw you. Have you got
enough coffee, Martin, boy?"
"How, mother?'
Mrs. Revell glanced at tho barred and
closed door Of the common prison room.
"Mayn't they have some, poor
things?"
ooh, we're empty tonight, mother.
There's only old Barney Oonstable-the
usual thing-and he's sleeping it Off.
Poor old Barney l doubt but
they'll bobtail him in tho end. Whore s
the-the stage robber?' she whispered.
"Sulking in his cell there. / guess
} they'll ship him off to the civil authori-
ties soon, if tho roads open up. If it
hadn't been for the blizzard, they'd
! have sent him before this. We've had
} him five days now, and the adjutant
} don't like the responsibility of keeping
such desperate murderer in this old
: wooden shack. "
Mother Revell had little of wom-
ans curiosity, and great deal Of q
woman's tenderness.
"He must be cold in that dark cell, "
she murmured. won't you give him a
mug of hot coffee?"
} He'd only growl and refuse it. :
Let me, )" said Mother Revell, with
innate Red Cross proclivities.
She took tho tin cup and filled it
stcaming full and took as we'll piece
of pie, With these she stepped lightly
along the dark corridor to the farthest
cell, n dark and chilly dungeon, utterly
lonesome, securely barred. She paused
timidly foot away from the grating.
: By the smoky light of the oil lamp in
the corridor she made out to see bun.
! die Of blankets in the far corner.
Would you like cup Of coffee and
a piece of hot pier" asked Mother Rev
ELL
! The blanket was slipped from a shag.
gy, gray haired, gray bearded head and
two eyes, red shot, stared out.
GIVE brought you cup
: The blankets were tossed aside and
the prisoner made spring at the bars.
His lips were apart in surprise; hil
hands shook; his eyes were eager.
GOOD Lord Are you still with the
boys?" he whispered.
The mug Of coffee shook in Mother
Revell's hand until much Of the draf
was spilled on the WORKOUT boards, bu
! Mother Revell had courage and wit and
presence of mind, developed by her un
: usual training. She neither screamed
nor tainted, hut her breath came pant
|, ingly.
"You againi' she whispered at last
,, and they wore silent, staring at eacl
other. the man with an astonished, hal
pleased smile, the woman white an,