The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-28
COPYRIGHT 1893, BY THE AUrHoa.\

seeing that about everybody in Clover
dell was Fastening toward the rose be
decked church that glorious afternoon
But ushers were part Of all well con
Quoted weddings, even il they fount
nothing to do.
Nevertheless Baxter Thatcher, tbs
man in charge Of the center aisle, was
seen to dart quickly to the porch Of the
church and to lay his hands on two very
shabby coat collars.
The coats belonged to two old men,
who, by token Of the dust upon theil
downtrodden shoes. must have footed il
many weary mile. One Of them car.
ried his left arm in sling, and If his
tattered old army cap had not been
drawn down we'll over his brow you
might have seen an ugly scar over his
left eye. The other one wore smoked
spectaoles Of that hideous green hue
which everybody instinotively turns
from in disgust, and his gray beard
swept the bosom Of his soiled vest down
to its last buttonhole. Buttons it had
none. Both wore faded blue army over.
coats-that Yankee" blue which at
that period Of time was veritable red
rag to the folk who had met it in COM
bat and come out second best.
It must have been the blue overcoats
that set Thatcher so violently against
the two old men at a first glance. They
were SO meek Of aspect that his tart un.
dertone seemed altogether unwarranted.
In fact, 1t has even been asserted since
that he slowly but inexorably impelled
them backward with his strong hands
until they stood on the very outskirts Of
the ourbstone gathering that collects on
all such occasions.
"You can't come inside, my friends, ("
he said peremptorily. -"You must satisfy
your curiosity from the sidewalk. X"
And on the sidewalk they found them
selves in another minute. They walked
little away apart, seemingly not car
ing to risk a second rebuff at the hands
Of the ourbstone guests. Then the old
man with the long beard turned to his
armless companion with triumphant
CLEAN in his eyes, which was entirely
lost behind the green goggles he wore.
"Well, Rip, old boy, are you ready
to pay that wager?'
"Not yet, Van. The test is not COM
plete."
II tell you our own daughters
wouldn't own us"
"You, no? But ! hope I'm not the
monstrosity you are"
"Only dozen times worse, and I'll
leave it to any impartial judge"
The two old blue overcoats shook
with the suppressed chuckles of the two
old men inside Of them.
"There isn't toss up between us,
old boy, but we'll try for that impartial
judge. Who shall it be?''
"Hey, there, you, Mr.. What's-your-
name, step this way, please"
The old man with the long beard had
suddenly lifted his voice to send this in
vitation toward Timothy Drew, who
was hobbling past in a tremendous
hurry for fear he would be late at the
wedding.
Timothy turned sour face toward
the shabby strangers who had seated
themselves on the curbstone on the op.
posite side of the street. He hesitated
and glanced from them toward the fast
filling church. The clock in the steeple
allowed him ten minutes. Those "old
chappies couldn't have much to say"
and Tim still stood in secret awe of
Yankee blue. He crossed over and said
shortly:
"Well, gents?"
The armless old man opened the con-
versation in answer to Tins "Well?"
"What is the name of your town, Mr..
What's-your-name?"
"My name is Drew, sir, and the name
Of this town is Cloverdell."
"Send any rebs to the army?"
Timothy hoped he was not giving any
If the boys away, but no answered very
holding his stiff old back
EVERY mothers son went except mo !
md one or two other wore out old bum |
ners."
Ibid, hey? More fools they"
"I'd rather you wouldn't talk disre-
ipectful of them, gents. We folks down
his way think everything Of them, es-
,ecially them as didn't come back As
Don as we get our bearings good we are
ding to raise q monument to them
"To whom?"
ITO Merriman Bascom and to little
'otts-two different sorts of heroes, but
9th of 'em victims to what they called
heir duty"
more fools they" said the armless
Id man, after queer pause, during
'hich he seemed to find some difficulty
breathing.
r.