Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-06-03
A BaIacIava Hero.

"They are worth more than that e
me, said Redfern.
wouldn't sell 'em, then, l suppose9
said the warder.
mo, wouldn't sell them for any.
thing; they are the only things have
left to remind me that I've been sol.
der"
"But they amt much good to yer
now, yer know" said the warder.
Look ere; Ill offer yer bargain.
You amt got no regular rights TO stop
in this workus, but il you'll make me
q present Of these ere medals I'll see
as they don't chuck you out yet 4
while"
II he had said the same thing 30
years before, Redfern would probably
have broken some Of the bones in his
thievish body. As IL was he said
''Oh, no;you must give me my IN edals.
l must have them on when die; you
can have them after-you can have
them after. am the last of the old
regiment When die they'll all be
gone. L must have my medals when
l die; they wouldn't take me back in
the regiment. II 1 parted with them
the colonel would say: Redeem,
where are your medals?' Then 1
should be turned out Of my regiment.
Yes, must wear my medals"
The old fellow had muttered these
last words as though to himself. II
was clear that his weakness had rem
dered him slightly delirious.
"Well," said the warder, "T'll save
them 70. you, shall II" Then, with
out further ado, he slipped them, rib
bons and all, into his pocket.
The moment he did this his urbanity
wants he'd, and he resumed his ordinary
manner.
"Come, get out OF here and get to
work. Don't try to come that old-age
dodge on mel'
He called another warder, who took
Redfern in hand aud logged him along
toward the stone-breaking cells.
This time Redfern's stock of stones
had been reduced to half; but when
he was locked in and told to 20 to
work he could not even raise the
heavy hammer above his head.
Two hours later, when the warder
came to summon him before the meet
ing Of the guardians, he was still sit
ting there, his thin face gray with
suffering, aud the long scar placed on
his cheek by the sabre Of Russian ut
Alma stood out white aud ugly. II
was the mark OF blow he had re.
ceiyed for his country. The warder
reached forward and struck him over
the shoulder with a stick.
''I wish you would not hit me-"
said Redeem. 'T'll do what you tell
me, but You see couldn't break the
stones, l was 80 tired"
ooh, yes; we know all about that"
retorted the warder; 1--WE have had
some Of your sort before. II you ask
me, you'll just have to pop out OF here
as soon as the guardians get their eyes
on you"
The warder was not supposed TO
know that Redfern was a man who
had been mentioned three times in
from the seat OF war. He
was not conscious that the medals he
then had in his pocket were worth
more than the paltry shillings they
would bring at q pawnshop.
SO he forced Redfern roughly for
ward toward the council chamber of
gentlemen who were waiting to decide
whether this pauper wns to be allowed
to subsist on the spare bounty Of their
parish or even to be cast into the
streets to die Of hunger.
The room in which the guardians
sat was we'll furnished and lighted,
and Is dignified gentlemen sat to the
right and lsft of fat, gray'haired
Redfern stood before the table of
the chairman. who questioned him as
to his place of birth.
"Why, You don't belong to this par
ish at ALL" he said, in feigned amaze
ment.
This was a signal for four pompous
gentlemen to enter violent and indig-
nant protest against such pernicious
state Of affairs. They characterized
Redfern's action in coming there as
criminal beyond measure.
The fact that he entered the work
house as a casual" and then, by art.
full trickery, sought TO live in ease and
luxury at the expense of the rate-pay-
ers Of that borough, filed them with
horror.
As they uttered these denunciations
they looked meaningly at one long
haired aud one specialized reporter,
who had exchanged winks aud we're
scratching down insane hieroglyphics