The evening times., 1898-05-10

now, yer KNOW, saiu tHt Waruef
Look ere. I'll offer yer a bargain.
You amt got no reg'lar rights TO stop
in this workus. but if youll make me
a present of these ere medals I'll see
as they don't chuck you out yet
. awhile"
If he had said the same thing thirty
years before, Redfern would probably
have broken some of the bones in his
thievish body. AS it was he said: 'Oh.
no; you must give me my medals. 1
must have them on when / die: you
can have them after-you can have
them after. l am the last of the old
regiment When / die; they'll all be
gone. l must have my medals when 1
die; they wouldn't take ME back in the
regiment. If ! parted with them the
colonel would say: 'Redfern. where are
your medals?' Then l should be turn
ed out Of my regiment. Yes. 1 must
wear my medals"
The old fellow had muttered these
last words as though to himself. 1t
was clear that his weakness had rem
dered him slightly delirious.
We'll" said the warder. 'Tll save
them for you. shall I?' Then. with
out further ado. he slipped them, rib
bons and all, into his pocket.
II.
The moment he did this his urbanity
vanished 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 me-
He called another wardeT. who took
Redfern in hand and logged him along
toward the stone-breaking cells.
This time Redfern's stock of stone
had been reduced to half; but when he
was locked In and told to go to work
he could not even raise the heavy ham,
mer 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, and the long scar placed on
his cheek by the saber of a Russian at
Alma stood out white and ugly. 1t was
the mark of a blow he had received
for his country. The warder reached
forward and struck him over the shoul-
der with a stick.
Il wish you would not hit me- said
Redfern, .'rll do what you tell me. but
you see / couldn't break the stones I
was SO tired
''Oh. yes; We know all about that"
retorted the warder, I'VE 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 dis
patches from the seat of war. He was
not conscious that the medals he then
had in his pocket We're worth more
than the paltry shiliings they would
bring at pawnshop.
So he forced Redfern roughly for
ward toward the council chamber of
gentlemen who were waiting to decide
whether this pauper was 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 well furnished and lighted. and
eighteen dignified gentlemen sat to the
right and left of fat, gray-haired
chairman.
Redfern stood before the table of the
who questioned him as to
his place of birth
why you don't belong TO this par
ish at ALI" he said, in feigned amaze
ment.
This was a signal for four pompous
gentlemen to enter violent and indig-
nant protest against such a pernicious
state of affairs. They characterized
Redfern's action in coming there as
beyond measure.
The fact that he entered the work.
house as 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, filled them with
horror.
As they uttered these denunciations |
they looked menacingly at one long
haired and one-spectacled reporter,
who had exchanged winks, and were |
down insane hieroglyphics |
at the top of their speed.
The old mans wits at once left him. |
He seemed to conceive that he had |
been guilty of heinous piece of decep- |
tion. He answered the other questions |
with an air of meek penitence.
Have you no family to look after |
you?"
Yes" answered the old man; ct have |
\ son, but have not seen him for more |
than twenty years. He was q fine lad |
At Alma the colonel said to me, after |
[ had saved his life: Private Redfern.
how shall reward you? You may ask |
me any thing, and will do 1t for you.'
Look after my son. l said, If you /
would be SO kind. He has no mother. |
and he is a fine boy
When the colonel came back he |
took my boy. used to write to the |
ad, 1 got up into Northern Canada |
and lost the habit Of writing. When
came back, an old man, to look for |
the boy, I could not find him. My old |
colonel is dead. But If my boy is alive |
md hpars that hia old father Ia horo