The Saint Paul globe., 1899-02-19

a change, and he got it. He suffered like
a patient, determined, courageous and uncOm-
planning American soldier should suffer- and
when he came to San Juan Hill he went up
like an eight-year-old boy with a wooden
sword thrashing the humble bees for the flag
and-Ellen The bZ-Z-z-Z of the Mausef bull
lets reminded him of that audacious bee of
the far time At night, when he lay sprawl
ing in the wet trenches, he dreamed of sweet
heart In the morning, when he flOundered
through swollen, fetid streams, his thoughts
went back to the brmming brooks of Catta-
raugus County, and he shut his scalding eyes
and fancied that the knapsack tugging at
his parched and CALLED neck, was the little
heroine of his boyish chivalry, cinging with
loving fingers at his throat as he bore her
safe and dry across the water. And the floods
became shallow and his burden light
At dry mess, when ditch water and hard
tack seemed scant fare, even for a hero, he
remembered that luncheon in the kind sun
shine by the Hudson; by the freless bivouac
in sight of the Spanish lines he stared into
the gray night and saw Ellen sitting calm
and smiling, pouring the odorous tea and
looking al him from the shadowy depths of
her great gray eyes. Somehow the Gather
ines and EliSeS did not figure in his Dreams
waking or sleeping. If he had lived but one
day in New York he could not have thought
less of the life from which he had SO willingly
sought a change. And in his vague plans
and uncertain hopes of going back to the
old country some day he did not contemplate
Catherine and Elise.
He yearned for another picnic by the Hud-
son with Ellen and her little brother. He
wanted to get home before she married Mr..
Gilfllan. He wanted to talk to her and warn
her against marrying old man whom she
didn't love. He wanted to sit again in the
lamplight and see her pour the tea-for him
and Willie. He was sick before Santiago fell
but he wouldn't go to the hospital, for that
meant delay and, perhaps death. So he bore
up braVely, and at last one day, with vel
low, plnched face and faltering step he
climbed on board transport that sailed for
New York harbOr.
Cheers choked with sobs from a thousand
throats greeted the columns of wan and
Weather-stained soldiers that marched from
the landing to Montauk Point last summer
Teddy was one of them, and as he staggered
along reeking with the founess of the cattle
ship that had borne so many heroes home
from Cuba, footsore, dull-eyed, famishing for
sleep and nourishment, he stared from side
to side at the cheering lines of sleek men and
angelic women, hoping that Ellen might be
there to welcome him home from the war
Mothers, sisters, wives and sWeetheartS
swarmed into the struggling line of march
with refreshments for their dear ones. There
were tear-stained faces for all, and for many
kisses and welcome of word and hand And
Teddy, faint and still hopeful, stared until he
saw two grave. grave eyes with sorrow lurk-
ing in them like shadows in a pool They
were looking at him. His heart beat like
mad; he saw Willie; heard him shrek with
l. joy:
| h'Hurray for you, Teddy!~ Hurray!'
And then he saw that Ellen was leaning on
the arm of a middle aged gentleman; he grew
dizzy and stumbled, thought of an album and
piano manufacturer heard myriadS of bees
singing and fell like dead man with his
face ground into the hot, dry sands of Camp
WyckoffS S blazing street.
Then there were weeks during which Teddy
imagined that he was fighting a gigantic bee,
which bore the face and whiskers of Mr.. Gill
fillan, the piano manufacturer. Sometimes he
fancied that the Spanish army was concen-
trating it's fire upon him and that the Mauser
lrif1amPn lntrQnnhQ6 hahin6 ctxynr rlrS
Of. albums and that Ellen was serving them
tea mullins, while he was starving to death
in an abattor of embalmed cattle. Then he
thought he was trying to wade across the
ocean with Gilfilan and Ellen and Willie on
his back and in his struggles to keep afloat he
heard in his boyhood the voice of"'sweet-
heart at his ear saying:
BE quiet, Teddy, [ am here I love you"
| And at last, evening when the sun Of
early autumn was slanting across his bed,
he DID see her She was standing in the
shadow of the muslin drapery of his hospital
cell. She smiled silently and there sun
light, but no sorrow, in her brimming eyes.
He looked at her until the smile faded and
the shades of evening fell And when he
could no~longer see her she stood motion
less and watching, he said feebly:
ELLEN, l can't see YOU Are you there
Ellen?"
Don't talk, Teddy" she whispered, COM
ing out of the night like some radiant pres
erce and laying her cool, soft hand upon his
forehead. You're better, Teddy. I'm not
going away. I've been here all the time
I've been with you since that day you fell
down in the sand. You've been very sick.
but you're sure to get well now. Do go to
Sleep Teddy, dear!"
He felt again the warm blood tingle in his
heart His hands stole gently after hers
Ellen" he whispered, as her hair swept
closer to his face; ELLEN, did you marry
Mister Piano MANI"
NO sweetheart
And her laughter was as sweet and low as
the music of the spheres
II D