The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-08-16
! one 70 SPARE.
Tho Drudge Of the Family Be-
came q Hero, but Was Drought
Home Wrapped In the Flag.

I
the summer Of 1861, that Jack Hills en-
listed. 1t never would have happened
his mother said. IL 1t had not been fol
that foolish excursion. The excursion In
itself had not seemed foolish, and Mrs
Hills had been one Of the most enthu,
siastic of those preparing to celebrate
the finishing of the new railroad FROM
| Bradley Junction to the lake.
But there was a recruiting Office at
Lake City. In front of the door of this
Office band was playing patriotic airs.
Above Its roof the stars and stripes were
flying And there Major Seely ha-
rangued the young men.
Jack Hills was II and month, but
he was tall and large and looked 20. So
he signed his name and was accepted. 1t
was possibility that his mother had
never imagined. OF Mrs. Hills four
sons Jack was her favorite. Simon, the
Oldest Of the family, was in business and
married. He was already making great
gains on his merchandise because Of the
state of the country and the fears for the
future. He was buying as far as his
money and his credit would reach. He
would most assuredly not enlist.
Evan had recently been graduated
from a medical college. While he pared
his finger nails in a strictly professional
manner, he talked .loftily about going
into the field as a surgeon II Uncle Sam
needed him. But as common soldier
mo, thank you"
Next there was Joe. 1t was the gen.
eral opinion in the family and the neigh
borhood that Joe was good because he
lacked strength of character to be any
thing else. No one knew his deficiency
better than did his mother. He had al.
ways been ,he stupid end Of the family.
No bright sayings Of Joe's childhood had
ever been recorded. When there was ex
ira work to be done, Joe was kept out Of
school to do it. What does it matter"
his mother would say. You're always
at the foot of your classes"
So continually had Joe heard himself
deprecated through his childhood and
youth he grew to manhood fully under
standing that he was the blOckhead OF
the family. Sometimes Joe thought he
might like something else than the farm,
but il he limited at the idea ever SO mild
ly there was general laugh, and then
Joe turned scarlet and silent.
Jack, the youngest Of the quartet Of
sons, was the darling of the house. Hn
was the brightest of the family, and,
though the other boys were creditable,
Jack would surely eclipse them when he
made choice of n business or profession
for life. And now he had enlisted. II
was not to be endured any longer than
till such time as the work of the foolish
boy could be undone.
On the evening of the day that Major
Seely had released Jack, Joe was conf
ing home from the Raynor farmhouse.
The Hills and the Raynor farms joined.
Jennie Raynor met Joe in the shadow Of
a hedge. or all the girls in the neigh
borhood Jennie was the only one who
was kind to Joe. The rest, taking the
opinion of their elders for their own,
snubbed Joe on every occasion. On this
evening, after talking over Jack for some
time, Joe said:
"If I should enlist, I don't believe
mother would try to get me of"
"Oh. yes" Jennie hesitated She felt
that Joe spoke the truth. After pause
she continued, "But you won't enlist,
Joe?"
81 don't know. I'd rather volunteer
than be drafted. don't like the idea Of
being driven out to be shot at"
"Do you think the wars going to last
long?"
~ don't know. If it does, I'm going"
ooh, Joew and Jennie's face was very
white.
Joe, watching her, felt his heart give
great leap and then stand still. Could It
be possible? He. the stupid Of the fam
lily, the blockhcad of the neighborhool
and she, the prettiest, the brightest and
the hest girl in the world!
There was a silence for minute; then
Jennie said she must go home. Joe de-
tanned her by the very slightest touch on
her sleeve. would you care, Jennie? If
l go to the war or if stay at home, do
you carcT
"Yes, Joe care very much" Jennie
answered, with flushing cheeks and
downcast eyes.
eth be awful hard to go IL you don't
want ME to-" Joe said chokingly. But,
Jennie. you don't want me to stay at
home. il it comes to be my duty to goW
"Oh, no, Joe; ] couldn't love coward"
Jennie
She lifted her eyes. Joe's face was
deepening. Their lips met and each felt
that this was their betrothal.
And so it came to pass that within less
than six months from the time of the
chance meeting in the shadow Of the
hedge Joe Hills came home from Brad
ley looking very thoughtful. After sup.
per he said:
81 enlisted today, and I'm going into
camp the first Of next week"
you've enlistedw Jack exclaimed.
"What sort of rot are you givin us?
They wouldn't take you"
"Well, they have taken me, anyway"
Joe answered. Il belong to Terry's cav
airy"
Joe, why have you done this?' his ia.
Their asked.
"FOr the same reason that other men
are doing the same thing. Besides, it
looks to me as II family of FIVE men
ought to produce at least one soldier"
yes, it does look that way" his moth
err said in hard. unnatural tone, "and
don't see how any Of the rest could be
spared. Your fathers too old and Jacks
too young, and neither Simon nor Eben
could stand the life Of common soldier.
l hope you'll keep your wits about you
and try to understand what's said to you
md not bring any she hesitated, came
hear saying "more," but finished, "any
iiscredit on u.s." I
II will do my best, mother, as I always
1o"
Mrs. Hills made movement Of her
that to the others expressed
her lack of faith in Joe's best"
After Joe was gone he was missed by
he home folks because of the work he
mad done and because there was no silent
,ne to be ashamed of. His elder brothers
'ound 1t continual joke that Joe had
zone to be soldier but declared that 1t
was not a bad idea Some Of the family
'ught to go. From general appearances
he war was likely to last for some time.
There were letters, dutiful and kindly,
from Joe to his father and mother. To his
,rothers he sent messages which were
eceived with broad smiles and such ex-
,lamations az Who'd "a believed itW
Joe q soldier" "Think Of Joe being 20
ar from home"
After time he mentioned skirmishes
md battles he had been in. Once he was
wounded and wrote from hospital. His
lame was in the newspaper lists. After
eeinR his name in plint ,Joe's family |