Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-16

vicinity who cared to 90 to war. Most
of the young men Of the town were we'll
TODD IN a way. and they did not see that
J their services were absolutely needed by
the country. And so il happened that
Bill was the only one from that town
who left for the war. He had about per-
suaded a farmer lad on the adjoining
place TO 90 with him. but at the last
minute this young fellow had reconsd-
| cred the matter and decided that home
was the best place for him.
OF course. the departure Of Big BIZ
! for the war was quite an event in the
| village Summersville admired his pluck,
and was pleased to have one representa-
| tive at least I'm the armies Of her coun-
try. The day on which he left was n
red-letter one for the town and for
several hours business was almost entire
~ suspended. Everybody went down TO
the train to see him off. The brass band
of the town was on hand I'm ali the
splondor Of it's new red uniforms. and
payed all the patriotic airs included in
it's repertoire These were not many,
however, and when the list was eX-
hausted the band had 10 fall back on
other pieces. The last occasion on which
the musicians had been given an oppOr-
tunity Of playing in public had been at
the funeral Of a deceased member of the
Fire Department. and rs the strains Of
1--WE Shall Meet Beyond the River were
still fresh I'm the minds Of the musicians
they rendered that hymn, or, Mt least, a
portion Of IT, for they were quickly re-
minded Of the appropriateness Of the
selection and brought the music abruptly
to an end.
Every one had something nice TO say to
Teff1 Tho NfaVor Tunga orffl LENGTHY
speech. IN which he spoke Of tho young
volunteer as Summersville's hero, a ciu-
zen Of whom the town should be proud.
Then The sound OF the whistle was heard.
ard the white smoke Of the locomotive
was seen as the train made the curve and
came bearing down on the little railway
station as though IT intended TO ignore
the crowd Of people altogether, and TO
20 rushing past them. But air-brakes
were not invented without a purpose. and
the train stopped all I'm good time. There
We're hand-shakings and hurried good
bys. coupled with cautions such as
"Take care OF yourself. Bill" and then
the conductor called out "All aboard"
and the crowd parted a little I'm order TO
allow the young volunteer TO make his
way 10 the train. Just rs he mounted
the platform. and the train began to
move, he saw Florence Bradley standing
i'm the gathering q few feet away. Th>ir
eyes met. and there was a look In those
brown orbs Of Florence Bradley's that
he had never seen before His heart gave
O. great leap as he clutched the rail with
one hand and with the other dotted his
hat i'm response 10 the bow she gave him.
A. few minutes later, and the crowd Of
people stood waving their handkerchiefs
at the fast-Gisappear train until M
last only a long trail of blue smoke was
10 be- seen. Then the knot Of people dis
persed, and Summcrsville settled down
again, to jog along in it's old, quiet way.
As the weeks passed by Summersylle.
like every other town in The land. how
ever small. heard the news from the
scene of action. and rejoiced az the tri-
umph OF the American arms. The sum-
mer had come and gone, and the futter-
ing Of the leaves as they fell with every
wind told that the autumn was at hand.
when 10 was rumOred in the town that
the regiment in which was the Belling
ton company was. with many others. 10
be sent home on "a furlOugh. This rumor
proved correct. and Summersville was
once more thrown into q state OF excite
mcnt this time because the one soldier |
she had sent 10 the war was TO return i'm |
triumph TO his native town.
Yes. Bill was coming home. coming |
home, too. I'm the uniform Of the United |
states army, and not as plain BIZ Jones, |
either. but Sergeant Jones' if You |
please. And when, week later, Bill |
stepped from the train, looking i'm his !
blue uniform and canvas leggins like q
regular veteran. and certainly handsomer |
than he had ever appeared before IN his |
life Summersylle. as with one voice |
gave q mighty cheer, and the next mo- |
ment Sergeant Jones. giant though he |
was. was being tossed about I'm The crowd, /
and passed from one 10 another of his adj |
miring t0wnsmen as though he had been !
a football instead of one of the staunch-
est Of Uncle Sans warriors.
Every one else had 10 take back seat !
after that, when Sergeant Jones put In an |
appearance. lie was the one man of the |
town; the old ladies petted him. and the |
young ones admired him and became silly |
over him, while as for the small boy. |
every mothers son OF them logged his 1
heels wherever be went, and crowded /
around him as if he were some museum |
freak just turned loose upon the streets. |
The only persons In all the village who |
didn't join in this hero worship were a |
few OF the young men, who before had |
always stood on q little pedestal,of their !
own. but who now found themselves sud- |
denly toppled on They couldn't see that |
Bill had done anything great" that ne !
should be thus exalted but for once their |
opinions didn't count. Poor young men; |
ID was the first time that they had ever |
seen what wonderful effect u row OF |
brass buttons Will have on this little |
world. and what a marvellous power is /
hidden In a blue uniform.
As FOR the girls, every one Of those |
bright brass buttons dazzled them. and |
so affected their vision that great. awk-
ward Bill Jones. the farmer boy. was
converted into "A handsome dashing sol |
der, with grace in his every movement. |
OH buttons buttons. buttons. what a |
power you have 10 sway the feminine |
world Cheap bits Of brass though you |
are. you outshine the most precious stone |
and dim the ustre OF goldl
Florence Bradley. Ike all OF her sex.
Joined In this procession 90 hero-worship-
pers, and bowed down before the image |
Indeed. she was one OF the most ardent |
OF them an. she wondered that she had /
never seen Bills good qualities before
and that she had only just become aware