The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-05-24

vi udHClhS UP VAN
path to the narrow
porch where the old soldier sat. "I've
just moved into the big house across the
street, and somebody told me you used
to be a soldier, so / thought I'd come
over and ask you how you enjoyed the
WARP"
The captain looked somewhat taken
aback. "Well, l don't know as can ex-
actly say as l enjoyed it, Miss-Miss-"
"Dorothy-Dorothy Seaton," inter-
posed his caller.
'Miss Dorothy; but stood it as well
as could until got a bullet in my Leg"
and the captain chuckled at his inno-
cent joke.
"Oh, how dreadful" Dorothy cried;
"did the bullet hurt?"
"Well, bullets mostly do hurt" ad-
mitted the captain. Just then figure
appeared in the open doorway behind,
and Dorothy looked up.
"How do you do, Mrs. Baker," she
said, politely: 81 thought I'd come over
and call on the captain this morning"
Mrs. Baker laughed. "Why, he amt
q captain" she cried, in surprised
amusement.
But Dorothy's eouanimity was un-
disturbed. II know he isn't" she an
swered, calmly; "but l was asking
mamma what people were called that
went to war, and she said generals and
privates and colonels and captains. 1
thought captain was the prettiest name,
and I didn't believe Mr.. Baker would
mind II called him that
''No, / guess he don't mind" his wife
agreed, grimly.
HE was telling me some stories about
the war and the bullet he got in his leg;
1t must have hurt him awfully."
snow don't you go to tellin' that child
any stories about all the dreadful things
that ever happened to you." Mrs. Baker
suddenly turned upon the lately titled
captain, who murmured, hastily: 81
want goin' to-" for the captains pride
would have kept him silent about his
cork leg, even had he not with his own
sympathetic nature understood child's
sensitiveness.
"The captains leg must have hurt
him very much, but it's nice he didn't
get killed in the war;" Dorothy suggest
ed, desiring to say something pro-
pitiatory to the formidable Mrs. Baker.
But this was evidently not exactly the
right thing.
"Well, if he'd died somebody might a
got that pension money he didn't seem
to know how to get" and Mrs. Baker
shifted over Dorothy's head at her hus-
band.
"Now, Miranda, that want my fault"
the captain protested; but this, instead
of quieting Miranda, only started her,
to Dorothy's great dismay, with new
vehemence on this most distressing and
confusing subject. 1t was not until the
captain said, with gentle but impressive
dignity: There, there, Miranda, that'll
do before our neighbors," that his wife
subsidized and went into the house.
Dorothy breathed little more freely
when she was gone, and tried to think
OF some fitting and comforting remark.
"it's too bad you haven't got a little
girl, captain" she said, after healing
silence since Mrs. Bakers retirement.
Il did have one once; I'll show you her
picture" and the captain drew from his
worn yest pocket little black case and
displayed to Dorothy a picture. The
little girl represented was not exactly
pretty in Dorothys estimation, and her
hair was done in most wonderful man
ner.
''Is she grown up now?" Dorothy
asked.
The captain sighed and slipped the
case back into his pocket. NO" he
said, "she died while / was off at the
war"
Mrs. Baker must have felt dreadful
ly bad, too" Dorothy ventured, rather
doubtful as TO the effect of grief on one
of that lady's temperament.
"Oh, she wasn't Susie's mother -
Then in response to Dorothy's sur
prised look he went quickly on: Her
mother died right after the war and
married again" Why did the captain
sigh? "The present Mrs. Baker," he
added, Loyalty, sis very fine woman
and hard worker. She does a great
deal for me, and l ought to be very
thankful"
"Oh, yes, of course" Dorothy re-
aponded, in quick sympathy. II thinl,
she seems very fond of''-she hesitated
--"of talking"
A sudden twinkle, came into the cap
fain's gentle eyes, but he heard step
Nin the hallway and hastily changed the
topic Of conversation.
Il hope you'll come and see me real
often; git kinder lonesome some
times" he said, and Dorothy, who had
also heard the step, rose hastily to go.
Eyes, I'll come and see you," she
said, nodding brightly at him. Nam
ma said you couldn't walk very far, %