Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-12-05

sWer. lhe lone occupant sat we'll back
in the gloomy interior and could barely
be distinguished. The waiting soldier
hes1tated moment, then entered and
stamped once upon the wooden floor,
then turned and noiselessly stepped
out, for, anticipating his question, the
general spoke:
No light just yet, orderly. Ill call
you-in moment. Just close the tent"
AT his hand, he needed no light to find
1t, lay little packet that had been
passed in to him with the mail while
the council was still in session. 1t was
stoutly wrapped, tightly corded, and
profusely sealed, but with the sharp
point of an eraser the general slit the
fastenings, tore off the wrapper, and
felt rather than saw that bundle of
letters, rolled in tissue paper and tied
with ribbon, ribbon long since faded
and wrinkled, lay within. This he care
fully placed in large-sized military
letter envelope, moistened and pressed
tight the gummed flap, slowed it in the
inner pocket of the oyercoat that hung
at the rear tent pole, reduced the wrap
per and its superscription to minute
fragments, and dropped them into the
waste-basket, all as carefully and meth
odically as though life knew neither
hurry nor worry; then bowed his lined
face in both hands moment in utter 81
lence and in unmistakable sadness.
Presently his lips moved: "Can you
look down and see that have kept my
word, Agnes?" he murmured. God
help me to find him and save him-yet."
Once again the laughter, the gay
young voices, rang from the other tent.
All over camp, far and near, from the
limits of the park to the very slope of
the height at the north, the evening
bugles were calling by thousands the
thronging soldiery to mess or roll cali.
Slowly the general rose, drew on his
overcoat, and in another moment, un-
der the sloping visor of his forage cap,
with eyes that twinkled behind their
glasses, with genial smile softening
every feature, his fine soldierly face
peered in on the scene of light, of merri-
ment and laughter under the canvas
roof of the only home he knew in the
world-the soldier home of one whose
life had been spent following the flag
through bivouac, camp or garrison,
through many march, battle and cam
patgn all over the broad lands of the
United States until now, at the hour
when most men turned for the placid
joys of the fireside, the love of devoted
and faithful wife, the homage and af-
lection of children, the prattle and play
ful sports of children's children-home-
less, wifeless, childless, he stood at the
border of the boundless sea, soldier.
duty pointing the way to far distan.,
unknown and undesired regions, con-
tent to follow that flag to the end of
the world if need be, and owning 10
higher hope or ambition than to follow
and uphold it to the end of his life.
There was nothing in such face as
his to put check to fun and merriment,
yet, all on sudden, the laughter died
away. Three young gallants in soldier
garb sprang to their feet and faced him
with appeal and explanation in their
speaking eyes, although only one of
their number found his tongue in time
to put the matter into words. There
were only two girls when the general
left that tent to meet his officers at four