The Van Buren press., 1900-04-28


sound. "Halloo!' he exclaimed,
whats up, Nell? You look as if you
had seen a ghost" Then his eyes fol-
lowed her gaze. Little coward" he
cried, teasingly 81 believe you got
funky at the sight of this revolver.
Nell stopped short on her way to
the door, then she gave queer ut
tie laugh. "Well, perhaps | did, she
said. and went quickly from the room,
Bob went back and finished his
packing; then he caught up his port
manteau and helmet case and went
| downstairs.
In the hall Perkins, the man serv-
ant, met him and hurried forward
with a scared face. "Oh, sir he cried
reproachfully, you shouldn't, really,
sir! | wouldn't have had it happen
for worlds, SIR he said, pathetically
as he took the case and portmanteau
from Bob's hands.
"Oh, it is all right, Perkins" Bob
answered. with splendid condescen-
sion; whereupon one OF the house
maids. who was witness of the scene,
hurried off to the kitchen below.
Hes down." she exclaimed breath
lessly, "a-carrying of his own port
manteau and looking as handsome
and cheerful for all the world as If
he was a-going to be married, instead
of off to the war"
poor dear!" said cook, as she
turned the chops; poor innocent
dear!"
Perkins hurried down at this mo-
ment. "To think" he cried, tragical-
ly, "as he's strapped his own traps
and carried down his own portman-
teau. and he off to the war! I'd have
lost a whole months wage sooner
than this ere should have happened,
Surprising he's killed, and I've got to
remember that he waited on hisself
the last morning."
Saint he cheerful?" said Mary, the
housemad. "IIe don't look as II he
meant to be killed"
"Oh! they none of 'em mean to be
killed, but that don't make bullets
blank cartridges" Perkins answered,
grimly .,..# T .#....
In the meantime mother had
dressed. She had borne up bravcly
throughout. Once, though, her lips
had trembled; that was when the
sound Of Bob's gay whistling hal
reached her ears. But even then low
ing pride had flashed into her eyes
and choked down sorrow, Her boy
was brave-breve and true; and duty,
she knew full well, would find him n
hero.
She wondered II father, who was
in the dressng-room, could hear the
sound. She would like to have called
to him, only she was just httle
hurt at his apparent unconcern at his
sons departure But after all she
thought, he was only man; he could
not know a mothers heart; his breast
had not pillowed the little sunny head
in the years gone by; he had not cried
with ioy when the little feet had
taken their first unsteady steps across
the floor. How well she remembered
that day, and how proud she had felt
of her son! He was such a fine big
baby. She had placed him against a
chair and he had looked up at her
with round eyes Of wonder; then,
when her meaning came 10 him, he
had thrown back his little head and,
with a scream Of delight, walked
bravely forward right into her low
ing. waiting arms And now-now-
She brushed aside her tears, for she
heard father coming,
Father entered the room quickly,
but paused on the threshold To tell
the truth, he had thought mother
downstairs. He had been trying TO
remember, that day when Bob had
ridden the new pony for the first time
so pluckily, whether the lad had been
breeched or not. He knew the pie.
ture was on mothers dressing table,
and he had come in to look at IT, and
there stood mother with the photo
graph in her hand
"lIumph!" exclaimed father 80
YOU have not gone down." and his
voice was not conciliatory, for he felt
that every one that morning, him
self included was wearing his heart
on his sleeve, and u sense of lost dig
nifty was irritating him.
Mothers heart swelled at the tone;
she put down the photograph and
looked up at father with u look in
which reproach and sorrow mingled
and then suddenly she turned aside
and her hands busted themselves
amory the brushes and trays on the
dressing table, for her quick eye had
detected that father was wearing odd
boots--p buttoned and n laced.up one,
To think OF it! He. the soul OF pre-
cision, TO thus betray himself. l'nt
there his abstraction stood confessed,
And oh, how mother loved him for
Il! He had been such n stole, too,
Well there was no accounting FOR
mans ways, but, thank God he had
put on odd boots that morning. She
no longer felt lonely in her grief, lie
cared, too, his heart was aching also
for their sons departure. Oh, those
blessed odd boots
She knew his nature, and stood for II
moment wondering how best to tell
him of his mistake without annoying
him. Aud presently mother, ON her
way downstairs, tapped at the dress
ing.room outer door, "Onc of your
lace boots" she said, 81 stumbled over
It; have put II down outside" Then
she waited until she heard father
swearing softly to himself, Then she
knew matters would right themselves
aud went downstairs,