The suburban citizen., 1900-02-24


after the small boy sitting quite still
at a short distance from them, watch
ing the soldiers who passed and re-
passed them. "Oh, if you should be
killed."
"Pm not going to be-" The man S
tone was firm as ae smiled down on
her. "I'm coming home when my
time'sup-safe and strong-and you're
going to be on hand--you and Johnny
Ito welcome me. As we march along
Market street You must stand on the
edge of the sidewalk, and must wave
this for flag" " he pulled gayly coll
ored handkerchief from his pocket and
handed it to her, $50 that / will know
just where to look for you. And
Johnny'll be much bigger than he is
now" he went on, putting his arm
around the child who had come up TO
them. "And he'll be so good that
he'll be a soldier, sure, and may be
the next time go to fight he'll go
with me" He talked on in that hope
full strain to cheer the little girl be-
side him, for she was crying and had
seized his handkerchief eagerly, to
hide her face in it. When he finished
speaking she got up to leave him, but
the smile with which she tried to an
swer his was a dismal failure.
A few days later good-bys had to be
said. "God bless you, little Aunt
Margery, were his last words after
little talk, for which he had managed
to steal the time in spite of his hurry,
and the memory of which stayed with
her long afterward. She was his
friend, and he was grateful to her for
all she had done! Why, she had done
nothing, nothing at all, and yethe had
said she had helped him, and that he
would never forget herl She stood
watching him long after he had boen
called away, and his words rang in her
ears. Good bless you, little Aunt
Margeryp
She tried to see him the next day
as the troops marched down to the
bay, but people pushed the two small
figures impatientS out of their way,
and all they saw was a brief glimpse
of him, and even then Margery was
not sure it was her friend. So her last
recollections Of him were always as he
had looked that last morning when he
had called her his friend and promised
never to forget her.
Nor did he; for when his regiment
had served their time in the tropical
islands, and after the long ocean voy.
age which made all so glad to set their
feet on land again, and all dnring the
long march back to tho old camping
ground, his thoughts were full of the
children of whom he thought so often
during the long months he had beeu
away. 1t was not, however, until
nearly the end of the march that his
search for the trophy by which he was
to know them was rewarded. And
even then it was only to see one-and
that one johnny, and not the little
aunt for whom he had been watching.
He found himself wondering about
her absence several times that day,
and the next morning went eager.
ly forward, when word reached him
that some one wished to speak to him. !
He recognized johnny at once, but the
frowsly haired woman who accom-.
panied him was unknown to Brown, !
and he could hardly believe that she
was the sister of his little friend, even
after she had so introduced herself. |
"He wanted to see you," she said,
abruptly. "And 80 I came chasing |
out with him, though L couldn't see
why" and she moved ungraciously
away, leaving the two together.
Something kept Brown from asking
any questions as he watched the child |
tumble in his pockets, and finally |
draw forth q lock of brown hair tied |
with a scrap of blue ribbon. "She
told me to give you this, Aunt Mar.
gerry did," he said. "She cut it off |
herself just before she died. It was
all she had, she said, and she wants
you always to remember her." There
was no grief pictured on the child's
lace, only a certain awe that seemed to I,
increase as Brown took all that was
left Of his little friend with trembling
fingers.
"She told me to say she knew
you'd come back, the boy went
on. Evidently he had gone
over his message many times.
"And she wasn't afraid to die, and
she said l was to tell you I'd been
good, and she thought you'd say [
could be a soldier now aud fight with
you next time like you sald." He
had gravely delivered the whole
speech, then his mouth quivered.
wish she wasn't dead" he half
whispered. 'I miss her awful lots. "
Brown bent over him, but did not
speak. There was something so tragic
in the half told tale that words seemed
worse than useless. To think that he
had gone away, had faced the dangers
of warfare aud climate aud had come
back strong and well, while the little
woman who had only waited had been
taken away from these two who had
loved her! There was nothing to
say!
The woman's voice came ringing
harshly TO them. Johnny" she
called. cts time to be going. You
l. i