The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-03-08

|
would ike to have told Bob she was
sorry, but she knew that he would
laugh at her for little goose; and be-
sides it would look as if she felt this
was indeed good-by; so she choked back
this lump in her throat and sat with
brave eyes stoically watching Bob, who
stood in the window examining his re-
volyer.
But, strive as she would, she could
not check the thoughts that the sight
brought 10 her mind. Bob with the re-
volver in his hand--yes, but far away
in the midst of the din and smoke OF
battle, surrounded by the foe; daunt-
less, wounded, bloody-dying-dying!
With little cry she rose to her feet.
Bob who had been taking careful
aim at the gas globe, turned at the
| sound. "Ilalloo!" he exclaimed,
whats up, Nell? You look as il 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 10
the door, then she gave a queer lit
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. ooh, sir" he cried,
eproachfully, 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.
ooh, it is all right, Perkins," Bob
answered, with splendid condescen-
sion; whereupon one of the house
maids, who was a witness of the scene,
hurried off to the kitchen below
"He's 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"
turned the chops; poor innocent
| dear!"
| Perkins hurried down at this mo-
ment. "To think" he cried, tragicaI-
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 n 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 morningi"
Amt he cheerful?" said Mary, the
housemaid 'He don't look as if he
meant to be killed.
ooh! they none of EN- mean to be
killed, but that don't make bullets
blank cartridges" Perkins answered,
grimly.
| In the meantime mother had
| dressed. She had borne up bravcly
throughout. Once, though, her lips
| had trcmbled; that was when the
sound Of Bob's gay whistling hal
reached her ears. But even then low
ing pride had flashed into ner eyes
and chokcd down sorrow. Her boy
was braye-brave and true; and duty
she knew fun well, would find him n
hero.
! She wondered II father, who was
in the dressing could hear the
sound. She would like to have called
to him, only she was just little
| To a &
sons departure. But after all, she
! thought, he was only man; he could
| not know a mothers heart; his breast
had not pilowed the little sunny head
in the years gone by; he had not cried
with Joy 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 lie was such a fine big
baby. She had placed him against n
chair, and he had looked up at her
with round eyes OF wonder; then,
when her meaning came to him, he
had thrown back his little head and
with n scream of delight walked
| bravcly 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
/ brccchcd or not. lie knew the pic
/ turc 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
"IIumph!" exclaimed father, so
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 sense of lost dig
nifty was irritating him,
Mothers heart swclled at the tone;
/ she put down the photograph and
. /