The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-03-29

along the corridor to Bob's room.
Bob lay, six feet of British manhood.
yellow haired, straight limbed, deep
chested, sound asleep.
Bob smiled and awoke and saw mother
looking down upon him.
My baby. My boy" mother murmur-
ed. "Oh, my daring"'
Bob bore it with admirable grace. but
he did not like it-not little bit-and as
soon as he could he wrigglcd himself free
and asked the time.
There was time and to spare, and
mother said if he did not mind she would
like to read one of the morning psalms
to him; it would comfort her. she said.
And Bob consented. like the gentleman
he was, and lay still while she read,
thinking what pretty hair she had-it fell
In long plait right below her waist.
Then she kissed him again and went.
And when he was quite sure he could
count on isolation Bob got up and wan
dered among the litter of uniform cases
and portmanteaus that lay about the
floor. Then he took up his Glengarry
and, putting it on, regarded his reflection
in the mirror with complaccncy. And his
pride must be excused. for he was a new
ly tiedSed subaltern of % years, recalled
from leave to rejoin his battalion which
sailed on the morrow for the seat of war.
knock came at the door, and his sis
ter, his junior by three years. entered
the room. 1t was easy to see she had
been weeping, but Bob expected as much
and in his heart did not resent it. He
put his arm round her waist and kissed
her.
NEARLY time to be off, he cried with
almost brutal cheerfulness and turned to
strap his portmanteau, whistling a mar
tial ditty
Nell sat down on the edge of the bed
and surveyed the array of baggage with
mixed feelings. She was very proud Of
Bob. He was n dear hero. But if only
the war were over and he back again.
crowned with glory! Other girls broth
ers had gone, and-well, she would not let
herself think. She wished she had been
kinder to Bob in the days gone by. Now
the little unthought of omissions would
be ghosts to haunt her conscience till he
was back again. She would like to have
told Bob she was sorry, but she knew
he would laugh at her for little goose.
and, besides. it would look as if she felt
back the lump in her throat and sat with
brave eyes stoically watching Bob, who
stood in the window examining his re-
volvcr.
But strive as she would she could not
check the thoughts that the sight brought
to her mind. Bob with revolver in his
hand-yes, but far away in the midst of
the din and smoke of battle, surrounded
by the foe; dauntless, 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
Hello he exclaimed. whats up
Nell? You look as if you had seen a
ghost" Then his eyes followed her gaze
Little coward" he cried teasingly II
believe you got funky at the sight of this
revolver"
Nell stopped short on her way to the
door; then she gave a queer little laugh
''Well. perhaps did" she said and went
quickly from the room.
Bob went back and finished his pack
ing Then he caught up his portmanteau
and helmet case and went down stairs
In the hall Perkins, the manservant.
met him and hurried forward, with a
scared face. ooh, sir" he cried reproach-
fully you shouldn't. really, sir.
wouldn't have had it happen for worlds
sir" he said pathctically as he took the
case and portmanteau from Bob's hands
"Oh. it is all right, Perkins," Bob an
swercd, with splendid condesceDsion
whereupon one of the houscmaids. who
was 4 witness of the scene. hurried off to
the kitchen below.
Hes down. she exclaimed breathless-
ly, "a-carrying of his own portmanteau
and looking rs 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 Mt this moment
"To think" ne cried tragicaly, "as he's
strapped his own traps and carried down
his own portmantcau, and he off to the
war. I'd have lost whole months
wage sooner than this here should have
happened Supposing he's killed, and
I've got to remember that he waited oD
hissclf the last morning"
"Ain't he checrful!" said Mary, the
housemaid "IIe don't look as if he
meant to bc killed"
Jll, lntN none bl en- llltdllS 10 ut hlli-
ed But that don't make bullets blank
cartridges" Perkins answered srimly.
In the meantime mother had dressed.
She had borne up bravely throughout.
Once, though, her lips had trembled.
That was when the sound of Bob's gay
whstling had reached her ears But even
then loving pride had flashed into her
eyes ana chollcd down sorrow. Her boy
was brave-brave and true-and duty,
she knew full well. would find him a
hero.
She wondered if father, who was in
The dressing room, could hear the sound.
She would like to have called to him,
only she was just a little hurt ut his ap-
parent unconcern mt his sons departure.
But, after all, she thought, he was only
a man: he could not know a mothers
heart: his breast had not pilowed the lit
tie 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 remem-
bered that day and how proud she had
felt of her son. He was such fine, big
baby. She had placed him against a
chair, and he had looked up at her with
round eyes of wonder. Then. wher. her
meaning came to him, he had not hes
tated moment; be had thrown back his
little head and, with scream of delight,
walked bravely forward right into her