Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-06-25

i asst ni..t.a main, ami know orders
must be obeyed."
First regiment. chg" said the lieu
tenant. rising from his desk. while
Cloync and pinchcd each other with
delight Mt the Impression which Ham
ilton's announcement had evidently
made.
Yes, and I've enlisted for service,
not for money. for I'm quite well off
aiready. My two friends here and
would like 10 see our families and ac-
quaintances before we start"
Telegraph them to come at once"
said the lieutenant. go to the nearest
hotel and see them there. You wouldn't
like to meet them before this crowd.
I'll pass you through the guards"
We must have been happy trio to
look ut just then as Hamilton took the
lieutenants hand and murmured:
"God bless your
II hope he WILL" said the officer, "for
everybody else is cErsing me today,
though I'm merely doing my duty"
We all moved through the door, the
lieutenant leading. Just then | felt
clutch at my shoulder and. turning,
saw Brainard. his face tear stained and
most woebegonc. Hamilton Glanced to
see him. too. stopped, stared and ex-
claimed:
"Eh? What's thisT
"This is surprise" said I. Hes
one of us after all."
'Thank heavenw exclaimed Hamil.
ton.
I was hours in compromising the en-
tire meaning of it, which was that
there was woman In the case. Mean
while Hamilton named the hotel to
which we would so and where the lieu
tenant could notify us when it was
time to start. We Mt once telegraphed
our families and while awaiting them
made some hasty goodby visits to
friends in the city. Two hours later
we felt as criminals condemned to
death must feel during the final visit
of their friends. My father-bless his
dear, thoughtful heart-brought down
the entire family and the dog besides.
Had it not been for that dogs efforts
to explore the hotel and Ned's efforts
to bring him back there would have
been little relief from the gloom of
which all Of us were full. Brainard's
mother seemed to suffer worst of all.
She had gone through the agony of CIV
ing her son away only to get him back
again forever, she supposed. Now he
was soldier once more, and Mt scarce
~ IN hours notice she was to lose him.
My own misery was doubled by her
sorrow, for was not to blame for his
being In uniform?
My cousin May tried to put some
cheer into the party, and rs she always
laughed heartily at the slightest provo
cation 1t was impossible not TO be af-
fected by her spirits. She made CHEEKY
though modest replies to some gallant
speeches which Hamilton addressed to
her, and she told Mrs. Brainard to
think how much more Charley's quick
wits would be to the nation than the
guns of dozen common men. She
scarcely spoke a word to Charley him
self. however. and he looked at her
only slyly, for, as he told me after
ward, he had caught a glimpse Of him
self in hotel mirror and felt like
scarecrow.
A message from the lieutenant broke
up our party. Cloyne departing first,
followed by Hamilton and his friends.
had to drag myself away from my
mothers arms and then tear Brainnrd
n we " his I I
never again see such picture of desc
lation as that couple made while talk
ing q last look at each other 1t seem.
ed rs If a sense of my own RESPONSE
bility would kill me, but suddenly
Cousin May relieved the feelings of all
present by throwing her arms around
Charley's neck and eXclaiming:
"You poor. troubled little fellow,
your mother shan't be lonesome while
you are away"
How we got out of that room-why
we did not fall dead ut the final part
ing-I do not know. To my memory
that is still the most dismal day Of the
entire war. We took pains not to tell
our families where our rendezvous was
or by what streets we would depart.
We did not know ourselves. Just
quarter Of an hour afterward, how
ever, as we tramped down Broadway,
a dog sprang upon me. and as turned
to cast him off saw it was mine
that little Ned was right behind him.
and my father was following Ned.