Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-05-27
Marks Substitute.
1'M drafted, Kit"
III "Oh Mark!"

"Oh, Mark!'
= And with the exclamation pretty
Mrs, Weidman fell into her husband
arms. shivering with terror.
"T,here, I've blurted it out in the worst
way. after all this last hour spent IN
thinking how 1 could break it the easi-
est"
"But it will kill me, Mark. What shall
I do: what can I do? | can't stand II,
and l won't let you go; they may shooe
you here first"
aThere, there, Kittie, dear, you do
| know what you are saying; you must try
and he patient and submissive. Ihere II
he some way provided, though l don
see how can save you just now IN the
beginning of winter"
Poor Kit wept until completely ex-
hausted. entirely deaf to her husband
weak attempts at consolation.
| 1t was a sad home, but not the only
one in the land that dread November OF
1863 ----------,yss
| The fatal sdraft" put out the light Tor
ever on many hearthstone.
|
$50 yer drafted, be We, Neil?" remarked
the postmaster at The Forks, eyeing the
stalwart young man addressed with
look which plainly said, "and I'm giae
Of it."
81 s'pose am"
"Goin'
"No. sir! When Neil Weidman gets
ready to work for Uncle Sam he'll ie
him know by enlisting; until then ne
have his Majesty know he amt a-goin
"Not very patriotic!' sneered by
|
if't hadn't a been fer this here game lei
O. mine" =
"Small loss to the country growlet
4 Neil.
"S'pose Mark'n not go, neither?' inter
posed the postmaster.
"Marki"
Neil turned face suddenly grow
eager and white.
|, '.He amt on the draft?"
But he be-"
Eyes, and told me he'd have to go,
added the bystander.
Without another word the young ma
s turned on his heel, involuntarily looseI
ing the scarf about his neck that d
might breathe more easily. Swiftly d
, PASSED out into the dull November daJ
looking neither to right nor left.
On, on he walked, like man in tel
rible hurry, until three miles lay betwee
himself and the garrulous little group
t The Forks. He was turning In at HI
[ own gateway, but, changing his mind,
Q passed on, still at the high rate of specs
, Two more miles were paced off in thl
/ mad fashion; then he wheeled about an
faced toward home again.
When once more he found hinlse
then he passed in and up the rude staii
into the little loft denominated Neil
room"
whats up now?' his sister remarked
, "Ain't that draft business all settled p
a ST s'pose it's all right; he sent on tt
9 money" returned her husband, who ha
J. yainly tried to enlist, but had been r
: iected on account of deafness.
:, 81 bet Il I was him I'd enlist fir
g chance now md get my money back"
!, continued.
Everybody amt so fond Of dolla
y nor so itchen fer fight as you be-" r
o sponded his wife, in the shrill treble 81
always used in addressing him.
"I amt no coward, none of the Mos
Tvs be-" he retorted.
"Neither be the Weidmans, Dick Mos
10 Iy, but they've got sense enough to lot
,t out fer number one. They amt di
n poor"
IF Neil. lying at full length on his cou
(. In the loft, smiled grimly at their altt
g cation.
"a sDick amt fit to manage here, but
= don't care" he muttered; then turni
:" his face to the wall, he slept throu
: sheer mental and physical fatigue.
u When he awoke it was growing du
and Mollie was calling to know if
were sick, or why he did not go out
attend to his part of the chores
ID usual.
2 No sooner was breakfast over the I
I'd lowing morning than he buttoned
IN coat about him and started off.
ne "Some way. Neil acts awful quee
> shrieked Mollie to her husband.
"Does he?"
"Does hep she muttered, turning aw
In disgust. "How stupid men are. al
way. Mark amt, though, and Neil did
ch use to be"
II 1t had been a terrible night at Nj
r. Weidman's.
Kits mother had been summoned.