The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-28
Bx IOHN HABBER TON.

Il
company. much less a battalion. and
has dropped out OF the business. He
1 never had n commission anyway"
Then all OF us TO whom he promised
] commissions are duped?"
mot at all-if you've raised the rea-
| uisite number OF men. Have you done
! it?"
Then Hamilton lost his self posses
sion for the first time within my knowl-
edge.
How many men have you raised?"
| continued the officer.
Five" said Hamilton feebly.
| And you?" This TO Cloyne.
-Four" sighed the handsome Irish
man.
Then the lieutenant looked ut me in
quiringly.
Three" I whispered, remembering
| that one was dead and another reclaimed
| by his parents.
"And you've consumed nearly a month
at this said the officer. what com
missions do you suppose you are ent-
| tied to-"
No one answered so the lieutenant
| resumed his work
Then we three Summerton men step
ped aside at Hamlton's suggestion for
consultation but we at once began 10
moan and grumble instead OF consult
ing. Cloyne said he had no one i'm par
ticular TO say goodby TO; nevertheless
10 go off as we were about TO. without
saying word to any OF the many peo-
pie he had known pleasantly for years,
would make him feel very much as If
suddenly arrested and sent to prison.
Hamilton said he heartily wished him
slef I'm Cloyne's condition. but unfortu-
nately there were many people TO whom
he owed parting calls and some with
whom he had made engagements which
h. 1l..Hs
gan 10 say that feared that not TO see
me again would be the death OF my
father or mother or both, but I didn't
get through my speech very we'll As
for my brother Ned, when / thought
OF that little fellow and all | might have
been to him, but hadn't, and now he
wouldn't have a big brother again for
years, L secretly promised heaven to
endure patiently any hardship or suffer
ing OF war II | might be spared to make
amends to that small boy,
Suddenly Hamilton exclaimed:
This won't do. Were wasting pre-
cious time II we can't go back home
We can at least telegraph our friends
10 come down and say goodby TO us.
Let me labor with the great mogul once
more"
Lieutenant" said Hamilton whom
Gleyne and + followed 10 the desk II
beg thousand pardons, but / know
you'll forgive me IL you'd put yourself
In my place for moment I'm an old
First militia man, and l know orders
must be obeyed"
FIRST regiment. eh?" said the lieu
tenant. rising from his desk. while Cloyne
and l pinched each other with delight
at the impression which Hamilton's an
nouncement had evidently made.
Yes. and I've enlisted for service,
| not for money, for I'm quite we'll off
already. My two friends here and
would like to 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 guard"
We must have been happy trio TO
look at just then as Hamilton took the
lieutenant's hand and murmured:
God bless your"
II hope he will." said the officer. 'for
everybody else is cursing me today
though I'm merely doing my duty"
We all moved through the door, the
lieutenant leading. lust then ] felt
clutch at my shoulder and, turning,
saw Brainard. his face tear stained and
most woebegone. Hamilton chanced TO
see him him too stopped stared and ex-
"Eh? What's this?'
This is a surprise" said l. Hes
one of us after all"
Thank heaven!" exclaimed Hamil-
ton.
1 was so pleased at this remark that
| was hours In comprehendng the en-
tire meaning OF It, which was that there
was woman In the case. Meanwhile
Hamilton named the hotel to which we
would 40 and where the lieutenant could
notify us when II was time 10 4tart We
at 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 condemn
ed 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 IL not been for that dogs efforts
TO explore the hotel and Neds efforts
10 bring him back there would have
been little relief from the gloom OF which
all OF us were full. Bralnards mother
seemed 10 suffer worst OF all She had
gone through her agony OF giving her son
away only 10 get him back again forever
she supposed. Now he was a soldier
once more. and at scarcely an hours
notice she was TO lose him. My own
misery was doubled by her sorrow. for
was not TO blame for his being I'm uni
form?
My cousin May tried To put some cheer
| into the party. and as she always laugh.
ed heartily NJ the slightest provocation
II was Impossible not TO be affected by
her spirits. She made Sheery though
modest replies 20 some gallant speeches
which Hamilton addressed To her. and
she told Mrs Branard 10 think how
much more Charley's quick wits would
be 10 the nation than the guns OF n dozen
common men. She scarcely spoke n word
| 10 Charley himself however. and ne
| looked at her only slyly, for. as he told
me afterward. he had caught a glimpse
| OF himself IN a hotel mirror and felt like
! n scarecrow.
A message from the lieutenant broke m
our party. Cloync departing first. follow
ed by Hamilton and HIS friends | had TO
drag myself away from my mothers
arms and then tear Grainard away from
| his mother. | hope ! may never again
sec such n picture or desolation as that
| couple made while taking n last look az
each other. II seemed as n n sense OF my
own responsibility would kin me- but
%.