Evening journal., 1902-12-23
HOW PAXON
WAS SAVED
Continued ..om Ninth lnee.)

AHbh@ Hhb q - - h
Continued .'om Ninth faee.)
had kept him from being a suicide.
Tears ran down her cheeks as she lis
tened to his sad recital. Before the
evening was over he told her OF his
love for her and found out that he was
loved in return.
Then he tried to get her to leave the
Army. but all arguments failed.
"Not yet" she Gaid. / have work
10 do. John she said. JUST think, we
may be able 10 save another poor mans
life. IS we did yours. Desires, the Army
needs me to help look after the poor.
1--WE care for all denominations and
ask no questions. Our object is to re-
lieve the distress Of everyone, particI-
larly the most unfortunate.
I'VE do not ask any questions. y
Neither do we sit around some cewing l
circle and while sewing for the poor
gossip about Oui neighbors. Ours Is a |
higher and ROLLER work. We go whore |
the leaders of the sewing guild would 4
not dare TO-"
Paxon braced up and resolved toI
walt Soon he held q good position ]
with a big concern.
To be near Mable as he called her
when they were alone, it was Captain
Stone at all ether times, he joined thel
Army Not only did he attend thel
meetings ia the half but every night
he marched up the ntreet ahead OF the
big bass drum and sang with the little
band on the street corners. lie even eX-
horted those who gathered around to
give up tEeir sinful ways.
All the time he was dreaming Of the
time when ne would have little home
OF his own and Captain Stono would
share Il with him. He was worried by
the tired look she began 10 wear and
begged her to give up the hard life.
Then to add to his troubles came an
order that she report for duty In Buf-
falo. Those who should know, said
that the staff officers would rather the
field officers would not marry, as when
they had domestic duties they were not
so jealous to do the work required by
the Army. Re that as it may, Captain
Stones successor arrived the day after
the order was received. There was a
short fearful farewell and then
Paxon was left alone. Ele still attend
ed The Army meetings, but they no lon
ger interested him. In short time ne
stopped attending the street meetings,
b. and those who had said he joined the
Army to be near the petty captain,
waggod their heads and said: Il told
you so.'
= The mans only comfort were the
long letters received from Buffalo. He
had not been idle all this time, and in
tho space Of four months secured a pO-
eition in Buffalo. Happy and cheerful
3 ho wrote a long lettor, telling Mable OF
i. his good fortune. He waited a reason
" able time for an answer, and ther
S, wrote again, asking the cause Of hel
le tardiness. He did not get an answer t'
e. this. his second letter, and in few
m days was speeding to Buffalo.
e At the barracks he was greeted b,
~ entirely new faces. They said they hat
le heen thc.o but few days. and coul'
os give no news regarding Captain Stone
as Almost distracted he wrote letter afte
Df letter to the various headquarters @
G the army but did not get any informa
b. ton.
,a Then he left the city. cursing it TO
N having robbed him OF the only peTsol
,d in Che world for whom he cared an
Is who cared for him. He told himsel
n that nc had nothing more to care foi
,d and wandered around from one city t
~ another, working awhile and the
nm moving to another town.
mn In the meantime a frail little fgur
fs was tossing on white cot in a Buifal
no hospital, calling his name But he di
!, not answer. The doctors despaired q
~ for her life. but in the course OF tim
she recovered from the attack OF ty
m phoid brought on by overwor1 in nurs
n, ing the poor IN the slums. She coul
~ not understand why the man who ha
d professed to love her so had deserte
- her. When she was well enough sh
-, went to the barracks and found anothe
10 company in charge. In answer TO ne
rc questions whether they had seen Paxo
- she got the one reply, mo" she al
y. not know there had been two compiler
- changes since she was there. Then sh
,,- came TO Wilmington. expecting to mn
- HIM but was disappointed He ma
~ disappeared as completely as II ne M
> jumped into the sea.
She left the Army and entered a nos
~ pital. where. although the work wa
~ hard, the life was more regular.
es Two years passed since the even
les told in the opening OF the story. It ws
10 aaain Christmas eve. Shoppers hu
no ried through the streets Ond ever!
cd where there seemed to be happine'
,st ard good cheer. There was one ma
30 who did not have any of it. He walk
go the street gazing neither 10 the rigl
in or TO the left It was John Paxon. II
IN thoughts were on what was to him
n memorable night two years ago. Ho
as he had visited Wilmington a homelei
wretch, and had a taste Of happines
-. and again been plunged into the dee
iit Of despair. He was sorry he had M
z dropped himself into the river when
( first thought of t.
I Coming TO a saloon he went in az
I tIa. ffNTTok ,f,r,s l.,r~ol