Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-02-07

IN1I her hand and looked toward
the hills. The sun was half
way down toward the western horizon,
shining from an unclouded sky. and
everything was brought into full re-
lief.
Look. mother" she cried. with out
stretched hand,
What is it?'
a man. He is coming this way"
The widow presently saw him. He
came rapidly over the crest of the hill.
looked back. ran little way down the
slope ana then at more deliberate
pace descended TO the level meadow.
This he crossed without stopping,
climbed the fence, came across the
road and made for the house, where
he saw the women in the doorway.
He took off his cap and spoke.
May l come in? l am tired and
thirsty"
Yes" said Mrs. Gorton. Come i'll"
He followed them into the trim and
tidy sitting-room. He hesitated at the
door
Il am dirty and dusty" he said. Il
am not fit for SO nice a room
Mabel eyed him furtivcly from the
kitchen doorway. Her mother went
straight up to him.
You are soldier of the Union"
she said; Il see that by your dress.
You have been fighting to-day in the
battle over yonder. My husband was
killed Mt FIT. Donelson. You are wei
come to all | can give you"
He looked Ills thanks; but under
those powder stained lips and dust and
sweat-begrimmCd features it was i'm
possible TO tell what kind of face
was hidden. Yet Mabel observed that
his eyes were blue and bright, and that
his hair, where not matted with sweat
and dust. was brown and curly. The
widow noted with swift compassion
the ragged sleeve in his blue blouse.
Are you wounded"' she asked
20, no; but twas a narrow escape
\ hot piece of shell tore blouse and
shirt-sleeve, and killed the man next
TO me; but I'm not hurt"
Come up stirs," said Mrs Gorton
TN lay out suit of Abner's summer
clothes. You shall take off this hot,
dirty flannel. wash yourself clean. and
put ON a cool suit Come, my boy; I'll
see TO you"
In few moments the widow came
down again. Sudden shocks Stil agi-
tated the air, but they came from
points more and more remote. and
near sunset all sounds of firing had
died in the distance. 1t seemed quite
plain, the widow observed, that the
Union army had the better of it.
The table had been set for tea, when
the soldier again made his appearance.
Neither of the women would have
known him had he entered the room
from any other quarter of the stair
from any other quarter than the stair
way. He had n slight. boyish figure.
a still more boyish face rudy checks.
laughing eyes and mouth. and brown
hair that ran in curls all over his head.
Not even the raiment Of the late Alb
ner Gorton, decidedly large for him,
could detract particle from the manly
beauty of this Union Stragglcr.
He sat at the table with them, and
as be ate and drank they heard his
story of the battle A flush covered
his face as he eagerly sought 10 dis
claim the character in which he feared
they would regard him.
II am not desertpr-not land
hardly n straggler; or, If | am n strag-
gier. there We're hundreds more like
me, and i couldn't help it any more
than they could ] belong to the til
Iowa Regiment: / have been in The
service more than year, and this
isn't my first battle, nor my second.
My regiment was on one of the tanks
over there, and was harder pressed
than il could stand. We fought for
more than an hour, and broke when We
couldn't help il. When regiment
breaks ia battle. it's mighty hard to
get the pieces together, now, | tell You,
! wandered off this way, wanting to
take Il breath and get drink Of wa
ter, and / got here before | knew
where | WAS. ! shouldn't have thrown
away my gun--but," and he laughed.
the best OF soldiers get demoralized
sometime A good nights rest will
do everything for me, If you'll be so
kind az to give me Il bed; and then
III brush up my soldier clothes. and.
perhaps. you'll mend my ragged sleeve.
ma'am-and III hurry along after our
army. and take one from the report Of
missing
He sat up late with the widow and
her daughter that warm summer
night. talking with them about the
war. about the dead soldier of this
little lonely family. about his own
home and mother and sisters near Bur
lington, IN distant Iowa He talked
well and pleasantly; he did most of
the talking and after be had retired.
it was Mrs Gorton who said, with
sigh:
ut seems too bad for that dear boy
TO go back to the army tomorrow.