The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1903-02-05

| 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. and then at a 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 in" )"
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 furtively from the
kitchen doorway. Her mother went
straight up to him.
"You are a 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 at Ft. Donelson. You are well
come to all can give you"
He looked his thanks; but under
those powder-stained lips and dust and
sweat-begrimmed features it was i'm
possible to tell what kind Of a 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.
80, no; but twas a narrow escape.
A 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.
"I'll lay out Il suit of Abner's summer
clothes You shall take OF this hot.
dirty flannel. wash yourself clean, and
put on cool suit. Come, my boy; I'll
see to YOU"
In a few moments the widow came
down again. Sudden shocks still 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 slight, bOyish figure,
a still more boyish face. ruddy cheeks.
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 straggler.
He sat at the table with them. and
as he ate and drank they heard his
story of the battle. A flush covered
his face as he eagerly sought to dis
claim the character in which he feared
they would regard him.
II am not a deserter-not I!-and
hardly straggler; or, If l. am a strag-
gler, there were hundreds more like
me, and 1 couldn't help it any more
than they could. belong to the -th
Iowa Regiment; l have been In the
service more than a year, and this
Isn't my first battle, nor my second.
My regiment was on one Of the fianks
over there, and was harder pressed
than 1t could stand. We fought for
more than an hour. and broke when We
couldn't help 1t. When regiment
breaks in battle. it's mighty hard to
get the pieces together, now, tell you!
I wandered off this way. wanting to
take a breath and get drink Of wa
-Cis anu L 6Ot hCiC DC1Olc hutW
where l was. l shouldn't have thrown
away my gun-but," and he laughed.
the best Of soldiers get demoralized
sometimes. A good nights rest will
10 everything for me, If you'll be so
Kind as to give me bed; and then
III brush up my soldier clothes, and,
,erhaps, you'll mend my ragged sleeve,
I'll hurry along after our
lrmy, and take one from the report of |
missing
He sat up late with the widow and
Ter daughter that warm summer
light. talking with them about the
var. about the dead soldier of this
title lonely family. about his own
lome and mother and sisters near Bur-
lngton. In distant Iowa. He talked
veil and pleasantly; he did most of |
he talking; and after he had retired.
t was Mrs. Gorton who said, with q
Ugh:
1T seems too bad for that dear boy
o 60 back to the army tomorrow.
low beautifully he talked about your
oor father!"
Mabel was silent.
But suppose he must"
The widow thought it hard; yet she
lept with her accustomed serenity.
'ut MabePs thoughts kept her awake
III well toward midnight.
The morrow came; breakfast passed.
be soldier busted his uniform. the
7idow insisted upon washing it out.
nd. when 1T was dried. carefully
lended It, Dinner time was then at
and. and the guest remained. Mrs.
iorton's face was serious. MabePs
7as more than serious as they thought
( the parting at hand; but the guest
ngered. He talked to them Of his
uty, of how glad and surprised "the
oys' would be when they saw him
ONE back unharmed; but he made no
lotion to go. The hearts Of the two
-omen were gladdened as he stayed.
This branch of his story need not be
rolOnged. For a week he fought out
we and duty-and then he yielded.
label burned up his uniform in the
hnrs