The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-10-13

g.ed, singing sweet, the sense that at
last he might have brought home to
Lucy and her people a realization of
the fact that he was not all bad He
even imagined the old crouch" pity
ing him, and in the thought was the
grim satisfaction that now at least he
had martyred himself He swore soft
ly to himself that he would never drink
nor gamble again, and when he left
for Chickamauga with his regiment he
had not fallen from grace.
A scrubbed note on postal card
telling Lucy that he was gone into the
army was all they heard about him at
Buena Vista for three years after that.
The Hardings read all the war news
with eager curiosity at first, hoping
to get some news Of Louis, but their
interest waned again and again, to be
family renewed with the actual begin
ming of the fight. But there was not
a word about Louis, not even his name
among the wounded, sick or dead, much
less notice Of his gallantry or promo
ton. Not until the Cuban and earlier
Philippine campaigns had dwind.ed
down into intermittent skirmishes in
far parts of the islands did there come
a hint that he was yet on earth. Then
just line in the list of dead from dis
ease:"
"Tappan, private company K, Twen-
ty-third infantry; dysentery."
And there ended the career of Louis
Tappan, the worthless young man of
Buena Vista
The station agent at Culver, ten miles
below Buena Vista on the Louisville
d Nashville, saw the last train hest
tate" at his door, and was getting out
his key to lock up when weE-dressed,
swarthy young man with small bag
dropped off the rear coach and APP
preached him.
This is Culver, isn'tit?"
yes, sir"
DO you know where Mrs. Tappan,
Mrs. Louis Tappan. lives?"
Don't live here, leastways not in
town. I know 'em all. No Tappans
and nothing like that name round here.
I'm pretty sure"
Moved here from Buena Vista" sug-
gested the stranger, wistfully; moved
up about year ago"
"Oh, hold on! Tappan-oh, her name
amt Tappan no more. She's married
to Bill Chesebrough. They was mar
ried at Buena Vista year ago, and
come up here to live. Sure H.
The stranger eoughed few times,
looked up and down the tracks, and
then:
Her first husband. Patten. lar
fen"
"Tappan," murmured the uneasy
visitor.
"TapPan, he died in the Philippines.
He was a no-good bum and deserted
her and the kid, so she ups and marries
Bill hesebrough. Bill is rich. owns all
them quarries over to Hupeton. I'll
show you where they live; take you
right past the door"
"No-oo," unused the visitor. half
aloud. and fumbling in his pocket, Il
guess | won't go up; I-what did you
say her first name was. Lucy?"
Yes, that's her. She was Miss Lucy
Harding, daughter of old 'Skintiint'
Harding, down to Buena Vista, rieher'n
hell and meaner still. He"
Eyes, 1 know" was the interruption.
but you're going past the house, her
house?"
yep"
Would you mind stepping in with
this?" handing over a photograph.
ITS a picture of Tappan for the boy.
his boy. You see, we, Tappan and l,
were in the same regiment, and when
he got sick, he asked me to-for the
boy, you know; his daddy's picture. 1
promised to give it TO him."
"Oh, the Tappan kid; the one by her
first husband, he"
Eyes, that's the one. How is he?
Does he .ook like"
"Oh, that one died the first week
they come here, diphtheria got him.
He just"
But the newcomer was out of earshot
before the station agent could finish.
Down the tracks he went toward the
east, walking like a fury, with his head
down and his little bag swinging in the
dim light of the yard lamps till the
night swallowed him.
The station agent whistled a note Of
wonder, looked at the photograph he
yet he'd in his hand, saw it was of a
young soldier standing bravely at sa-
lutte, and turned it over. On the back
was written:
For Louis Tappan's little boy"
The station agent showed it into his
overcoat pocket.
I'm bet that chap was bug" he
unused, as he walked toward Cheese
brough's house, "but guess I'd bet
ter give the picture to Mrs. Chesb-.
N-o-o-oo, come to think of it, guess
I'd better not. Tappan is dead. the kid
is dead and old Bill Chesebrough is
jealous as an cd maid.''
He tore the photograph into small
bits after another look and ficked the
pieces into TIE air as he walked home
wards.-Chicago Record-Herald.
Grabs and Poached Eggs,
Tpa tba, chin