The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-08-19

had Brown"
81 know" he said, and for momen
age and the wears. with all their dsap
pointments, fell away as they looked into
each Others eyes.
81 was prouder of you than he eve
was of his commission" said Holman.
81 thought you'd come back with {
generals stars" added the gray .hairel
old woman, and her voice took on {
bitter tone, with "reminiscences. "But SCI
how it all turned out. OF course, tn,
Colonel had his start made for him; but
the fact that he served three months il
the war of the rebellion has done LOT
for him. 1t sent him to Congress, and
it's made him one of the first men of the
State. And Eben Miller's been big mar
all his life, and they say his names got
into history, while you, all you got out
of that very battle was flesh wound in
your arm, that's made it little stiff and
given rheumatism chance att; and you
re.enlisted and fought the whole four
| years and came out the same high pri-
waite you went in, and nobody's cared.
You wouldn't SO much as ask pension;
| and here you've grubbed and toiled all
your life and I've shaved and shaved, and
our children"
Don't, Maria," protested Daniel
"Ill say my say" insisted Maria.
"Tisn't often speak. Our children have
Uever had n rightiul chance. They re
nobodics, she went on, drearily, with
just the same miserable outlook And
you know as well as l, We'll never be
able to meet the next interest on our
mortgage; and our home--'
There was no need to speak further.
The threatened loss of their comforta-
bic little home, where they had dwelt all
the years of their union, and where all
the children had been born and reared,
was the heaviest shadow that overhung
their lives.
They had come up with some of their
neighbors and were included in the slow
procession. A carriage dashed up the
street and a portly gentleman threw the
lines to a man in livery beside him and
descended to the pavement, walking with
a slight limp. Meanwhile glances were
exchanged. twas fitting that the village
maSnatc should honor with his presence
the deathbed of the man who had saved
his life.
At the gate Daniel Holman. who had
been singularly reluctant to join his wife
i'll the proposed visit, held back
81 think | won't go i'll Maria You
tell Eben I'll come in after awhile, when
the people are gone. You know it ain t
as if hadn't been going to See him pretty
much every day since lie was taken sick :"
Daniel Holman, you come right along
with me-" said his better halt, in a fierce
whisper.
The room in which Eben Miller lay
WAS large apartment on the first floor.
Even with the curtains drawn the light
filtered i'll SO that the face of the veteran,
with its lines of pain and age, was plainly
visible to the friends who stood about
the bed or gathered about the open doors
leading into adjoining rooms. As they
drew near they heard his voice i'll the
piping tones of extreme weakness, ask:
"Where's Daniel Holman? Hasn't d an
Holman come YETI"
Here's Mr.. Holman, father" said his
eldest daughter, matrcnly woman of
the middle age.
Colonel Brown. sitting at the head of
the bed, moved aside to let Holman ap-
proach. His recognition of the new
conner was not cordial one. Like the
rest of his fellow-townsmen, he held
Daniel Holman in light esteem, regarding
him rs n man of lie force of character
harmless and we'll meaning, but some
what of a failure in life. Few men are
friendly to failures among their kind.
But Ebcn Miller caught at Holman's
hand with the first sign Of animation he
had shown that day, and convcrscd with
him inswhispcrs. Those who looked on
were surprised to see the eaGerness in the
sick mans face, and more surprised still
to see Daniel Holman shake his head and
frown i'll sullen denial or refusal of his re-
quest.
II just got to, Daniel" persisted Mil
Ter, raising his voice. Il lived with it; l
can't die with it"
Holman turned abruptly away. The
circle about the bed opened to let him
pass, then closed again. His wife, wit
Messing the incident, wished she might
sink through the floor. Obstinate and
self-wiled rs she knew Danie to be, how
could he have the heart to refuse any
thing to 4 dying man, and with so many
people looking on:
Eben Miller himself did not seem to be
in the least disprted or surprised. AL
ways a man of eccentric humor, queer
smile lowered around his lips as he spoke
to his daughter:
prop me up on the pillows, Jean, and
give Illc IL ldSlc Vi lllttl lnAllIC lIldl lnc
doctor left"
She arranged the pillows deity, then
raised the glass to his lips. The strength
ening draught caused the flames of life to
leap high. The odd smile Giinted from
his eyes, his utterance grew clearer.
Friends, I've invited you here to tell
you something. Away back in the SIX
ties | got the credit for doing Il brave
deed. | never deserved it It's true | lug
ged Brown into camp the day he was
wounded at Fort Donuelson; but another
man picked him up from where he fell in
the field under fire and had bullet
through his own arm for doing it. He'd
got him to the rear when he himself sank
to the ground, fain from loss of blood,
just where | was standing. Friends, L
I've got to tell it. | wasn't running
away, but the first battle made NE sick
sick all overland had just dropped
down and let the boys pass on, meaning
to follow them as soon as | could
stiilen up. In the rush and the smoke
and the roaring of the guns nobody
had time to look at his neighbour, and
when | staggered into camp with the
Colonel they thought | had done the
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