The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1904-01-01

had lived. fearing God. with malice to
none? He had to live-the price Of corn
was down, in fact there was no market
for 1t. He could raise nothing else upon
the barren soil. he grew his own corn.
he made his own liquor from that corn
and sold 1t; where was the harm? The
mortgage on the little place would soon
fall due, and he would be in prison and
could not pay 1t. And the little. hard
working woman that he had called wife.
what would she do? And the mounds
under the big old trees over which he
had raised rude crosses, where she had
placed fresh flowers every day over the
graves of her. sons-their sons. Had
they not been first to answer the call OF
Mckinley for troops to back the nation
in her fight for humanity and vengeance
for the Maine? They had marched boldly
away to the little town at the foot OF the
hill and enlisted. And how proud he had
been OF them; his two boys; big fellows
they were, each more than six feet tall.
and mere boys. How he admired them In
the common homespun, clothing, their
muscular, well-built frames looming up
among the city fellows And how he and
Jane had gone all the way to Cb arleston.
using up quite little bit Of their savings,
just to see them rs they embarked for
Cuba. How he had found = place In big
doorway and they strained their eyes for
the coming Of the soldier boys. Away on
down the street band was playing. COM
ing closer, and that tune, Dixie" dear
old Dixie" that he had marched to 80
years ago, when the brothers Of the
south rose in defense Of their rights and
fought the soldiers Of the north. only
to be overpowered. And now they
can see q blue line swinging down
the street. The band has changed
to Yankee DOODLE" flags are flying.
handkerchiefs are waving. the crowds
are shouting, and directly he sees them.
dressed in their uniforms. marching with
the rest, and the little, wrinkled woman
at his side had cried as they turned to-
ward the little mountain hut that they
called home. The first time since the
boys were born that they had gone home
without them.
He thought Of 1t al now, and how. after
weeks Of anxious waiting for news. he
received letter saying that John was
coming home Not coming. but being
sent, in q comm with . ragged hole In his
breast where Spanish ball had vented
| It's spite on the nation that came between
| It and its prey. How he again went to
Charleston. this time sad and alone. and
brought back the boy who had been his
idol-dead They had buried him under
that tree. the mother had cried little.
new lines came to her face and she had
ceased to sing. After awhile he got
another letter from Bill. Bill said that
he was discharged and coming home very
| Ill. And how they had gone for the third
time to Charleston to bring back their
boy and nurse him to health, and when
they reached the station stranger with
Z beard, Who looked like doctor. took
him to one side and told him that Bill
had died ON the train and was being
brought home dead.
| They had taken Bill and laid him to
rest beside his brother. martyrs to their
lcountry's cause. And now that country
for which he would have died. that coun-
try which he called home, had taken his
hovs and ~ nov stealing his liberty.
IrAr II ~ wandered that = feeling of re-
sertment surrrd over him and he
rlinched his teeth ANA his breath came
fsst M hof.
they started On their NV to the town
helov .slSo van can't 70 there. was the
renlv s,ven when he hsd asked to be NJ
icrsd a say rood-bv TO his wife. might
nave some a. vour crowd there. and Ne
.sr,t narficu,arIv anxious to meet them. /"
And thev rode an md ~ the diving nv,
| 81 the autumn sun lighting on the little
ae oo.eo n.s n.so - ne ans's ~. Sns
49, so .1 :. s,.s. !. $780, .,hr.ts
.-ssss ~ . ..r 80, 4. "a ~. - 81.
| $3.50. =. 49, a,,st p.eore ~ othe,
.c.,S1 .h.vS .,me - - the unseen hand
4