Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-11-02
DAILY SHORT STORY
A SOLDIER WHO DIDN'T RETURN
[Original.l

GRANGE of the country, heightened by Il
newly moved field on the other side
Of the road. After having eaten my
breakfast | sat on the porch enjoying
the delicious country landscape, the
odorS. the songs of the birds. After the
old woman had cleared away the
breakfast dishes she came out TO do
some pruning. and fell into cOnversa-
ton with her. During our chat l
mentioned that / had recently return
ed from Cuba.
"Cuba:'' she said. a slight tremor
passing over her. You have been to
Cuba?"
Il came from there a month ago"
Did You see anything of my son
there!"
Your son? What is he like? What
is his Nance
lie is tall His hair and eyes are
like that bird cawing in the tree over
there"
His name? You have not told me
his name
Harry"
BY this time | saw in the PARKWAY
look that there would be no practical
use in getting information from her
and let her talk on according TO her
own sweet Will.
when the war came she said,
Harry was just eighteen years old.
lie wanted TO go as Il soldier, but he
saw that it would break my heart to-
part with him, ana lie promised 10 stay
with me. Eut l saw that he had come
10 al age when TO stay in this little
nest was not natural just as the young
birds fly away when they are grown.
SO l told him he had better 20. For Il
week longer he kept his promise
though | had released him. He used
to walk back and forth in the road
and | knew he was thinking of the eX-
citing scenes going on in the war; ana
again | told him that he must not
mind me, Int 20. Then he gave III
and. going to- Il recruiting station. en-
listed
Il remember the morning they march
ed away. Harry didn't want me to -
TO see them off. but somehow | feared
that | would never see him again. So
| put on my best hat ana cloak and
walked all the way To- the town. The
streets were crowded. but when l told
y
the soldiers they made way for me-
and | stood right in front of the people
lining the street where the boys We're
10 pass. 1t wasn't long before ! heard
the drums and the music, and then
they came. l wouldn't have seen Har-
~ among so many. but he saw me and
called Mother" 1t was only Il smile
i saw through my tears. and then they
made way for me again and | came
home. 1t was deSOlate for me TO come
back here without the boy | had taken
care of from the day he was born
The old woman paused TO wipe a
tear from her eye. She was lost for
the moment in a memory which she did
not need To describe in words, for il
was painted i'll the expressive lines of
her face
Did YOU hear from him occasional
lyt" | asked
Il heard once Il week or Oftener till
they got 10 fighting down before san
tiago. The last letter | got said they
We're fighting all the time Harry
wrote thar every day they We're draw
ing nearer 10 the town and when it
was taken they would all go home-he
away any more. | haven't heard a
word from him from that day to this"
There was Il tremble i'll the voice
when she spoke the last sentence.
And did no one of his comrades ever
tell you anything about him.
His captain came to see me | re-
member every word he said, for
have repeated them every day since he
spoke them. Harry was the best man
| had in my ranks he said, until he |
was wounded and sent to the hospital |
the day before the surrender | went |
there To see him. and he told me that |
he wanted TO get well for the sake of |
his old mother, who was counting the |
days till he would come back to her. |
and he made me promise that if If |
went nOrth-first-l would go 10 see /
You and tell you about him. SO I've |
come To tell you tbat-welI. he wasn't |
we'll enough to come with US, but when |
he's better he'll surprise you some |
morning 10y walking in on you as |
sound us he was the day he left you
II was plain from these words that |
the captain. though he might have been
brave enough 10 face the Spaniards. |
was too cowardly to tell this old wo-
man that her son had died for his
country. Five years had passed with
out tidings, but they had not unde-
ceived the mother, who hoped Oh that
he she had nursed as a babe, who had
toddled in and out of her cabin as a
child and left her on the verge of
manhood, would return to her. was
not sure that my surmises were cor
rect. and had L been sure / would not
have taken away the old woman's
hope. When / left her I spoke no
word of encouragement, nor did tell
her that l considered the chance OF her
sons return not one in a hundred. |
The last words l heard her say were:
Hell come"