The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-02-10
CHAPTER XVIII.

CHAPTER XVIII.
"~1HEY say the old junk shop wa
| turned into reglar fort las
| I'LL night" Kenner TESTED as h
~ slouched into the Office tn,
next morning after breakfast, bundl,
Of letters In his hands.
George and Hillyer exchanged glancei
and smiled.
You'd have thought something wal
wrong If you'd been here" George an
swered lightly.
Hanks was at his desk munching q
piece of cracker and now and then
taking a sip of water from a thick
unelean lumber. He had no comments
to make. If the building had been half
demolished during the night he would
have inspected the ruin with supreme
Indifference, for it was not his per-
sonal property. Half an hour later a
man and a woman came down the
street and entered the warehouse.
The woman was short and fat, wore a
black sunbonnet and a heavy gray
shawl. The man carried a worn Con-
federate flag in his left hand, in his
right battered army bugle.
"JefFs nanny an daddy" Kenner
said MY Lord, they got here quick!
I reckon somebody must "a told 'em
the news last night"
"Come on in, old woman" Truitt said
to his wife. Nobody hain't a-goin' to
hurt you" He took the chair Ken
ner was proffering and placed it near
the stove. Then he leaned unsteadily
on the short staff of the furled flag.
The bugle ratified on the Erass buttons
of his long overcoat as his arm hung
down. u.
"The camp meets today" he said
huskily, "but l hain't blowed a note
yit, an hain't stuck up the flag. The
boys will wait on OF Bas this mornin'.
l wish some o. my tried comrades could
be here to listen to what got to say.
George Buckley, I'm goin' to speak to
you, SIR" -. ... t, =.
George had flushed all over with en-
barrassment. His profile was to the
door, but out of the corner of his
eye he had caught glimpse of a
woman's figure In the main doorway.
The thought flashed through his brain
that it was Mrs. Hillyer or Hortense
yer's attention thither, but with set,
nxpectant features the merchant was
staring at the speaker.
JEFF told us jest how 1t happened"
Fruit went on, his earnest eyes half
'ull of tears, "an' me an my old wom-
IN felt like we wanted to see, to look
1t, the man that saved our child. Thar
he Is, Matilda; thar he is! Thar's the !
HAP that stood up In the teeth o. that |
'agin' mob an said eff they got our
10Y 1t nd be over his dead body. George
Buckley done 1t. He"-the old mans
'olce sank so low for moment that /
t was scarcely audible-"he done it! |
wish God would help me talk, but he
Won't, an cayn't. / had lots to say,
nut l cayn't talk. want to show
What l feel, but cayn't. lowed
hat IA man that fit fer Jackson an
lee an Davis was good enough. but
man blessed by high place In the
vorld that stoops down an offers his
re fer pore. weak. scared boy Is bei-
,r'n soldier. He's more like God
han soldier. He's actuated by love
n pity, while the soldier is fghtin'
err spite. II jest wish God would
i've me a chance to show what | feel.
Iatilda. eff you want to say anything,
~ 1t. Yore oil mans made q fool O.
isseIfT
"Oh, don't, don't. Mrs. Trutttr' Gcorr
as the old woman pushed
ack her bonnet and began to speak
ut she went on.
II cayn't say what want to, moth
:" she sobbed. but kin pray f.
OH, George. AMI WILL hope the
.aster will shower blessings down On .
pre- head. I've, knowea I'm. seefffle- :.
en-. sence he was d little boy, an he
ways was one o. the best children
lat ever lived. God knows he's had 7 +.
ouble. but it jest seems to "a sancti- ,
d i'm. Folks says he hain't a happy
an. that he has lots to contend with ]
er9Gn town an that It looks like he ,
yn't git all he wants, but he viii. I
Cd bless i'm, .ef my prayers kin do '
~ good. I'm a-goin'' to ask the Lord
mighty to give I'm peace an all he
zntsr. She drew her bonnet over
II face and fell to sobbing aloud.
TruiM stood his flag IN . corner and
4 her 10 the acor. and. a. all eyes