Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-11-16

ANCnCuIiuu uOI UeUu. HE tVVeutVuy
looking down Mt the draft.
They turned 1t In the light. reading
over and over again the hnppy tidings
pinned to one corner of II. Then they
looked into each others eyes.
Elizabeth put her arms about Da-
vld's neck and laid her head upon his
shoulder. and not one Of III dare trust
himself to speak for a little. Uncle Eb
broke the silence.
Got another present." he said. IS
a good deal better N gold er silver
A knock at the door interrupted him.
lie swung IL open quick. A tall, beard
eel man came in.
"Mr. Trumbullw Hope exclaimed. ris.
ing.
David an Elizabeth Brewer" said
Uncle Eb. "the dead hes come { llfe
I give We back yer son Nehemiah"
Then he swung his cap high above
his head, shouting In loud voice,
MERRY Crissmus. merry Crissmus!"
The scene that followed l shall not
try to picture. 1t was SO full Of happi-
ness that every day Of our lives since
then has been blessed with 1t and with
a peace that has lightened every sor-
row. OF 1t can truly say that it pas.
seth all understanding
Look hero, folks said Uncle Eb
after awhile, as he got his flute, my
feelin's hev been teched hard. If
don't hev some jollifcation III bust.
Bill Brewer. timber UP Yer leather n
leetle Bit
Nehemiah. whom had known rs
John Trumbull sat long time be-
tween his father and mother, holding a
hand Of each and talking in a low tone.
while Hope and | were in the kitchen
with Uncle Eb. Now that father and
son were side by side we saw how like
they were and wondered we had never
! guessed the truth
DO you remember" said Nehemiah
! when we returned do you remember
when you were little boy coming one
night to the Old log house on Row
mans hill with Uncle Eb!"
Il remember 1t very WELL" I answer
ed.
THAT was the FIRST time ever saw
you" he said.
why, you are not the night man."
II was the night man" he answered
I stared Mt him with something Of
the old familiar thrill that had always
come Mt the mention Of him years
agone.
He's grown leetle since them" said
Uncle Eb.
Il thought 80 the night carried him
off the field at Bull Run" said Nche.
miah.
"Was that you:' asked eagerly.
1T was." he answered. II came
over from Washington that afternoon
Your colonel told me you had been
wounded"
Wondered who you were. but l
could not get yon to answer. I have
to thank you for my life"
Hope put her arms about his neck
and kissed him
"Tell u.s." said she. how You came to
be the night man
He folded his arms and looked down
and began his story
"Years ago hnd a great misfortune.
I was mere boy a. the time BY ac-
cident l killed another hoy in play II
was an old gun we We're playing with.
and nobody knew it was loaded. had
often quarreled with the other boy.
That is why they thought l had done
1t on purpose. TheJe was dance that
night. had got up in the evening.
crawIed out Of the window and stolen
away. We were in Richards stable l
remember how the people ran out with
lanterns. They would have hung me
some OF then--or given mo the blue
beech II boy friend had not hurried
me away. 1t was Il terrible hour.
was stunned. | could say nothing.
father chasing us | got over into
Canada, walked to Montreal and there
went to sea. 1t was foolish. know.
hut was only boy of fifteen. took
another name. began new life.
Nehemiah Brewer was like one dead.
In Frisco l saw Rem Gilman. He had
been schoolmate in PARKWAY. lie
put his hand on my shoulder and called
me the old name. 1t was hard to deny
1.-THE hardest thing ever did. was
homesick. ! wanted TO ask him about
my mother and father and my sister
who was baby when l left. l would
have giveE my life to talk with him.
But shook my head.
"'No.' said, my name Ia not Brow
er. You are mistaken
Then l walked away, and Nemy
Brewer stayed In his grave.
well, two years later we were cruis
ing from Sidney TO Van Dieman's
Land. One night there came a big
storm. A shipmate was. washed away
In the dark. We never saw him again
They found letter in his box that
said his real name was Nehemiah
, Brewer son Of David Brewer Of Far
!, away, n. Y, Y. s. A. put 1t there. oil
, course. and the captain wrote a letter
> to my father about the death Of hi
son. My old self was near done for
: and the man Trumbull had new lease
} OF life. You see, in my madness ! hat
. convicted and executed myself"
! He paused q moment His mother
\ put her hand upon bis shoulder. with {
/. word Of gentle sympathy. Then h'
: went on:
! well. six years after ! had gon'