Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-01-23
CHAPTER XVIII.

n@UTY say the old JUNK shop was
ITI t,rned into a regular fort last
rirbt" Kenner TESTED as he
l. sIouched into the office the
-----'.-,,f,,r after breakfast, bundle
# letters in his hands.
George and Hnlyer exchanged glances
md smiled. ~
..you,d have thought something was
- rou'd been here" George an
wcred lightly.
uor,.s was at his desk munching a
niece Of cracker and now ana then
'oting q sip Of water from a THICK
,,,o1oan tumbler. He had no comments
- -,ol,o II the building had been half
.ar,,o1isbed during the night he would
,oro insDected the ruin with supreme
,.,,ieraronce for it was not his per-
.o,oi rronerty. Half an hour later
z.a, and woman came down the
,treet and entered the warehouse.
/ rho woman was short and rat wore
/ rock sunbonnet and a heavy gray
,ho,i The man carried worn Con-
,adorote flag in his left hand, in his
/ .,gbt a battered army bugle.
LARS nanny an daddy" Kenner
,oid my Lord, they got here quick!
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
burt Won" He took the chair Ken
ner was proffering and placed it near
hn IoaVn6 T1nGfn16ilV
on the short staff of the furled flag.
The bugle ratified on the brass buttons
If his long overcoat as his arm hung
down.
THE camp meets today" he said
buskflv. "but | hain't blowed a note
vii an | hain't stuck up the flag. The
bovs will wait on OF Bas this mornin'
wish some o. my tried comrades could
he here to listen to what 1 got to say
George Buckley, I'm gOin' to speak tc
you, sir
George had flushed all over with EN-
barrassment His profile was to The
door but out of the corner OF hl
eve he had caught glimpse OF
woman's figure in the main doorway
I The thought flashed through his brain
that it was Mrs. Hillyer or Hortens
L Snowden, and he wanted to direct Hill
I yer's attention thither, but with SCI
expectant features the merchant wa
. staring at the speaker.
It Jeff told US jest how it happened,
II Truitt went on, his earnest eyes hal
2, full of tears. IAN me an my old won
e an felt like we wanted to see, to loo
Re at. the man that saved our child. Ina
he is, Matilda thar he is! Thar's IL
h chap that stood up in the teeth o th'
10 rapin' mob an said eff they got OF
boy 1t I'd be over his dead body. Geort
d, Buckley done it. He'-the old man
y voice sank so low for moment thi
le It was scarcely audible-"he done /
Id | wish God would help me talk, but Z
re won't, an cayn't. 1 had lots to sa.
'e but l cayn't talk. l want to sho'
what l feel, but I caynt. [ lowe
& that "a man that fit fer Jackson al
( Lee an Davis was good enough, bu
t, a man blessed by a high place in til
8 world that stoops down an offers III
r life fer a pore, weak, scared boy is bet
n term a soldier. He's more like Go
S. than a soldier He's actuated by low
Le an pity, while the soldier is Eighth
e. fer spite. II jest wish God woul
liz give me a chance to show what fee
le Matilda, eff you want to say anyth1n
ol say it. Yore old mans made fool
hisself!'
ooh, don't, don't, Mrs. Truitt" Geort
y protested as the old woman push'
back her bonnet and began to spea
but she went on.
III 81 cayn't say what 1 want to, not
- err" she sobbed, 'but 1 kin pray t
you, George, an l will. hope t
-. Master will shower blessings down
- yore head. I've knowed i'm. gent
III men. sence he was little boy, an
always was one O. the best childr
go that ever lived. God knows he's h
trouble, but it jest seems to a sane