The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-30
-:- OUR DAILY SHORT STORY

steely. and his cheekbones somewhat high His face was lean and tanned. He wore blue overalls, with straps that crossed on his back and came over his shoulders to button on to the pants. in front He was brusque in manner. and short in answers. This was Saul Griggs.
 The mother was little. and wrinkled. and gentle. She. too. had white hair. coiled on the top of her head, with black celluoloid comb sticking into 1t to keep it in place. She would be found "pdin things" for she was al- ways busy. She would be washing the dishes. or cooking, or feeding the chickens and turkeys, or churning, or perhaps making ice cream. When he had mentioned this act, Private Griggs had smacked his lips, and all up and down the trench the soldiers within reach of his voice had smacked their lps. The narrator had. reflected as an after thought, that possibly, now he was rot at home, the folks did not use so much ice cream.
 Corporal Thompson expected to sec the mother alone. and in some way
 --he was not yet fully determined how inform her of the tragedy that had taken place those thousands of pitiless miles away. fid the isles of the China Sea. He had not come all this dis tance to tell the father-rigorous, stern. close-fisted Saul Griggs, known the country over as man whose cat tie were dearer to him than his family The father could find out for himself for in the opinion of Corporal Thomp- son. he was responsible for what mad happened.
 He has made his bed--Iet him lie in it," mentally resolved the corporal The messenger had now arrived at the hilltop: but at the gate. under the | guardian maple, he paused while he
 mopped his face with his blue bandan-
 na handkerchief. Then he resolutely entered the gateway, and proceeded | along the cindered walk bearing | straight to the front gate. When the l cinders crunched under his feet he ex- pected to receive a greeting from the | big. black dog that parked but did not | bite.
 But the place seemed strangely quiet The loudest noise was the humming of the bees. and save the bees, no sign of life was visible until the front door | opened and a man, stepping out on the porch, waited there, having carefully
 shut the door behind him. Corporal Thompson noted he was an old
 man-evidcntly ruch older than the father of Jack He was more stopped.
 and his beard was all white, and he wore suit of ill-fitting black As the corporal approached the man started as though to come to meet him, but stopped in an undecided man ner half way down the steps. The
 corporal halted before him. and salut- ed.
 'Is this the Griggs plage?" asked the soldier.
 The other man peered at him closely
 for a minute. with doubtful inquir- ing look, in which expectancy faded to dull lnmobility. Finally he answered.: Yes. sir, 1t is."
 T would like to see Mrs Griggs, if 1t Is possible" said the corporal Tt Is not Do you-have you come | -7"
 From her son." explained Corporal | Thompson.
 From. you say? Not with Then he | is-he is"
 He is." replied the corporal, gazing
 o flower the clover field. l There was silence. Corporal Thomp-
 son felt that the other man was staring
 over his head, and was stiffly gripping
 the nearest post of the porch. ] T have a message from him to his