Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-04-10
NUMBER IS.

streets. An OLD man. a cobDier, who
had left leg at TippecanOe and re-
placed It with q wooden one, chastely
decorated with designs Of his own
carvings, came stumping excitedAy
down the middle Of the street, where he
walked for fear Of the cracks In the
wooden pavement, which were danger.
GUS to his art leg when he came from
the Rouen House bar, as on the present
occasion. He hailed Tom by name.
You're the lad. Tom Vanrevel" he
shouted. You're the man to lead the
boys out for the glory Of the state!
You git the whole blame fre depart.
ment out and enlist 'em before morn
ing. Take 'em down to the Rio Grande,
you hear me? And you needn't be
afraid Of their putin it out, II II
ketches afire, neitherw
Tom waved his hand and passed on,
but at the open doors Of the Catholic
church he stopped and looked up and
down the street. and then, unnoticed,
entered to the dim interior, where the
few candles showed only bent old
woman in black kneeling at the altar.
Tom knew where Elizabeth Carewe
knelt each morning. He stepped softly
through the shadowy silence to her
place, knelt and rested his head upon
the rail of the bench before him.
The street was quiet when he emerged
from that lorn vigil. The corner groups
had dissolved. Shouting youths no
longer patrolled the sidewalks. Only
one quarter showed signs Of life-the
little clubhouse. where the windows
still shone brightly and whence came
the sound Of many voices settling The
destinies Of the United States of Amer.
lea. Thithcr Tom bent his steps
thoughtfully and with quiet mind.
There was Il small veranda mt the side
Of the house. Here he stood unob
served to look in upon his noisy and
agitated friends.
They were all there, from the old
general and Mr.. Bareaud to the latter's
son, jefferson, and young Frank Chen
Oweth. Trumble WAS proposing a
health to the president in voice Of
fury.
in spite of all the Crailey Grays and
traitors this side of hadesw he finished
politely.
Crailey emerged instantaneously from
the general throng and mounted a
chair, tossing his light hair back from
his forehead, his eyes sparkling and
happy. You find your own friends al.
ready occupying the place you men
toned, do yoa, general!' he asked.
General Trumble stamped and shook
his fist. You're Il spawn of Aaron
Burrw he vociferated. There's not
man here to stand by your Internal
doctrines. You sneer ut your own
state, you sheer ut your own country,
you detile the sacred ground! What
are you, by the Almighty, who attack
your native land in this her hour Of
peril"
Peril to my native land!' laughed
Crailey. From Santa Anna"
"The generals right, SIR exclaimed
the elder Chenoweth Indignantly, and
most Of the listeners appeared to agree
with him. It's Il poor time to abuse
the president when he's called for vol
unteers and our country is ia danger,
sir.
"Who Is in danger?" answered Grail
ley, lifting his hand to still the clamor
of appreciation that arose. is Polk IN
danger, or congress? But that would
be too much to hope! DO you expect
to see the greasers in Washington! No,
you idiots, you don't! Yet there'll be
plenty Of men to suffer and die, and
the first should be those who thrust
this war Oh us aud poor little Mexico.
But 1t won't be they. The men who'll
do the lighting and dying will be the
country boys and the like Of us from
the towns, while Mr.. Polk sits planning
how he can get elected again. And
you ask NE to drink the health OF the
politician who sits at home and sends
his fellow men to die to fix his rotten
jobs for him. Crailey had persuaded
himself into such earnestncss that the
depth of his own feeling almost choked
him, but he finished roundly in his
beautiful, strong voice: "rll drink for
the good punch's sake. But that health
I'll see General Trumble I'm heaven
before I'll drink it!'
fro NO CONrTNTrHn1