Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-08-06
AMessageF From
 a Soldier By EDWIN L. SABIN
(copyright. by Joseph B. Bowles.)


 You'll see her and tell her about it?"
 That will. Jack. sure"
 Tt doesn't matter much about fath- CT. I guess he never quite liked me- or perhaps was lot of trouble to him. Leastways, we didn't agree much. If we had, mightnt have en- listed when I did-skipped on, you know, without saying good-by. Pa won't care If I don't come home. But ma-youll see her!"
 Just as soon as I reach Gods coun- try. Jack, I'll make straight for where you say. But we're going together, old chap"
 I'm going over in the hold, if go at all. It's no use jollying me up. Talking won't help. But I kind of wish-oh, we'll, only get my honora- ble discharge the way l expected. But kind of wish-'
 What Private Griggs wished, never was uttered. Doubtless 1t was for one more sight of the old farm back in Ioway"-of the corn and the wheat, or the stubble and the shocks, and the naples shielding the peaceful, white house. However, Filipino bullet had decreed that If Private Griggs ever crossed the ocean, bound for Iowa, he should go "in the hold" Private Griggs knew this, and now he was sI- lent.
 Corporal Thompson, recovering from Filipino fever that had tried to rival Filipino bullet, sitting there holding the hand of his chum, read what was in the thoughts of the dying soldier the vain hope and the hopelessness.
 Far away, to the north of the hos pital. a battery boomed sullenly as it shelled the jungle. Rife fire spattered and snapped. Faintly 8 cheer came drifting down the humid, sluggish air.
 Maybe the wounded man was among the Iowa meadowlarks. Maybe he recognized the cheer. At any rate he smiled. Thus tho end came to Pri- vate Griggs, B company, -th infantry, U. s. A.
 Three months later, Corporal Thompson, invalided home, toiled slowly up a long, long hill, over one of those roads consequent upon Iowa's boasted rolling prairies. When he had received the orders to go back to the States with the next consignment of weak and wasted soldiers. he had been mindful of his promise to the dead private. His home, as he jocularly put 1t. was wherever his hat was, and no ties of kindred interfered with his purpose to go straight from San Fran cisco to accomplish his mission.
 As he ascended the hill, at the top of which villagers had said he would find the Griggs place, he went over and over in his thoughts the words that he would speak.
 On rne crest of the hill, ahead, ap- 'peared bunch of soft naples.
 Many time had Private Griggs, crouching in the muddy trench while the sun or the rain poured down in fury. described to Corporal Thompson, crouchihg beside him, this homely spot on the top of an Iowa hill. He had arranged that his friend should see and taste with him its delights when the furlough comes." And the fur tough had come to both, but not alike.
 Corporal Thompson remembered many details. The father was tall, and spare. and slightly stopped be- cause he was troubled with rheuma- eism. But he was very active and could outwork most young men. The mother was little, and wrinkIed, and gentle. She. too. had white hair, coiled on the top of her head, with a black celluloid comb sticking into 1t to keep 1t in place. She would De found ''doin' 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.
 Corporal Thompson expected to see 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. mid the isles of the China Sea He had not come all this dis tance to tell the father-rigorous, stern, close-fsted Saul Griggs, known the country over as a man whose cat- tie were dearer to him than his family.
 The messenger had now arrived at the hilltop; but at the gate, under the guardian maple. hs paused while he mopped his face with his blue bandan- ma handkerchief
 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 man, stepping out on the porch. waited there, having carefully shut the door behind him. Corporal Thompson noted that he was an old man-evidently much older than the father of Jack. He was more stooped. and his beard was all white, and ne wore a suit of ill-htting black.
 ''Is this the Griggs placer, asked the soldier. The other man peered at him closely for . minute. with a doubtful, inquir- ing look. in which expectancy faded to dull immobility, Finally he answered:
 sYes. sir. it is."
 I would like to see Mrs. Crigzs. if