Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1906-06-26
Il asked. suddenly grabbing hold
az his arm, as he started to turn
down towards his old home.

"Ilome?' ! echoed, blankly.
"Yes," he said. simply q
haven't seen mt wife yet
"i3id you send her word thatyou
were comingY
"No. didn't; and if it isn't ask
ing too much, would you mind
going up TO the house before me
land breaking the news of my re-
turn to Nita?"
"Well, here's my place. Better
come in and have a smoke, and
talk things over first"
l led the way into the library,
and when we had lighted our Ct.
CARS / asked him to tell me some
Of his adventures wanted time
TO think
Wetherby said that soon after
landing in Cuba be discovered his
double among a batch of recruits
that came to headquarters, and
the man was drafted to his regi-
ment. The fellow had improved
in appearance and seemed to have
reformed in every way-really
looked as if he were trying hard TO
become a creditable member of so
ciety.
Il did all | could to encourage
him." Wetherby continued. "and
On several occasions / had oppor
tunity of doing him little acts of
kindness, rendered possible by
my means, in the hard conditions
Of the field.
"One day was called to the hos
Fital, and when | got there found
Wetherby just dying from bul
let wound.
81 thought I'd like to say good
by to you, Mr.. Wetherby,' he said,
an let you see fer yerself that |
amt foolin' We, this time. YeI
needn't be afraid of my ever show
in up agin in de old place I'm
clean-sure goner dis time, all
right, all right
"Don't say that, my poor fel
low / said. 4 sincerely hope you
will get better, and live for many
years
"'No, it's all over with F. w;
an | guess it's de best Ting. But
I hopes yer don't bear me no MAJ
ice fer all de harm / done yer, back
yonder. Good-by, sir
"Well, | stayed with him so long
as | could, but at last l was com
PEELED to leave him; and when /
saw him again he was dead.
"And it wasn't long before l
was brought down myself, by ex-
posture, lack of proper food and
the abOminable sanitary cOndi
tiOns of the country.
"My case was considered seri
Gus, and from the regimental hos
pital l was removed to Havana,
where l developed brain fever.
When that had run its course i
left me suffering from a mental
affection, for which they de
tanned me in an asylum.
"In the rapid movement Of
events, the sickness and death Of
sc many of ny comrades, was
lost sight of by my regiment, and
in the hospital / was known only
by a number. The greater part Of
the time is a blank to me; but two
weeks ago | was discharged cured,
and made straight for home"
$50" | said, as he finished, "it
was your scapegrace namesake
who died, eh?"
"Why, certainly! You never
thought it was l, did your"
"Well, you see, the newspapers
just announced that Fred Weth-
erby, of the It'll Pennsylvania
regiment, had died from a bullet
wound, received while on scouting
duty Many people thought it
was you"
''But you didn't believe it.
Dick" he asked wistfully, as
though had been telling him thai
lie was suspected of a terrible
crime.
at doesn't make much differ.
ence what believed, Fred" / an.
swered, slowly; "but there are
some people"
"Not Nita-no! Ny God. you
don't mean that? Nita never be-
HaVpd that I Uas doodv