The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1907-03-14

the SOiuieTS ana DOfHeB, anu edtH III"
newer in turn he watched with alb
sorbed interest.
My goodness" he exclaimed
breathlessly. as the men and horses
went through each wonderful perform
ance. "Tll have TO be soldier, moth
err | couldn't be anything else,
could ~
NO. sonny" she answered softly;
and II she sighed, well, nobody no
ticed II; and If her eyes grew dim
with tears, no one saw them, because
they were fixed on the little brown
boy, and his we're glued 10 the arena.
II happened that on the day when
his mother and he were at the mill
tary tournament, very great and dis
tinguished commander was also there.
He was 80 great a man that when the
audience realized his presence they
rose to their feet as one man. and
cheered him until the place rang with
the sound again and again. The little
brown boy clambered upon his chair
TO get a good view OF the hero. and
the eyes OF the small, eager-faced boy
and the stalwart keen.faced man met.
The little boy was waving his cap In
his small brown hands, and smile
rippled over the great soldiers face,
and light sprang into his blue eyes
as he met those adoring brown ones.
He smiled at me. mother. say,
wasn't l lucky chap? My goodness!
I'd like TO shake hands with him;
only. of course. he wouldn't shake
hands with 4 little chap like me"
Walt bit. little brown boy, the time
may come!
A boy--llke a cat--has nine lives,
fancy; and this boy, In spite OF va
riety of accidents sufficiently alarming
to turn grey the hair OF the most hard
ened mother. did escape with life and
limb. and grew from little brown
boy into big one.
But though he altered In size. he re-
manned the same In nature--loying.
tender-hearted. straight and strong,
a boy to make his mothers heart
swell with PRIDE very often.
His care for his little mother" as
| he called her when he shot up to be
| head and shoulders taller than she
| was as chivalrous and thoughtful as
ever, and | think that II she had ex-
! pressed the least shadow OF dislike
to his entering the army he would have
| given up what was the ambition and
| dream n his life--to be great sol.
| der But Mrs. Liddell had not been
a soldiers daughter and soldiers
wife for nothing.
She quite counted the hours when
| the order went forth that Denis Lid
dell was to join his regiment In
Egypt; and she went with him tC
| Southampton with a smiling face and
breaking heart. Her little brown
boy was all the world to her. and he
was going away. perhaps for ever!
| A wide stretch of desert sand.
Away in the west the sun, blood
red ball, was sinking to rest in clear
brilliant sky. throwing long, leve
! rays across the battlefield. The
famous charge was over. The battle
had ragged fiercely On every hant
lay the dead and the dying. but the
fight above their heads did not cease
In the midst Of the fiercest fightinl
rode a brown-faced boy. his eyes shin
Ing. his lips set hard. his face grim
with the stern citation and excitement
OF this his first taste of war; and wheI
the great charge was over his features
relaxed little. but his eyes shon,
still.
Suddenly voice beside him ex
claimed: Good heavens! where Il
Renton? He was hit--just now--bacl
there--amongst those iends.
Good Heavens!"
without word or syllable tn
brown.faced boy turned his horse, III
looked ut the man. whose words ha,
been spoken gaspingly. breathlessly
because OF wound receit@d In tina
great onslaught. He leant littl
from the saddle and touched the 9th
or mans hand. his eyes fixed on tn
white face. where pain was alread
carving deep lines.
"Im going back for Renton." h
said. quietly.
Great Heavens. man, It's a shee
| lmpuSSiuuits. Vhy h4autVhs ~ - sis
ing back--into-hell--"
His lips were more tightly set tina
ever. but his brown eyes stu shon,
though verify 1t seemed as though
had ridden into hell itself Evil-face
pervishes closed round him. tn
groans OF the dying, the cries of tn
wounded mingled in his ears with tn
fierce shouts Of the foe. A cash acros
the cheek sent the blood raining dow
his face. binding him for a momen
He literally hewed his way OF
wards, one thought only surgin
through his brain-Renton must b
found and rescued. To find him at a
In the fearful melee seemed at irs
a sheer impossibility; but at lasts
last he uttered little exclamation ,
thankfulness. for there lying at hi
feet, was the man he sought.
How he did he could never tell. but
fang himself from his horse and LITE
the wounded man upon Il.
Better leave me-" Renton viii
pered feebly. I'VE shall never bot
get through-splendid ot--you to-
come"
"oh. it's all right" the boy al
| swered Ms he swung himself into tn