Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-05-31

tege. upon whom he had come to rely as
a friend, was not present. 1t worried
him so much that he sent n clerk off to
the old mans lodging, but he was not
there.
Something has happened to him-he
has met with an accident" Arthur said,
anxiously, and he determined to look up
his whereabouts as soon as possible.
He had never mentioned the blind man
to his wife, for it struck him as a Quix-
otto sort of venture at which she might
laugh. Besides, it was a business deal
in one way. and belonged to the store,
where Arthur left all business details
under lock and key. But this evening
he was so disturbed by the loss of the
old mar that he related the incident to
Margie. and she suggested that the hos
pitfalls be searched as soon as Memorial
Day was over.
The little family went to Woodlawn
the next day, and formed in themselves
an interesting part of the grand fedora
ton of peace which was being celebrated
with flowers and flags, and beating drums,
in memory of the silent heroes who long
have slumbered beneath. To the lonely
grav on the hillside, which Margie had
adopted" as she quantity expressed it,
they took their way. laden with the flow
ers Arthur had provided. While the chill
dren distributed the floral tributes on
the narrow mound, Margie seated herself
and read aloud a poem she had cut from
the morning paper at the breakfast table.
1t was so appropriate that Arthur ac-
cuscd her of writing it. Iht last stanza
ran thus:
There's a grave on the hillside, Father.
Thy searching voice shall yet
Rouse up the sleeping solder
For Thou dost not forget.
There's a lonely grave on the hillside,
But. oh, before Thy throne
The humble shall be honored.
The unknown shall be known!
Suddenly Arthur gave a loud excla-
nation of Look there! That is he ~
They looked, expecting to see a gen
eral of the army in splendid regalia. but
they saw only a little band of veterans
in their faded uniforms. led by a blind
man who played melting nAitary music
upon a fife.
It's by old blind mani never knew
that he had been a soldier. He never
told me-" Arthur said, breathlessly.
He looks like a hero" said his wife,
enthusiastically, and she did not take
her eyes from that noble and resigned
face until her husband had waylaid the
old man and said to him:
$50 I have found you and you cheat
ed me nicely, never telling me you were
once a soldier
II am a soldier-once a soldier ALWAYS
one,' replied the blind man. proudly, but
sir. | did not mean to deceive you-it
be poor and alone in my old age"
Not alone" said Margie, laying her
hand gently on the faded sleeve, mot
while my husband and 1 live"
The old soldier started violently as
he heard her voice. He took off his SOL
dier's cap stood erect, with one hand
raised to heaven.
WHO speaks?' he cried, whose voice
is it? Margaret, my wife-oh, God, I
canno see you"
His weakness was pitiful - tears
streamed from his sightless eyes, but
his new friends soothed him, and at last
he consented to accompany them home
and, as Margie said, "be adopted"
He was very grateful, and told them
his story, the husband and wife sitting
on either side of him and the children at
his feet.
81 was q soldier in the Army of the
Potomac, and it was at the siege of Pc
tersburg, when accommodating with a field
glass, that a splinter from an exploding
shell struck the glass and shattered both
my eyes. While l was in the hospital