The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-04-16

! DTOtneT very pOlnLeUIy InaL IL ne WOuIu
not help boil the pot, his name
would not be put in the pot 'Cal'
| Strengthened himself a little in his
chair looked his brother sGuarcly in
| the face. without a word. a CULVER of
a muscle. or a change of expression.
| finished his dinner, and went up TO
| his room. Then he filled small valiSe
| with what few clothes he had, and
f.! left the house-to return only oEce.
| the day of his death.
! Walters became little better thai a
bum loafer about town. Where he
! ate or lodged it was hard to say Bur
! it was noticeable that. somehow he
| always got access to soap and water,
! for his skin was as clean as womdn's
| He might be seedy loafer; he never
got TO be dirty loafer.
Now mark the inscrutable and in
! eXorable ways of Providence. EllWoOd
/ Walters, while repairing an ou mouse
! on the premises, fell from the roof
| and received such injuries 10 his cack
| as made him cripple il a rolling
| chair for life. Maternity had not been
| favorable 10 his wife, and she was IN
frail health. Ellwood, though he mad
been making q fair living, had been
| able to put by nothing, so thar the
family was soon reduced to abiect
poverty. Cal was startled and
Z shocked at his brothers affection, and
manager TO send hIn small sums now
and then. He took 10 making rransDs
to nearby towns. whore he would set
Il Job here and there, and then como
back
One fall, just after he had re urned
from on Of these tramps, he was SO
fortunate as to get quite remunera-
tive job, to last several weeks in he
offic. of leading lawyer of the town.
About that time a stranger, who h d
arrived the night bef re by a tran
from the south, inquired at the
clerks desk in the morning the way
to the courthouse, where he w.slked
into the Office of the clerk of the
superior court. Introducing himself
as B. w. Winston, of town in Ala
bama, the clerk giving his name in
return, the stranger said ''Mr. Wal
lace, l wish to see M. J. c.. Wal ers,
who. learn, lives in this pace"
Want to see Cal Walters, do you,"
asked the clerk in a sneering one.
DO you know him. ''Were you in
the war with him." Not in the same
company, but I heard Of him He was
a good soldier, Drawer than the mos
Of men, but he is tough ctiz n
now" Well" said Mr. Whist q
gravely, evidently not relishing tn |!
clerk sneering and ill-natured tone,
"huwerver that may be. / have NJ
portant business with him" why,
come to think of it, he's at work not
hundred yards away, in Lawyer
Browns Office. I will drop note to !
him" please state in the rote," said |
the stranger" that B. W. Winston, !
Of Alabama ds h re to see him as an |
agent from Lient. Bodoin.'
In five or tetn minutes "Cal' step |
ped into the Office, a ming ed express |
sion Of surprise and expectancy on is
Winston said: "Mr Walters, you /
were in Gen. Blanks brigade, - I
reglment,--- company, during he |
civil war?" 'T was. l doubt whether .
any man in the whole brigade knew
me other that as Cal. and a very bad /,
CAL at that" replied the young man,
with nervous laugh. Did you know
Lieut.. Bodoin, of Harlands battery?'
81 did" Were you friends?' I'VE !
We're friends" Did you not once per
form an important service for Lieuy
Bodoin?" He was pleased to cons der
it as such" ''Do you mind telling the
nature of that service?" Here Walters
looked keenly at his questioner. and
asked: us Lieut.. Bodoin livin~?"
mo: he died ten days ago" There
was no little emotion in the young
mans face, as he said: Il am deeply
gTieved to hear it; he was a true |
friend and a noble man" Then; rails
ing his eyes from the floor, after a
long pause, he said, with an intent
look at the stranger: mo, | will not
reveal the nature of the service. II is
buried in the grave Of Bodoin fOrever.'
Mr.. Winston did not press the mat
ter, and, indeed, somehow, he seemed
to expect no other answer. ''Mr. Wal
ters,' he said, Il regard your identity
as absolutely sure; but, to be safe.
the Identification will be made Legal
and complete in this Office" Drawing
some papers from his pocket, he con-
tinued slowly and impressively, as II
feeling the weight of what he was
about to impart: "Mr. Walters, Mr..
Bodoin died very rich man, leaving
a large fortune to his family. Cut cf
this fortune he has left to you, in
prOfitable securities and a larye |