The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-02-06

DeIore single place was vacant Then
chill passed over every man as he
entered the room and saw the empty
chair. the plate, the uncorked bottle.
OF their late comrade. All had looked
upon battleGelds. but none had expe.
rlenced this same peculiar sensation In
viewing the dead and dying.
Several years passed. The seventeen
men were beginning to become some
what accustomed TO the one vacant
chair when the clock OF their lives
struck 2. They missed one Of the
youngest. merriest of their number.
Then it became apparent that the
spontaneous merriment OF their tirst
dinner would wane under the increas-
Ing vacant chairs aud exertion must be
made to keep the dinners from grow
Ing painful. a resolution was passed
that each man must contribute some.
thlng-a song. story, a Joke. what
ever be pleased-to enllven the coca.
sion.
Slowly the diners watched the in.
creasing vacancies till the number gone
equaIed the number remaining. When
the niue living men met and drank 10
the nine who We're dead, it was with
an effort. Some one proposed that they
should sit together at living half or
the table. leaving the other half for the
dead, but the proposal was voted down.
and the living and the dead remained
side by side.
Their clock struck 10. II. 10. and two
thirds OF the original number had pass
ed away. Six men whose boards were
gray sat together and drank TO twelve
who had gone. To them the dead re
NAMED at the age they departed, some
on the threshold of manhood. others
at successive ages.
II was years before there was ar.
other vacancy; then two empty plntes
dropped into line like figured disks re
eordlng the revolutions OF an eugina
shaft Another dropped In three years.
another in two
By this time all who were destined.
to reach the ordinary limit. tllree,c1re
years and ten. had dropped out ofthose.
who were to become octogenarians
or centenarians but two remained. For
eleven years two old men. sat down
together once year and drank 10 six.
teen comrades whose bottles wore IN.
corked. 1t was not now question OF
which should be blessed with the
longest life. but which would lie soon
est relieved from painful duty As
they glanced over the uneorked bottles
II seemed that their dead comrades
were drawn up in line to receive them
when they should appear. upon. the
eternal parade With trembling hands
they raised thin glasses to, their lips
and drank-drank as much as there
was hope OF assimilating with their
WORKOUT systems-then, set their glass,
es down and without a. word left
room which from banquet hall had
become a sepulcher.
And now the last man. eighty-nIne
years old, sits alone. A. myriad Of
wrinkles radiate from. scar on his
forehead, the remains Of a wound re.
ceived at Churubusco, A few snow
white hairs are scattered over his
head. His eye Is a fare OF intelligence
about to 90 out. His dinner IA untaSt,
ed, except little toast water. OF which
he has taken a few sips. He sits, at
one end OF the table. and looks down
the long line OF bottles; on either side.
every bottle representing a dead com
rade. he raises his; glass aud speaks
not with his llps-lIps are not needed
to address the dead--but In spirit
Comrades. 1. about to die. greet
Won. 1t has pleased our great com
maRder to place. me in charge OF the
rear guard. have seen you all safely
over the river. and now. my work be
Ing finished. am permitted TO cross
myself. The DIN OF battle sounds far
from me-a confused murmur OF shout
ing, OF musketry, of cannon. have
no desire to return to miugle with 1t.
I only wish to join you In your long
rest Comrades, greet you"
He touched the rim Of his glass to
his thin HIPS and set It down Then
he rested his chin on his breast and
closed his eyes.
4hE AooA OlcAGus anu group u
children burst into the room. followed
by their parents.
Grandpa, wake upl We have coma
to cheer you for the loss Of your
friends. They are gone. but we are
coming on. We knew 1t would be sad
for you to dine alone. and we are go
ing to take you away and warm you
with our young hearts beating against
yours. Come; grandpa, wake upI-
But the old man did not wake up.
One Of his sons. man OF fifty. ap-
preached and quietly shook him. Touch
ing the veterans hand, he found Il
cold. Quickly passing bis own hand
over the VI inkled brow. he dropped IL
gu the lear4
It had ceased 70 beat
! IA. MITCHELL