The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-19

The cold ran down the captains spine. After covering silence:
 Say. shang?"
 'Uh-huh?"
 DO you think he'll really skin him?'
 Your mule? IT don't know. He was awful mad
 Another silence; then, "Ain't there lot of stars in the world?'
 Instantly as if response, long. fiery streak shot across the middle sky into the blue darkness beyond. The captain heart cramped. Every time one fell some- body was dead! His mother!
 Faintly, "Shang?"
 "Uh-huh?"
 DO you sc'pose your mother'n be awful scared?"
 It was some time before the Aid de Camp answered. Yes" quaveringly.
 "Do-do you s'pose it would make :, her-sick?"
 II 'Xpect." Suddenly the Captain turned over on l his face. A convulsive whinper noated up from the grass. "I-Wisth-w we-hadnt-comef The Aid de Camp made no reply. Hr. loo. turned oyer on his face. An arm
  shoulder Lets go back" voice sobbed. The Captain, the bold, the iu- domitable, had been the first to capit- ulate.
 The night grew calmer. The wind died down and the clouds drifted away. Under the cottonwood hot drops trick led into the mesquite for a while, then there came a long, quivering sigh of spent grief and exhaustion; then,
 
 jar breathi ing of three sturdy pairs of lungs mingled with the sound of the cottonwood which had died away to Q faint soft rustic.
 Next evening about dusk three little boys trudged up road toward sop;e cottages on hill-three pale, dry lipped bloodshot- eyed. weak-kneed. famished little boys. They had walked eighteen miles that day. and two of rhem had had nothing to eat but a pickled egg apiece in thirty hours. One was eapless, and one about trousers less.
 It had been a fairly eventless retreat. Once a man had given them a lift in his wagon. He had told them that by crossing a certain pasture they could lessen their journey appreciably. They had advanced within its fastnesses half mile when a large red creature with an aggressive manner appeared over hill and started for them. It was not microbe. but its species had it's place in the hygienic precepts of Private Bills mother, and her son, be- ing attired in a red waist, retraced his | footsteps with celerity. His superiors obligingly followed. This delayed them two miles distance. At turn of the road the three prodi- gals parted. The smallest turned tear | h .antH tlaAr the erstwhile Aid de Camp, sneakingly toward a brown. And shortly in each house a woman was weeping endearing ly into head of tangled tow thatch, and a laughing, but relieved-looking man stood awkwardly by and completed the tableau of reunion. The remaining lad slunk around to the back door of a white house further on. He fingered around the corner of the kitchen to gain courage. An exuberant puppy spying him, came tearing up from the barn and fell upon him with joyous yelps and pawings of greeting.
 In the house a man who had spent the day telephoning police stations, and woman with red, swollen eyes, sat at the supper table. Hearing the expressions of dog delight the woman flashed the man a questioning, faintly hopeful look. Aris- ing hastily she hurried out to the back door, As she opened the screen to look
  her around the neck.
 Mamma. mamma, mamma" voice sobbed; "Ill never do it again!
 In the dining room beyond the man, lis- tening, gave an exclamation and arose impulsively; then paused and dropped back chuckling: "Got enough of it all ready, has hei'
 A minute later, with an air of pleased surprise he arose again and extended his hand cordially, as to a guest, to a fur- tive wriggling small boy, shuffling mis- erablv behind fearful but radiant-faced woman.
 Hello hello, how's everything? Trav- cling good?" he inquired heartily.
 The Captain shook hands twisting his neck in an agony of embarrassment Yes sir" he mumbled. Then he looked up and met the eyes twinkling down upon him. He smiled back sheepishly
 He fell Imply into his chair at the table His mother sat and blissfully watched him eat, her own plate untouch- ed There had been no time for question: ing as yet. She would have been horrified had she known how very empty he was. His father looked down at them, the twinkle in his eye deepening.
 "Freedom is only in the land of dreams and only blooms the beautiful in song." he quoted laughingly, "Eh, son?"
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