The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-05-26

Gee whiz!" sighed Puhks, "th'
cop said twus ten miles out here to
tn Gem try. More like twenty, amt
it, Lonesum?" The yellow dog whom
Punks addressed beat his tail affirm
atively upon the sidewalk, as the boy
dropped to the curb for a rest
"When it's dark" continued Punks,
"we'll shin tn fence"
Punks had a vague idea that his
undertaking must be carried out
under a charitable mantle of dark
ness; he might not be permitted to
enter the cemetery, he feared, be-
cause he had no folks" there and
had not come with funeral He
was glad to rest, anyway, for he was
very tired, and the dog was, too.
When Punks had started out that af-
ternoon there had been small hole
in his shoe. BY the time he had
reached the cemetery, the whole bot
tom was off, and his foot had been
scraped raw in places. He had meant
to flip cars all the way out, but short
ly after leaving the downtown dis
trict, the yellow dog had claimed fell
lowship with him, and persisted in
keeping up with him. Punks tipped
twice after that, but it made him feel
sorry when the dog ran so hard to
keep even, so he decided to walk
along with his new companion, whom
he dubbed "Lonesum" when he noted
the appealing look in the dogs eyes.
Suddenly Punks jumped up and
peered over the fence. yep, that's
it. It's right next that big monu-
ny and his old man is. Straight south
O. this fence post Well find it all
right in TIL dark. Say! tn flowers
look kinder tired" Punks looked
ruefully at the big bunch of carna-
tions which he held. He had spent
forty cents of his days income on
them, and that, coupled with the fact
that he had missed the evenings sale
OF papers on account of this trip,
meant that he would have no supper.
When it was quite dark, Punks
dropped Lonesum and his flowers
over the fence and followed. Carry
ing the direction well In mind and
followed by Lonesum, who kept dis
Greet silence, Punks came to his
haven. 1t was a grass-grown and
RI weed decorated lot in an almost aban-
dored part of the cemetery. To find
the wooden headboards that marked
the resting places of Johnny and
Johnny's grandfather, Punks had to
strike several matches; In the flare
of the third he was startled to see a
man sitting on a wire bench but
yard or two away. Lonesum, too,
saw the man, and for the first time in
his acquaintance with Punks, showed
fight. He bristled and growled so
threateningly that the stranger, who
had been asleep, awoke in bewilder-
ment.
The match had burnt quite down to
Punks' fingers before he realized that
the man was old and quite harmless
in appearance, and then the visions
of arrest that had momentarily
floated before Punks' eyes faded
away.
"Cut 1t out. Lonesum," he COM
manded. 9TH old feller's all right"
The man sat up. He wore frayed
and faded gray suit and big soft hat,
which, though Punks did not know it,
we would have recognized as the Con-
federate uniform. Where his left
foot should have been, the end of
wooden leg appeared.
why, what you doing here, boy?"
the stranger inquired
Same to you," answered Punks,
grinning. 'Spose you tell me what
you're doin'"
The old man laughed. That's
fair" he said. I'm Isaiah Ridden,
of Tennessee. sir. I've an old COM
rade sleeping here and l came to put
a few flowers there to show that the
South remembers her boys. Feing