Evening journal., 1909-10-08

1t, ana the cOuplo went lheA~ ~ NN'~
For the first Eve years Jim was ap-
pealed to, protested at and complained
of for his laziness. Then the hard
working wife realized that it was no
use and gave it up.
Jim Baker read and heard OF the
civil war when it broke out, and he
saw many of his neighbors enlist ana
20 marching away. He had no partic-
ular interest in war. He was patriot, |
but he didn't say much about 1t Tor
fear he would be asked to swing MS
hat and cheer. That would have been
hard work for him. 1t was only when
the days Of the big bounty came that
he sat down under tree for serious
thought. He was thinking when a re-
cruiting oflcer came along and sat
down beside him and said:
"Jim, IL you want to enlist can get
you ST00 bounty money. 1t looks now
as II the war would be over in thirty
days. and Just think OF earning all that
money in month"
"I'il think It over" replied Jim after
a long time. and that evening his wife
noticed that he was looking very seri-
GUS. When she asked If he felt Ill he
answered:
"Num. Say. Bet, I'm thinking of
going to war"
She smiled at the idea, and be con-
tinued:
'T allus thought 1t was mighty hard
work, but that feller told me today It
was dead easy. All you've got to do is
to eat and sleep and shoot rebels. You
have a nigger to cook for you and load
your gun. believe could stand that,
and I'll get ST0O for going"
Nothing more was said about the
matter that evening. Next morning
the wife started for the fields. and Jim
started for the village. She missed
him at noen when she returned to the
house. but she didn't worry. When he
came home at sundown he tossed a
big roll Of greenbacks into her lap and
said
"I've enlisted for a soldier and am
going away tomorrow"
She counted the money over slowly.
laid it upon the clock shelf and re-
piled;
"Jim, there's wuss husbands than
you. I'll be mighty careful Of the mon
ey. and hope you'n come back all
right
There was very little said next
morning when he started on. She
went to the plow and he TO town, and
the talk was all among the neighbors
After getting down to the front jim
wrote home now and then, but briefly
| Sometimes he was mentioned in other
soldiers letters. but also briefly. The
wife lived on alone. She missed the
husband, and yet she didn't. Some
times she wished him back, and some
times she didn't feel to care whether
be returned or not She was in this
neutral state Of mind when the wal
came to a close at last. The soldiers
who survived It returned home. and
one evening as she sat on her step
with her pipe in her mouth a veteran
in uniform turned in at the gate tC
say:
"Nirs. Baker. have you heard abOu
Jimg"
mot a word"
'He didn't come back with u.s."
4. mop
Because be was killed in the yer.
last battle. 1 was right near hin
when he fell. Mighty sorry to have Il
tell you"
''Thankee for coming" she said
And not a dozen more words wer
said. In her way the woman felt he
loss. but she shed no tears over II
1t did not keep her from her worl
next day After two years she begal
drawing a widows pension, and sis
ter came to live with her After tn
sixth year she was asked to MARI.
again, and again she was a wife.
was seven years almost to a day sine
she had been told Of Jim's death whel
she sat alone in the house one da,
and a stranger entered. He was lam
and dusty and grizzled and asked 70
, a cup Of water AS he drank it sh
looked at him more closely and the
sunk into a chair and was speeches
for a moment
rs anything wrongF asked IN
man.
my Godl But you are Jim Baker
. my husband that went to the war!
she whispered.
"You called me Jim Baker" said th
man after awhile.
"Of course / did. You have changed
but you are Jim. Why didn't 20
writer Why didn't you come hom
sooner"
Madam, beg you TO excuse ma
but you are laboring under a gres
mistake. My name Is Langford-
George LangfOrd. am stranger I
you and TO this part Of the countr,
-he resemblance to Mr.. Baker is sin
ply a coincidence. Thanks for the WI
ter. 1t has refreshed me. Good day.
And Jim Baker, who was not kille'
but whose long silence was not e'
planned. went OUT OF HIS house. ar
,.-o.. @rot.. bfa xrffa and vpa nTvf