The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-04-27
Soldier Tom


morning.
The rain is beating regularly, per
sistently against the narrow windows.
feeble attempt is being made by
the old folks to eat their breakfast.
which, for once. seems more than they
can accomplish. A spirit of unrest
has seized them. Evidently they have
premonltion of impending trouble. !
The usually smiling face of Mrs.
Dodge, the matron, is sad this morn
ing. She glances down the long Ia
Bile. and seeing an empty chair, asks:
Where is-Thomas?"
With one accord, they all glance
toward an opposite window. where,
gazing upon the blurred scene without,
is tall, thin figure. This is Thomas,
or, as the matron's little son calls
him. Soldier Tom"
Thomas" calls Mrs. Dodge softly,
twill you take your seat now? This
will be our last meal together, you
know"
With a stifled sob, the old man tot
ters feebly to his chair. For once the
tall. commanding figure has lost its
military bearing. The shoulders are
stopped The head is bent As he
sinks into his chair the matron
glances at the other inmates, who are
looking at one another in dazed,
perplexed manner.
My friends" she begins, I'VE have
been friends. have we not? Well"
she resumes as a vigorous nodding
of heads answers affirmatively, "as
| Thomas and a few others know, after
| this morning. | shall be the matron of
this home no longer My health has
always been poor and now that an
uncle has left me little money, my
husband insists upon taking me to
the country, where I may regain my
strength"
The morning wore gloomily on. The
rain continued to descend in a splut-
tering. dismal manner. With the COM
| ing of noon came the carriage also
that was to take away the beloved
matron, her husband and their little
son, who was the brightest CLEAN of
sunshine in that usually dreary home.
The farewells had been said, the
driver had Just started his horses,
when piercing, childish scream rose
above the drip, drip Of the rain, and
the low sobbing of the inmates.
Mamma, mamma. where Is my
Sojer Tom? | tan't doe wifout my
Sojer Toni"
Soldier Tom is not coming, dear
There, there" she said soothingly, as
the child threw back his head pre-
paratory to an awful outburst. per.
haps We will send for him bye and
bye"
The day wore on. Evening set in
dark and cold. True to her promise,
Mrs. Dodge had left everything in
readiness for the party. Although
the inmates of the home missed her
greatly, still twas very seldom they
had a chance to partake of ice cream
and candy. They were but human. SO,
drying their tears, they were doing
full justicce to the meal when some
one asked:
Where is Soldier Tom?"
"Oh, up in the attic, l guess. He
goes there every night"
Whats that?" asked Mrs. Dean.
"One of the men goes up into the at.
tic every night? I'll soon stop that
nonsense!"
AS she hustled out of the room the
men exchanged glances which dis
tinctly said:
Mrs. Dodge has gone. We shall
miss her."
Meanwhile old Thomas, sitting dis
coLsolately upon an old box in a cor
ner of the attic, an unlighted pipe in
his hand, was interrupted by Mrs
+ Dean.
We'll, what is the meaning of this?
Don't you know you're not allowed ur
here? My goodness! the man has ac'
; tually been smoking!"
mo, Mrs. Dean. Pm just holding
It in my hand tonight. You see, Mrs
Dodge allowed me to come up here
| can't sleep unless | have a little
smoke. and so Mrs. Dodge"
Mrs. Dodge! Mrs. Dodge! I'm
tired Of that name! She has gone
and Mrs. Dean tells you that you'll
come up here no more. and you'll
smoke no more after hours! Do you
understand"
Eyes, maam," quietly replied the
old man, 81 understand, ! understand,
he murmured sadly, as he slowly lef
the room.
Two weeks passed, and late in the
afternoon of a cold, crisp day in De
cember old Thomas stood by a win
dow, a look of suppressed Joy in his
face and figure, as he held in his
hand a letter; a letter from Mrs
Dodge, in which she tells him she
( is now settled in her new home, bu
her little son Is not happy. Home IL
not home to him without his "Sojel
S Tom" Therefore, she offers him 1
y home for life, home with her anC
the child he loves.
With sobbing cry of Joy. his preci
Gus letter pressed to his heart, oil
Tom fell senseless to the floor. IL
soon recovered and kind hands raise,
L 4.