Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1910-09-08

/ $500 saS ~ oAh PdliCu OuI Va hhS
station the faces of an old man in
the uniform of the Grand Army of the
Republic and Of little girl in stiffly
starched pink Bingham frock alike
wore an expression Of mingled delight
and solemnity.
The look Of delight was due to the
fact that these two good comrades
were on their way to @. A. r. re-
union which was to be held in a town
more than 80 miles distant, and the
look of solemnity was due to the
warnings and admonitions of Ellens
anxious mother.
1t was possibly the desire to es-
cape, temporarily, at least, from the
depressing recollection that her grand
father was on no account to permit
her, Ellen, to consume more than
three pieces Of cake at one sitting,
and that her behavior among all
those strangers" would rebound to the
permanent glory or the lasting dis
honor Of the whole Bailey family, that
caused the little girl, almost before
she had seated herself on the awe
some splendor Of the red plush up
holstery, to demand one of the stories
Of "old, unhappy, far-off things and
battles long ago" which she never
tired of hearing.
We'll, now" the old captain said
fondly. Il don't know as / ever saw
girl that liked to hear war stories
as we'll as you do, Ellen"
I'm most as good as boy to you,
/ guess Ellen said proudly. Don't
you think i am, grandfather"
Il think you're a good sight better"
Captain Brown declared with empha-
sis. "A boyd been always chasin'
round and with my game leg so I'd
had hard work keepin' up with him.
Besides, you know, you always remind
me Of that little girl who had big
brown eyes just like yours"
Eyes, know" Ellen said, nesting
closer to the old mans side. Tell me
about her, grandpop. an about her
big brother.
"The first time / ever saw Jim
Strode," Captain Brown began obe-
diently, was jest month after the
war broke out"-Captain Brown al
ways spoke OF "the war" as If there
had never been another before or
since our war for the Union. He was
standin' up in a buggy haranguin a
crowd O. men and boys tellin' them
that the country needed their services
and tryin' to get 'em to enlist. The
little girl with eyes like yours was
holdin' the reins with one hand and
markin place in a book with the
other, and lookin' up at her brother
as If she thought he'd made the earth
by and bye they drove on and ]
was so possessed to hear him talk
some more that | run home and hitch.
ed up the old mare and me and an.
other boy tagged him around all that
day from one village to another.
"The little girl drove and Jim
Strobe studied that book-military
tactics it was, found out later-as
hard as he could between times
Then when he reached the center OF
the next town he'd call another crowd
around him and talk so earnest that
before the day was over 63 men had
volunteered to enlist
Il was crazy to go myself, but was
too young, and when they took me
two years after, Jim Strobe, that pale
slim little Teller, had already made 6
name for himself as one o. the most
famous scouts in the whole Unior
army.
1--WE told you about it otter
enough, Ellen" the old man went on
his faded eyes kindling with sudder
fire, but l get all wrought up jest
the same, every time, when | think O
them scouts, for scoutin' takes a sight
more courage than jest plain fightin'
because If you're caught inside the
enemy's lines you're liable to be huns
as spy. l could never bring myself
to volunteer for that service, but jim
Strobe jest seemed to revel In danger
for its own sake"
| But you were brave, too, grand
| father" Ellen said, jealously. "Mothel
| said they made you a captain for gal
| liant conduct in battle"
"Oh, well, l want afraid o. bein
| killed In square fight" Captain
| Brown admitted. And I'd keep agoin
| as long as / could stand; but scou
has to think quick and be a smarter
| man than ever / was to be any good
| why, Ellen, once Jim was chased
by a party o. Confederates and wheI
he saw they were gainin' on him h,
put his horse at big stone wall ant
went over it and hid close to the edg,
Of the woods. He was right unde
their noses, but they never suppose,
he'd have the nerve to stay SO clos,
TO the edge, so they rampaged abou
deeper In the woods until they go
tired lookin' for him, and then he go
his horse out of thicket where he,
hidden him and rode into camp a
calm as a pan o. milk.
| Another time he and two othe
men joined the enemy's marchin' col
umn, and that's the most desperat