The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-02-01

ner of the bread he ate. Old Mr.. and
Mrs. Walters passed away not lone
alter the close of the war. They had
borne poverty n p~rivation uncom-
plainingiy, for they were Christian
man and woman; but their lot in old
age came hard on them. Besides, there
was no daughter in the house; Calls
dissipation embittered their every
hour; and Ellwood, II as he was,
had taken a wife and brought her to
the house, where, of course, she con
sidered herself the mistress.
After the death of his parents, Cal
Walters pulled himself together, and
for a while did very we'll, contributing
from his earnings to household ex-
penSeS; but after a time relapsed into
his old habits. Things went from bad
to worse until after the birth of Mrs.
Ellwood Walters first child. One
day at dinner Ellwood informed his
he would not help boil the pot his
name would not be put in the pot
Cal Strengthened himself a little in
his chair, looked his brother ~sQuarely
in the face, without a word, a culver
Of a muscle, or a change Of express
sion, finished his dinner, and went up
to his room. Then he filed a small
Valise with what few clothes he had,
and left the house-to return only
once. the day of his death.
Walters became little better than a
bum loafer about town. Where he
ate or lodged it vas hard to say. But
it was noticeable that, somehow he
always got access to soap and water,
for his skin was as clean as a wo-
mans. He might be a seedy Ioafer
he never got to be a dirty loafer.
Now mark the i~nscrutahIe and in
exorable ways Of Providence. Ellwood
Walters, while repairing an clubhouse
on the premises, fell from the roof
and received such injuries to his back
as made him a cripple in a rolling
chair for life. Maternity had not been
favorable to his wife, and she was in
frail health. Ellwood, though he hat
been making a ia T living, had beer
able to put by nothing, sc that the
family was soon reduced to abiect
poverty. Cal was startled and
shocked at his brothers. affiction, and
managed to send him small sums now
and then. He took to making tramps
to nearby towns, where he would gel
a Job here and there. and then come
back.
One fall, just after he had returned
from II of these tramps. he was St
fortunate as to get quite Il remunera.
tive job to last several weeks, in the
office of a leading lawyer of the town
About hat time a stranger, who haC
arrived the night before by a trair
from the south. inquired at the
clerks desk in the morning the way
to the courthouse, where he walked
into the office of the clerk of tn
Superior Court. Introducing himself
as B. w. Winston, of a town in Ala.
bama, the clerk giving his name il
return. the stranger said. Mr.. Wal
lace, 1 wish to see NJ. J. G.. Walter:
who. L learn, lives in this place.
Want to see Car Walters, do your
asked the clerk in q sneering tone
DO YOU know him ?" Were YOU il
the war with him." Not in the same
company. but | heard of him. He wa!
a good soldier. Drawer than the mos
of men, but he is q tough citizen
now" We'll" said Mr.. Winston
gravely, evidently not relishing tn
clerks sneering and ill-natured tor
portant business with him" Why
come to think of it, he's at work. no
a hundred yards away, in Lawye.
Browns office. / will drop a note t
him. please state in the note saif
the stranger, that b. w. Winston
of Alabama. is here to see him as 81
agent from Lieut.. Bodoin.'
In five 81 ten minutes Cal" step
ped into the office, a mingled expires
sion of surprise and expectancy on hi
face. Introductions being made, Nh
Winston said: Mr.. Walters, you wer
in Gen. Blanks brigade. - regi
ment, -- company, during tn,
Civil War;" Il was. l doubt Whethe
any man in the whole brigade knew
me other than as Cal and a very bat
Cal at that" replied the young man
with a V laugh. Did you know
Lieut.. Bodoin, OF Harland's battery =?
Il did" Were YOU friends?" Wv,
were friends Did you not once per
form an important service for Lieut.
Bodoin p He was pleased to conside
it as SUCH" DO you mind telling tn
nature of that service?" Here Walter
looked keenlv at his GuestiOner, am
asked is Lieut.. Bodoin living?
No; he died ten days ago Ther'
was no little emotion in the youn:
mans face, as he said: Il am deepI,
grieved to hear it; he was a tru
friend and a noble man" Then. rails
ing his yves from the floor, after
long pause, he said, with an inten
ILL 49,