The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1913-05-30

~ " nv
kA gardens were separated
49, from the street by fences
OF broken palings, their
gaping holes forming convenient short
cuts for small boys, dogs and chick
ems. and 1T night-cats.
Half way up the street. nesting in
a green and pink and red tangled gar.
den, stood a modest white cottage
whose fence palings were white aud
unbroken There were no small boys
In that cottage. and the dog had long
since lost his energy TO burrow un.
der fences.
An old man stood patiently before
the window while u young. hOmely
vigorous woman buttoned him into
The splash Of blue-the ancient Goa
OF a veteran. Ills empty left sleeve
was pinned to his side. and the hut,
tons threw back the sun bravcly His
scanty white locks shone again un,
der the careful brushing His trou
sers still exhaled the odor Of cedar
maculate
All the year he meekly bore the
vigorous seedlings OF his daughter. but
on this day he was supreme, nothing
mattered then II was his day-Net
Grams Da, and not once In more
than 90 years had be missed It..
OF late years, and particularly since
his only boy had gone. It had been
necessary 10 start d tritie earlier. II
was not far 20 his captains house
but somehow. II seemed to grow far
ther each year, and his whole life
would be- in misery If he should be-
tardy on such a day.
lie could see himself walking up the
long. shaded drive TO his captain ,
house. Previously II had been one vi
his fellow.yeterans-his captain ole
orderly-who admitted him Now /
was "a younger man--a soldier, -
but not OF the old brigade Never mind
II IA sOo forgotten In the jog of
other things 10 come.
He could see himself walking down
the armor-lined hall to tn" big. din
room. chuckling happily as he found
his way unaided, a familiar wolcom.
brother, although he only cam" once
a year But in 80 years II man
learns, Then ne would knock, and
enter, shifting his stick under the
stump Of his left arm, as he salurrd
over In the corner would stand the
old %colors, faded and riddlcd with
holes, the Nag he had carried SO brave,
~. His captain would be sitting az
the end OF the table, his white beard
ripping with the smile OF Welcome
az he returned the salute Then the
others would salute, although now
that WAS over. The old brigade Mas
gathered on the other side. but lhov
couldn't line up tor Cumplct" iu-p,C.
ton until the captain reached there,
too. His heart contracted suddenly
What would he do II his captain went
before him? 1t would be very lonely
until the day OF reunion, but he
mustn't think such things on such a
day Besides, his eyes seemed 70
water of late years. 1t must be- The
dust lie would return TO his pleas
ant thoughts OF the great day
After his captain had salltrd he
would wave him 20 a chair, aud then p
woudrous meal would begin. over the
food they would live again in joyous
remembrance OF the great day They
would live over again, as they had
numbcrlrss times. the great morn
ing when half their gallant band had
gone down before that resistloss
charge, while the other half fought In
grim despair
He could ,ce again the thousand
cleaning iahCes and the yelling, gal
looping enemy The main body had
moved on across the river. His cap.
tains company had been moving AT
the double 10 catch up when they
had been cut of. The captaiu-hl5
captain what "A gallant figure he had
made an he stood upon the dealt
body OF his horse and rallied his men
around him What a shriekiHg pan
demonium Of cracking musket.shoto
struggling horses. and wounded men
How bravcly had the little band re-
pulsed the swirling horsemen, paying
for II with the blood OF their com
radesl How the cOlors had fallen
from his hand as a horseman rode At
him and severed his arm. lie, too
was going 10 join his fallen com
rades when the c~aptain-his captain
had rushed Out and dragged him 70
safety,
oh, the glory OF the day lost nothing
In their 90 years OF repetition
What mattered Il II their voices
were weak and Ierky with the years
that most of them had TO drink the
toast Ia the mildest mixture? Spirits
cause discomfort 70 creaky bones
sometimes, when n In old
The old man smiled happily lie
had timed himself well. His thoughts