Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-05-30
az RAY sTANNARp BAKER.

OoWeII were twins only In age and patrl-
otism. In everything else they were as
dtfferent as black and white or hot and
cold. Uncle Tommy was short, and puffy.
and bald Of head. with a REMINISCENT
twinkle in his blue eye, and a certain
sprightltness in his step that quite belied
his age Also. he had two good, stout.
stubby legs, although they were a bit
bowed and stiff, so that he thumped
smartly with his heels when he walked.
What Cncle Tommy lacked OF reaching
natures standard of a man, Uncle Luth-
and so spare that one almost expected to
hear him rattle in his old blue clothes like
withered peas in q pod. Fine trouble lines
mapped his forehead, and his beard was
thin and gray, when he walked. he
lurchet at every step and bore heavily on
his cane, for he had left his good right
leg on the bloody slopes at -Chickamauga.
and for nearly 80 years he had stumped
painfully about on a wooden leg.
Uncle Tommy was bluff and prosperous,
He lived In a comfortable house in West
Alden, and when all his children came
home for Thanksgiving dinner, Uncle
Tommy's wife put all the spare leaves in
the dining table carved two turkeys.
Uncle Luther had q little one-stOry
shop, across the county line in the adj
Joining town OF Amery where he Soldered
leaky milk pans and tinkered clocks. 1t
wa next the lane, In the farther corner
Of his son Jonathan's land, and he made
up his own bed and cooked his meals in
the little room in the rear. He seemed at
least 20 years older han Uncle Tommy,
and he had become querulous and quav-
cry, so that Jonathan and his thrifty wife
groaned under the responsibility OF look
Ing after him.
And that shows how two brothers, who
ave been boys together, men together.
and soldiers together, may drift apart.
For years Uncle Tommy and Uncle Luth-
er had not met, except at gatherings of
old soldiers, and these were not pleasant
meetings. For the two little towns, albeit
they lay out on the wide Minnesota
prairie. with only an imaginary line be-
tween them. could not agree 1t was the
kind of d~issenston that grows a and
strong in little communities where there
are few outside interests to occupy the
Intervals of attention. And the old SOL
diers took it up, and fought it Gus as val
iantly as they had marched on V~icksburg.
They might have had. a Grand Army post.
with reminiscent campfires. n they
might hav had Fourth of July celebra-
tions and Memorial day parades; but as
certainly as Uncls Tommy led the hosts
Of West Alden INF one direction, Amery
and Captain Bradley could be depended
upon to march in exactly the opposite
direction.
AS for Uncle Luther, he always followed
Uncle Tommy's procession, wherever 1t
might lead. Again and again the old SOL
diers of the two W met in the inter-
ests of harmony. Uncle Tommy would
come to preside, and Uncle Luther would
second the motions. and then they all
would slump off into the quagnire of dis
sension. AT such times the fires of a stir
ring past would blaze up in Uncle Luth-
er's faded eyes,. his stopped shoulders
would stiffen back, a faint flush would steal
into his cheeks, and he would nod his old
gray head as If In time to martial music
that none but he could heal Sometimes
the tears came up to his eyes, and the boy
who was fortunate enoughSt0 hear him
talk thrilled with the quick pride of strife.
and longed to shoulder q carbine and
march away to the music of the fife and
drum.
For two years the towns had held Me-
mortal day services. but they had been
m%ournfully eispirited. Uncle Tommy, by
sheer force of character. had been mar
shall of the day, and Uncle Luther and a
few stra8glers from Amery had marched
with the parade; but Captain Enoch and
his supporters stood by with gloomy for
bearance. and offered no word of encour-
agement. There was really little need of
Memorial day services, except in the alb
stract. The cemetery, where the discord
of the two towns was buried, lay on a
bare prairie knoll. set rou with pre-
else rows OF spindling cottonwoods that
languished half the summer with thirst
and whipping winds and dust-and it com
tained no soldiers graves. But Uncle
TOmmy's parades marched up the road to
the cemetery gate m back again, and
Uncle Luther felt hat the country's dead,
wherever they might lie, had been hon.
ored.
On the third year the old soldiers met
again, thoroughly determined to be. har-
monioue. In 10 minutes time Uncle Tom
my was humping on the pine table with
his cane, and several Of the other old SOL
diers were cfingtng to Captain Enoch's
coat tails. while the two men glared and
threatened. And then Captain Enoch exc
cuted a ~well-planted flank movement.
routed Uncle Tommy, and ran up the
Amery col0rs. A few minutes later his
faction. acting with the right. of might.
had decided upon all the important fea-
lures Of the parade. And to further rout
Uncle Tommy and his retainers. they APP
pointed Uncle Luther to the honored po-
sition of marshal of the day
At first Uncle Luther was dumb with as
Constituent. He had as good right to be
marshal as Uncle Tommy. They had be-
longed to the same regiment. and both
had reached the rank Of corporal. Uncle
Luther on one leg and Uncle Tommy on
two. But Uncle Luther always had de-
ferred to. Uncle Tommy as II he had been
an older brother. and it seemed to him
hardly short of sacrilege to appear AZ
Uncle 'Tommy's rival. 80 ne struggled to
his feet, and held up a lean finger to catch
Captain Enoch's eye.
rI'd rather have Tommy. have the
place." he faltered; hes better fitted for
1t than l be-"
But Uncle Tommy was storming down
the room. :
Keep It,. he roared. and he went out,
slamming the door after him.
Uncle Luther followed him q few. steps.
vistfuily. and then he dropped back. In his