The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1913-08-21
CHAPTER II.

N7NF ! GH lie
T N the rear of Mrs. Gaston's place
there stood in the midst of an
orchard a log house of two rooms
with hallway between them.
There was a mud matched wooden
chimney at each end, and from the
back of the hallway a kitchen extern
sion of the same material with an
other mud chimney. The house stood
In the middle of a ten acre lot. and a
woman was busy in the garden with
little girl, planting seed
Hurry up, Annie les finish this
in time to fix up fine dinner er greens.
an turnips. an taters an a chicken.
Yer pappy III get home today, sure.
Colonel Gaston's Nelse come last night.
Yer pappy was in the coloners regi-
ment. an Nelse said he passed him on
the road comm with two one-legged
soldiers. He amt got but one leg, he
says. But, Lord. if there's piece of
him left We'll praise God an be thank
full for what we've GOT
NAV, how did he look? | mos for
got-'s been so long sence seed him p
asked the child.
"Look! Honey, he was the hand
soonest man in Campbell county! He
had a tall, fine figure, brown. curly
beard, and the sweetest mouth that
was always smilin' at me, an his eyes
twinklin' over somethin' funny he'd
seed or thought about. When he was
young ev'ry gal around here was crazy
hS oil ri1 ho
got me too. Oh, me! can't help but
cry, to think he's been gone so long.
But he's comm today! jes' feel it in
my bones"
"Look a yonder, nav. what a skeer-
crow idin' er ole hoss,'' cried the girl,
looking suddenly toward the road.
"Glory to God! It's Tom she
shouted, snatching her old faded sun
bonnet off her head and fairly flying
tcross the field to the gate. her cheeks
flame, her blond hair tumbling over
aer shoulders, her eyes wet with tears.
Tom was entering the gate of his
modest home in as fine style as pos
siole. seated proudly on a stack of
bones that had once been a horse, an
old piece of wool on his head that had
once been a hat and a wooden peg
fitted into a stump where once was
a leg. His face was pale and stained
with the red dust of the hill roads.
and his beard, now iron gray. and his
ragged, buttonless uniform were COW
cred with dirt. He was truly a sight
to scare crows. if not of interest to
buzZards. But to the woman whose
swift feet were hurrying to his side,
and whose lips were muttering half
articulate cries Of love, he was the
knightliest figure that ever rode in the
lists before the assembled bea uty Of
the world.
'Oh, Pom, Tom, Tom, my ole man!
You've come at last" she sobbed, as
she threw her arms around his neck.
drew him from the horse and fairly
smothered him with kisses.
"Look out, ole woman. you'll break
my new legv' cried Tom. when he
could get breath.
81 don't careful get you another
one" she laughed through her tears.
Look out there again, you're smash
ing my game shoulder. Got>er mimic
ball in that one"
"Well, your mouths all right. see,"
cried the delighted woman. as she
kissed and kissed him.
"Say, Annie, don't be so greedy;
give me q chance at my young one."
Toms eyes were devouring the ex-
cited girl who had drawn nearer.
Come and kiss your pappy and tell
him how glad you are to see him"
said Tom, gathering her in his arms
and attempting to carry her to the
house.
He stumbled and fell. In a moment
the strong arms of his wife were
about him and she was helping him
into the house.
She laid him tenderly on the bed,
petted him and cried over him. my
poor old man, he's all shot and cut to
pieces. You're so weak, Toni can't
believe it, You were so strong. But
We'll take care of you. Don't you
worry. You just sleep a week and
then rest all summer and watch US
work the garden for your
He lay still for few moments with
a smile playing around his lips.
Lord, ole woman, you don't know
how nice it is to be petted like that,
to hear woman's voice. feel her
breath on your face and the touch Of
her hand warm and soft, after four
years sleeping on dirt and living with
men and mules, and fightin' and run
MIN and diggin' trenches like rats and
moles. KILN men, buryin' the dead
like carrion, holdin' men while doctors