Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-10-07
CHAPTER ".
Times Have Chained.

Times Have Changed.
The SD of the Browns had started
for La Tir on the same day that the
12Sth OF the Grays had started for
South La Tir. While the 12sth was
going to new scenes, the SD was re-
turning to familiar ground II had de-
trained In the capital OF the province
from which its ranks had been recruit
ed. After steep incline there was
welcome bugle note and with shouts
OF delight the centipede's legs broke
apart Bankers, laborers. doctors.
Wallets, butchers. manufacturers and
judges sons threw themselves down
on the greensward Of the embankment
TO rest With their talk OF l.> me, OF
relatives whom they had met at the
station, and OF the changes in the town
was mingled talk OF the crisis.
Meanwhile. an aged man was ap-
preaching At times he would break
into kind OF trot that ended, after a
few steps. in shortness of breath. He
was quite withered. his bright eyes
twinkllng out OF an area OF moth
patches, and he wore frayed uniform
coat with a medal on the breast.
Is this the 53d?" he quavered to
the nearest soldier.
1T certainly ls!" some one answered.
Come and join us. yeteran!"
is Tom-fom Fragini here?"
The answer came from big soldier,
who sprang TO his feet and leaped to-
ward the old maa.
IT'S grandfather. as live!" he
called out. kissing the veteran on both
cheeks. q saw sister in town. and
she said you'd oe at the gate as we
marched by"
Didn't wait at no gatel Marched
right up to YOU" said grandfather.
Marched up with my uniform and
medal on stand of here. Tom. so
| can see you. My word You're big.
germ your father, but not bigger'n |
was! No, sir, not bigger'n I was in
my day before that wound sort o bent
me over They say it's the lead in the
blood. I've still got the bullet"
The old mans trousers we're thread.
bare but well darned, and the holes In
the uppers of his shoes were carefully
patched. He had a merry air OF
tlmism. which his grandson hau
herlted
Well. Tom. how much longer you
got to server" asked grandfather.
six months" answered Tom
"one, two. three. four" GRANDPA
Their counted the numbers OF on his
fingers That's good Youll be in
time for the spring ploughing. My,
how you have filled out. But. some
how. can't get used to this kind of
uniform. Why. | don't see how a grid
be attracted TO you fellows. at alll"
They have TO. for we're the only
kind of soldiers there are nowadays.
Not as gay as In your day, that's sure,
when you we're In the Hussars. eh -
Yes, | was In the Hussars-in the
Hussarsi | tell you with our sahres
a-Eleaming, our horses bits a.Iingling.
our pennous a-fiying. aud all the color
OF our uniform tell you. the girls
used 10 open their eyes at us. Aud we
went into the charge like that--yes.
sir. just that gay and grand Colonel
Galland leading,"
Military history said that II had
been rather foolish charge. a fine
example of the valnglory OF unreason-
ing bravery that accomplishes nothing,
but no one would suggest such skepti.
cism OF an immortal event in popular
Imagination in hearing OF tb' Old man
as he lived over that mtox lcated rush
OF horses and men into battery OF
the Grays
Well. didn't you find what | said
was true about the lowlauders?' asked
grandfather after he had finished the
charge referring TO the people of the
southern frontier Of the Browns, where
the SD had just been sarrisoned.
No. ! kind OF liked them made a
lot of friends" admitted Tom They're
very progressive"
H,h, ELI You're joking To like
/ the people of the southern frontier was
only less conceivable than liking the
people OF the Grays. That's because
+ you didn't see deep under them,
+ They're all on the outside-a Eighty
lot! Why, il they'd done their part
IN that last war we'd have licked the
Grays until they cried for mercy! II
their army corps had stood its ground
at Volmer--"
$50 you've always said" interrupted
J Tom
And the way they cook tripel !
couldn't stomach II. could your And
II there's anything am partial to it's
a good dish OF tripel And their light
! beer-like drinking frothl And their