Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-06-28
Eft As a
Fiddle"
By GEORGE ELMER COBB
Copyright. 1918. Western Newspaper unlon.N


Isaac Downing.
Eft as a fiddle, yes" answered Silas
Green with vim, and drawing himself
up straight as a poker.
"At midnight. That's the program"
"Goodl Secret as the grave, you know.
NUNS the word" and Silas pressed
a significant finger to his lips, while
Isaac looked mysteriously tragic and
impressive. Then the latter winked
significantly and Silas blinked with a
knowing air and the remark: "Now.
don't oversleep yourself, Isaac"
mot Likely" was the prompt %retort,
'as I'm now too stirred up to sleep at
all. Be sure to be at the rendezvous
at midnight, sharp"
"Trust me-" yaunted old Silas.
Don't forget the drum"
ooh, I planted that In an old hay
stack before daylight this morning.
And how about the horn, Silas?"
up on a shelf In the woodshed.
Dunno, but it may take me a few days
to get the run of the horn"
The two old men parted. Isaac lived
with an old maid cousin In an humble
way OF his pension and interest from
an investment left him by a brother.
Silas lived with-his son-in-law. He
had once a home of his own, had bor-
rowed two thousand dollars on 1t, had
paiu 1t off, had given the receipt for
the money TO his wife and had thought
no more about 1t. Before Silas had
got the notes and a release from him,
the mortgage died, and soo thereaf-
ter the wife of Silas. The mortgagee's
lawyer found the uncanceled notes and
demanded payment. .Silas searched
for his receipt, could not find 1t, and
lost his home.
And now, a month after the entrance
of their country into the European
war, Isaac and Silas, veterans of the
sixties, had their patriotic fervor
aroused to fever heat.
'It's true, we're old and crippled, but
W want to fight again !" was their ar
dent sentiment, and they mourned that
the army could find no use for men
over seventy.
There must be some place for will
ing patriots like u.s." insisted Isaac.
"Tll wager down at Prescott, where
the cantonment is. they'd find some
odd wal corner to fit us into"
And out of the thought came a grand
scheme that the veterans were about
to put into execution. Plainly, they
decided to run away from home. Like
two truant boys they discussed their
wonderful plan. While the cousin of
Isaac and the daughter of Silas and
4 - afamily slept serenely, the wv old
fellows were S7fehffv rrudgfig w
the road leading TO Prescott.
They had one man In mind-Colonel
Davenal. 1t was at his office at head
quarters that they applied about noon
the next day. The adjutant who ques-
toned them as to their mission smiled
quietly as they proffered their request.
He reported to his superior officer.
Both of them say they fought I'M
der your father In the Civil war;" he
stated.
Never was there such a welcome re-
ception as that with which the colonel
received his honorel guests. He in
vited them to dinneE he showed them
all over the camp. he started them
back home, pleased and satisfied.
Gentlemen" he told them on part
ing, "youwant to do your bit, and you
can do it best at home. 1 am going
to obtain fer you a regular commits
sion to do duty in the line of
ing enlistment. l want you to get up
a home guard company at Acton. With
your noble example, and drum and
horn, and mass meetings, you sure will
shame. slackers and many
a waverlng young mar to enlist"
He sent them home in his own auto
mobile. The story got about, and two
evenings later twenty of the older men
of the town inaugurated the home
guard movement. Isaac and Silas, as
"chiefs," began to feel hat they were
quite in military service again.
1t was In the parades that were to
be a feature of the campaign that the
two veterans expected to shine. So
far, Silas had not had opportunity or
occasion to display his skill on the cor
net.
I'm coming over to your house to-
morrow afternoon TO practice" OBJ
served Isaac.
"TH be ready for you." promised
Silas, and Mrs. Duane, daughter and
her two children were In the garden
when Isaac arrived with his drum.
Silas had produced the time-worn case
containing the cornet. 1t had been
shut so long that he had to ~disarrange
the lock to get 1t open.
"Here we are" he announced, taking
out the furnished thing Of brass and
ivory-headed valves. "You get the mu-
sic ready while 1 shine her up.
Woughl there's dust for you'll"
He blew through the mouthpiece and
a cloud of dust from the bell end Of
the instrument and a yellow, cob
WQhhod manor pamp 0ut