Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1918-07-18
Fit As a
Fiddle
By GEORGE ELMER COBB
Copyright. 1918. western Newspaper Union

Ready to go-and able?" questioned
Isaac Downing.
Eft as fiddle, yes !" answered Silas
Green with vim, and drawing himself
up straight as a poker.
cat midnight. That's the program"
Good 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"
thrust me-" Wanted old Silas.
''Don't forget the drum"
"Oh, 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 on his pension and interest from
an investment left him by brother.
Siias lived with his son-in-law. He
had once a home of his own, had Dor
rowed two thousand dollars on it, had
paid it off, had given the receipt for
the money to his wife and had thought
no more about it. Before Silas had
got the notes and release from him,
the mortgage died, and soon thereaf-
ter the wife of Silas. The mortgages
lawyer found the uncanceled notes and
demanded payment. Silas searched
for his receipt, could not find it, 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
we 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.
'I'll wager down at Prescott where
the cantonment is, they'd find some
odd war corner to fit us into"
And out of the thought came 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
the family slept serenely, the two old
fellows were silently trudging down
the road leading to Prescott.
They had one man in mind-ColOnel
Davenal It 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 un-
der your father in the Civil war;" he
stated.
Never was there such welcome re-
ception as that with which the colonel
received his honored guests. He in
vited them to dinner, he showed them
all over the camp, he started them
back home, pleased and satisfied.
Gentlemen" he told them on part
ing, you want to do your bit, and you
can do it best at home. I am going
to obtain for you regular commits
sion to do duty in the line of encourag
ing enlistment. 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 encourage many
a wavering young man 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 that they were
quite in military service again.
It was in the parades that were to
NC q ANALoA = VI CA1C Campaign LA0t IAO
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 it open.
"Here we are" he announced, taking
out the furnished thing of brass and
ivory-headed valves. "You get the mu-
sic ready while I shine her up.
Wough! there's dust for your
he blew through the mouthpiece and
a cloud of dust from the bell end Of
the instrument and yellow, cob
webbed paper came out.