The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1919-12-18
"Agin the CuUment''
BY c. M. MORRISON.

| states back about the time OF the
panic Of 1873. lie got the idea that
the old u. s. A. had cold-decked him
somehow OF other, so he sort of be-
gan to live by himself over on his old
place. that was mostly grown up with
briars and unpruned apple trees.
He had fought in an Illinois regi.
ment in the Civil War. But for 40
years he had been pointed out as a
sort of neighborhood curiosity. "the
man who wouldn't apply for q
pension." He would froth at the mouth
every time he saw tax collector.
and II grew to be one battle to get
dime out of him for the uses and
purposes OF the state"
He stood of every driver" that
came along during the late unpleas-
antness, and they finally let him alone.
He stayed holed up right along. He
actually didn't know when the war
began or when II ended. He used 10
come out of that tangle of an old place
that he called home and go back in
without saying a dozen words to any.
body and what he did say was mostly
grunts.
Nobody knows how he first learned
that one of his sisters boys had been
over there and had come back with a
medal or two. one from the war de
partment of the United States and
another one that tho French general
pinned on him one frosty morning over
in the Meuse-Argonne sector. where SO
many Americans lost their lives.
And nobody knows when old Billy
Gilligan got hold OF that lad and cur
ried him of to the old rattletrap of a
house back Of the apple trees and the
brush and sat there all night by the
old fireplace learning that there had
been about the biggest war that the
stars ever looked down on.
II was long about Christmas when
old Billy rounded up the lad. seeming
ly. He kept him up there for a day
or so. just naturally soaking in every
thing that the boy told him II must
have been an awful jolt TO get the full
story and the full horror and the un-
Outstanding Of all those anxious days
that the rest OF the world had been
trying to stand up-under a day at
time for the full four years.
II is fair guess that the danger that
the one lad had gone through. the
horror Of the U-boats, the landing in a
strange country. the desperate pushes
against desperate and a strange en-
envy who fought with fire and poison.
must have stirred the old man out Of
his calloused shell that the years had
built around him.
Seemingly 1t stirred something In
his old heart and brain that had been
slowly dying since the days Of 1865.
He had been a man without country
all these years. And while he had been
up there the nation. the same nation
for which he had fought full half
century ago. had been going ahead and
growing and extending its power and |
its principles.
He must have done a lot OF mighty |
solemnly serious thinking for a day |
or so. The boy had gone back to his |
mothers home and old Billy had been |
left alone to sit before the ancient |
fireplace and mediate on what had |
come to pass.
His thinking took a strange turn. |
II happened to be Christmas Eve when
he came into town. That was not q
habit of his. II is doubtful IL the old.
est inhabitant recalled seeing old Billy |
on the streets at that particular time.
He came like a man in a hurry and
with his mind made up. and came up |
to the post office steps. There was
a big crowd there. and he hesitated
a minute and crossed over to the bank.
Have you got any blanks for me to
take out Liberty Bonds!" he said when
he had reached the window The as
sistant cashier rubbed his eyes and
stared. why no. Mr. Gilligan." he
"the loans are all over
q long time ago. Didn't you know
that?"
Moo" faltered the old man at the
81 didn't. You see-well.
have been a fool I didn't understand
about this war and wouldn't let any
body tell me- Now. II IL amt too late
want your help. You see, heard a
lot OF things recently.
That boy, George. he is back pnd he
has been telling me about this whole
fling | simply didn't know. that was
all. And now the old government has
made man and soldier and better
American than | am out Of him. And
il put a medal on him. medal that
he deserves.
Il tell you. sir. that It is a square
government and the best that there
Is on this earth. II came in and IL
stopped the Kaiser. and now men can
go on living and having a chance at
happiness. fought against slavery
that boy and other boys have been
lighting against the same thing. The
government hadn't changed. II was
me. And now. SIR, isn't there some
hing where few dollars will help"
The cashier thought a minute and
brought from the safe an engraved
slip of paper. "Ill tell you" said he.
Here Is Treasury Savings Certih-
cate. The government will sell you
his for about 5000 and II will be
worth $1,000 one OF these days. Do
Iou want that much?"