Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-05-08
AFTER
MANY
DAYS
By ROBERT C. BIcKNELL
20 by Short Story Pub, Coz

Il oI HIteen truuSed ueSpOnuently.
A light rifle of the muzzle-lOad-
Ing type was across his shoulder,
string Of squirrels trailed behind.
Reaching the fence by the roadside,
he climbed upon the topmost rail and,
on this precarious perch, proceeded to
charge his piece anew. A thimbleful
Of black powder first, the last charge
Of half-pound that had cost three
dollars in Confederate money at the
country store. While this was high
price, no doubt, yet it was not SO high
as 1t seems-for the value Of Confeder-
ate money was problematical in the
fall of "a. Next, small flattened
bullet, the last in the pouch. Lead had
long since become unobtainable. Then
the pewter spoons in the kitchen had
gone to shoot squirrels and snipe, and
this was the last of q broken silver
spoon which he had surreptitiously
obtained and melted with much diff
Guilty in an old iron ladle, and cast in
the molds that looked so much like
pair of old-fashioned candle snuffers.
Indeed, the last one had not melted
completely and was scant In measure,
so that on the side from which the neck
should have projected was hattened
surface on which could be plainly seen
a little laureled crown, the hallmark
of the maker. The placing of a per-
cussion cap upon the nipple completed
the process of reloading, and for a
time he sat- his rifle across his knees,
looking down the dusty country road
There presently emerged from the
woodland, half a mile away, most
unusual spectacle. A dozen horses
showed first their enveloping cloud Of
dust, and following, came long lines
Of marching men, In dust-covered blue
uniforms. Although he had never seen
Yankee soldier before In his life, the
boy knew, at once, that this was q part
Of the great Union army Of which he
had lately heard SO much. With in
stinctive caution he drew himself into
the overhanging branches Of tree and
watched with eager eyes the approach
ing procession. First passed the mount
ed officers then long lines Of foot sol
diers, followed by several field pieces
and a number of numbering ammunl-
ton wagons-all raising such a cloud
Of dust that he was well nigh stified
on his perch In the tree.
When all had gone and he was con-
Guiding that he might safely descend,
two men In nondescript garb-camp-
followers evldently-came slouching
along and paused in the shade Of the
very tree In which the boy was hiding.
ut was about here somewhere" one
Of the men was saying, "a farmhouse
near the road, likely looking bay colt
grazing in the lot and pretty woman
on the porch" and he looked meaning
ly at the other and laughed-a harsh.
sneering laugh.
The boy grasped the little rife tight
ly and bis face flushed hotly What
right had these rough men to mention
thus his mother-his modest, dainty
mother? For his home was the only
house near the road for miles, and
his own bay colt was loose in the lot
by the house. while his mother habit
ually sat In the mornings on the wide
porch fronting the road
without having said more, the men
moved on, but the boy had heard
enough. AS soon as the men were
out of sight he dropped down and hur
rled, by a way he well knew, which
would bring him to the back Of the
house.
He had need to hurry, for the
men were already at the house when
he came up.
One had skilfully caught the horse
and was in the act Of fastening a sad
die on his back, while the other, the
spokesman under the tree, was bow
ing low in mock courtesy before the
boys mother, who stood In the door
way, pale and frightened, but reso
lutely barring the way to the ruff
fan who was seeking to enter the
house.
with your kind permission" he |
was saying, 1--WE will dine with you |
today. Then we will take a look at
the silver, and surely so fair lady"
he broke off, to take a leering look
into her face, STOPPING slightly, which
proceeding the lady so resented that
she gave him a slap fair on his cheek
and turned him half round.
At this instant the boy vaulted the
fence and cried Mother" raising his
rifle as he lighted on his feet. The
man, seeing this, ran, and, with one
bound, landed astrlde the astonlshed
horse behind his cOmrade, who was
already mounted In the saddle The
horse was moving brlskly by this time,
and the two were almost around the
corner Of little wood when the boy
reached the front Of the house. With
out Alestatlng, however, he took aim
at the man behind and fred. AS the
horse turned the corner the boy saw
the two men leaning far Over-the
one in front supporting his companion.
Turning, he was just in time to catch
his mother, who fell, fainting, in his
arms. When she regalned conscious
ness, few moments afterward, the
boy was sobblng violently.
81 am all right now" she said, pat
Ting his cheek as he bent over her.
But II isn't only that" he said be-
iween sobs, 81 am afraid I killed the
man." So much did he dread the con-
irmatlon Of his fear that he carefully
wooded going near the corner Of the
good around which the men had dis.
appeared
The next dny the, went AWAY to the