Show a I 1 THIC caption i IM HE village street was long and dusty the rioting tangled gardens which lined i it mingling their odorous sweetness with its hot el earthy smell emell most of the gardens were separated from the street by fences ot of broken palings halings pa lings their gaping holes forming convenient short uta for small boys dogs doga and chickens and at night cats halt half way up the street nestling in a green and pink and red tangled gar den stood a modest white cottage whose fence halings palings were white and ua unbroken broken there were no small boys boya in that cottage and the dog had long since lost hla his energy to burrow under fences an old man stood patiently before the window while a young homely vigorous woman buttoned him into the splash of 0 blue the ancient coat of oc a veteran his hie empty left sleeve was pinned to his side aide and the buttons threw back the sun bravely ills scanty white locks shone again under the careful brushing ills trousers still exhaled the odor of cedar and moth balls his boots were imi im inac maculate all the year he meekly bore the vigorous scold ings ot of his bis daughter but on en this day he be was supreme nothing mattered then it was his day veteran a day and not once in more than 60 50 years had he missed it of late years and particularly since his only boy had gone it had bad been necessary to start a trifle earlier it was waa not far to his bis captalia capt alaa house tut but somehow it seemed to grow farther each year and his whole life would be in ml mlarry ory it if he be should be tardy on hsuch such a aday day he s 66 litto elf walking up valie the long shaded drive dri to his bis captains house previously it had been one of f his bis rellow fellow veterans his captains old orderly who admitted him now it was a younger roan man a soldier yet but not of the old never mind it was soon forgotten iu the joy of other things to come lie ile could see himself walking down the armor lined hall ball to the big dim room chuckling happily as he found lis bla way unaided a familiar welcome brother although lie he only came once onca a year yea r hut but in 60 50 years a man teams learns then ho he would knock and enter shifting his stick under the stump of his left arm as he saluted over in the corner would stand the old colors faded and riddled with holes the flag he had bad carried so bravely ills ilia captain would be sitting at two the end of the table his white beard rippling with the smile of welcome as he returned t lie 40 salute then the tha others would salute although now that was waa over the old brigade was gathered on an the other side but they line up tor for complete ins inspection ec until the captain reached there too ills his heart contracted suddenly what would he do it his bis captain went before him it would be very lonely until the day of reunion but hs he think such things on such a day besides his eyes seemed to water of lato late years it must be the dust ile he would return to his pleasant thoughts ot of the great day after hla his captain had bad saluted he would wave him to a chair and then a mon wondrous drous meal would begin over the food they would live again in joyous remembrance of the great day they auald live over again as they had bad numberless times the great morning when half their gallant band had gone down before that resistless charge while the other half fought in grim despair ira he could see again the thousand gleaming lances and the yelling galloping enemy tho the main body had coved on across the river ills captains company had bad been moving at tho the double to catch up when they had bad been cut off the captain hla his captain what a gallant figure he had made as he be stood upon the dead body of hla his horse and rallied his men around him what a shrieking pandemonium dem demon lum of cracking musket shots struggling horses and wounded men meal how bravely had bad the little band re pulsed the swirling horsemen hor semer paying tor for it with the blood of their comrades 1 how the colors had bad fallen from his hand band as a horseman rode at lim him and severed hla his arnit ile he too was going to join his fallen comrades when the captain his captain had bad rushed out and dragged him to safety oh the glory of the day lost nothing t la tb their belr CO 60 years of repetition what mattered it it if their voices were weak and jerky with the years tha thal ot of them had bad to drink the toast in the mildest mixture spirits cause dle discomfort comfort to creaky bones betimes me times when ono one Is old the old man smiled happily ne he w arf I 1 blin himself self well ilia hla slits reached their conclusion as he be reach ed his captains gate and that was wai as it should be again he braced his bla shoulders as he be thumped his stick on the grou ground nd and walked with a brave show up the flow ered walk tho the sun was waa a bit warm and the walk had made it a bit difficult to keep his shoulders up lip straight but they must bo be straight when he be entered his bis captains presence and gave gantt the salute oh yes nothing must mar that I 1 down the hall he stumped until he reached the tha door of the roone where his captain sat lie ile paused a moment re velling in the joyous antic leation ot of that supreme moment hin salute ghis wrinkled face tato into the expression which a soldier should have before his bis captain he be turned the handlo handle and slowly entered yes there was the tha big table its lt gleaming silver and white looking pleasantly cool in the darkened room yes yea and there sat the captain his bla captain at oneena one end ile he looked stern as a captain should and there on hit hie captains right was one place bet his he came to attention his heels together the old battered stick was thrust under his bis empty left bice re his shoulders straightened and his hill hand came to tho the salute oh that moment but what was tins this ills captain had never been slow to return that salute before and that neatly trimmed white beard had bad never in fifty years tailed failed to alp pla with a welcoming smile but that was no excuse for coming from attention ile ho must hold hla his position until his bis captain returned his salute Ifor horrors suppose he was late and his captain wat wae angrys T but imps sible r he permitted hla his eyes to rest for a moment on the dear old riddled colors colon which stood in the corner where they had been each time since the first re union it was a little difficult to see eee distinctly the sun had been and the room was dim ilia arm wai growing painful in its ita position why his captain acknowledge hit presence perhaps he be had dozed perhaps the heat had bad affected him no ai I 1 7 91 N I 1 I 1 I 1 ell jill but what was this well he would walk nearer then perhaps his bla captain would see him ile iio stepped a pace forward htiu no sign another pace and yot yet no sign I 1 then a great fear filled hla his heart and he took several paces forward why was his captain looking so fixed ly ahead why whir was waa he so still my godl was anything wrong two more dragging paces brought hira him close to his bis captain still at the salute he looked with trembling lips at the rigid uniformed figure sitting in the chair then he knew the great truth the captain bla captain was even now at the hrad head of the old brigade on the other side only be was left behind only he and the colors alij oh but he must not allow himself to saner buffe yet the colors roust must be laid over his captain he dropped his stiff arm and stumbled blindly to the corner and took in bla trembling hand band the faded flag blindly he be cpr spread ad the beloved colors colora over 1211 1 captain and sinking to hla his imenes once more came to the salute isolate n even ver as his hand band reached up amye bra re ly he be fell gently forward against the flag and still at the solute salute followed hla his captain to the other side not too late for the first complete reunion ol of the old brigade since that reat day over fifty years yeara ago they the found folind them there an hour latey later the t with his hand at the tha sat Bulat titi rt and tits bis captain sida bar by side they burled buried them the tha old ok tattered littered colors going wit win t then they would need baTa for roll cau i |