Show bixl ixl C alj 1 T WAS very hot that may afternoon caleb morris one of Dodge villes two remaining veterans of the civil war eat ant on the front porch of his home and mopped his bald forehead with a blue cotton handkerchief his wife come came to the screen door and brushed away some hies flies with her apron she was small hud and snowy haired and very energetic in speech and manner caleb she said dod just been over to say he be hears theres been another skirmish down at little bridge A man was shot by a meal mexican yes responded caleb removing the pipe from ills his lips 1 I thought maybe go down to the store and find out about it dod doa said they were going to raid us some night get good and if they try that barked caleb as he shuffled down to the gate 1 I dont know pepper am m 11 complained ann morris aishe as she returned to her ironing there aint a man afan in Dodge dodgeville ville smart enough io to put salt gait on tall much less pepper a mexican 1 humph 1 I 1 As soon eoon as he be gained the street calebs shuffle changed to a martial step which rang out upon the hard pavement in rhythmic movement people in the houses nodded and remarked to one another that caleb morris was going by they knew his step more than one added significantly next year perhaps we wont hear even that calebs eighty one caleb morris feel his eighty one years as aa he be made his way ao to the store the center of information and gossip he was wondering what would happen in Dodge dodgeville ville if the roving bands ands of mexicans should decide to cross the tha river boundary and invade the little town of course the men would fight but how suppose the raid took them unawares at night aho who vho would warn them how many precious lives might be lost before the citizens could rub their sleepy eyes etes grab their weapons and defend their wives and families and their property caleb poi pondered dered all these thinks things and he was deep in thought by the time he gained the porch poran of the store storo and sank into char chair A dozen voices greeted him warmly all were eager to tell him about the skirmish of the previous day when an V A feel his eighty one Y tam american had lost his life defending his home they called out the soldiers said a young lad importantly caleb smiled a wintry adlle what soldiers lio he asked sarcastically ti thero there was sli silence encel for Dodge dodgeville ville and her sister towns were far from the forts and theres likely to be a raid raid on any time said bald dod halpin 1 I move we form a guard and watch out so we can be warned in time said caleb in his cracked voice A broad smile went around the group you better call for volunteers caleb said dod good IT B reckon wed all rather get our sleep and then when the greasers come why well just turn and wipe lem cm off the earth yes Si slice I 1 no use laying awake watching for trouble yawned dawned another they might come lu in an airplane and drop a bomb whispered the lad ind fearfully they might but they wont laughed someone shortly there aint an ounce of red bl blood in this hull towal said caleb angrily as he left the store and turned toward home 1 I jest wish I 1 could have seen some of you fellers at the battle of gettysburg I 1 expect I 1 w have seen nothing but the tails of your coats and your boot heels 11 I 1 As he disappeared in the distance the men on the veranda shifted uneasily and then smiled furtively at one another 1 I mind doing sentry duty it if I 1 thought it would be any use said he shouldered a musket dod halpin but some folks are al ways getting seared scared stiff over these little sham battles down in mexico there aint no greaser coming into dodgeville Dodge ville to fire on the american flag flae bet your life there aint lawyer grinnel cleared his throat there aint any flag flying that I 1 can recollect he remarked he was Dodge villes other veteran dont tell me you think there aint any flags in Dodge dodgeville ville grunted dod be surprised I 1 sniffed the lawyer IMa maybe ype old caleb yon dera got one seems to me he flies files it on memorial day dont he 1 I guess so hes from the afie north north east south or or west memorial day stands for the same lilea idea put in john henry smith the storekeeper right a greed lawyer grin nel now what do you boys say about duty eh watching for greasers asked a dozen voices yes the voices laughed derisively just let us glimpse a greaser nil all they threatened the next morning Dodge dodgeville ville was agog with excitement it was told arom from one end of town to the other and circled madly among the loafers on the store veranda all night long old caleo morris dressed in his faded blue uniform with his gun over his shoulder had bad patrolled the streets of watching tor for the invaders Invader sl I 1 it was known that caleb was sleeping that day and even the careless small boys were particular noto not to make any noise no ise around the morris house that night there were two sen sentries trips patrolling the streets tiie the other was lawyer greimel in ills his butternut suit for lie he had bee n a drummer liny boy in the confederate co army over ills his shoulder was a musket as ancient as his suit eleand he and caleb morris lind had met and had shaken hands hand in the midnight darkness of tho the street they had agreed agree d upon a Pap password sword it was wag our country every time they met ind and passed gassed each other they saluted old calebs step was firm and unfaltering and his gaunt shoulders were held old peter grinnel was seventy live years old but lie he ans small and spry and ills his eye was wa as ar keen as that of a liall every night for a week the old sentries patro ailed the streets and r fel low citizens took to treating the mat ter as a joke 1 iguess I guess werd were the only united states soldiers in this town 11 retorted caleb s sharply I 1 1 I dont know why we need any more grumbled dod as he went away that very night there came a severe thunderstorm lightning LIgh ining flashed from sky to earth I 1 in n javelin strokes str the thunder roared like artillery timid dwoinen women heard the thun derand quaked believing that the mexicans had come at last the men folks laughed and turned over rind and went to sleep in caleb morris house ann morris and mrs grinnel clung together and peered from the window watching those two soldierly forms tramping back and forth in the rain suddenly in the miI the storms tumult carbe came a different sound A sharp cracking that was not the sound of lightning bolt or thunder ual I 1 shots in the night I 1 they meant mean but one on thing ething to dodge ville the mexicans and arrived under the cover of the storn storm away to the south a barn W was as blazing perhaps the lightning lind struck it aper perhaps the torch of war had tired fired it noone now ever kne knew W but the flame lighted up the streets and showed a hundred horsemen in a tangled web of barbed wire arranged by the watchful sentries the two old war weapons barked and cracked alternately from some safe shelter caleb morris and peter grinnel grannel were indeed peppering the tha mexicans I 1 occasionally caleb showed his form and peter dodged out so BO th that atthe the invaders might know they were tiring on uncle sams soldiers and the flag above calebs gate fluttered in the wind and rain while men jumped out of bed and blunde blundered ed into nto their clothing and sought their guns just as dawn broke the citizens of Dodge dodgeville ville met and formed a mass of perhaps BO 50 men they ran madly after the fleeing mexicans but the mexicans scarcely saw them all they saw gaw were two gaunt soldiers dressed in uniforms with guns gun at shoulder and behind them d mass of men probably hundreds thousands of the same uniformed soldiers I 1 t the mexicans gained the bridge crossed it burning it and vanished not to return their leader was roundly scored tor for leading them into a fortified town where they believed lived unsuspecting citizens the men of Dodge dodgeville ville halted and by common accord divided and drew up on either side of the road between them marched the towns sold soldiery lery caleb morris and peter grinnel covered with thud mud and grime they passed between the lines heads up eyes straight ahead proud conquering and as they passed cack cach citizen respectfully fully saluted the two heroes on the afternoon of that same event 4 V a horsemen in a tangled web of barbed wire ful fill day caleb norris and peter grinnel wore were asked to a company tor the protection of and contrary to every ones ones expectations caleb morris has not yet seen III his last memorial day 19 1818 IS wistern union |