Teddy's Button

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t, through all his boyish mirth, the loss of his button was never forgotten. Dai

erhaps I shall find it in my stocking on Christmas morning,

with keen interest the roasting of an apple suspended from a string in front of the f

t the youngster come up wit

ther alarmed at this summons, and wond

ear, which had the effect of completely reassuring her, and bringing a pleased smile about her lips. Teddy was delighted to

stiff. You're always like the soldiers when they stand at Attention. Don't

like,' responded the young ma

cer to be a soldier? Wou

ething shocking, and t

sion began to get somewhat heated, when th

ed Teddy, as looking into the large, brightly li

ur feet, and tak

and the colonel himself came out into the hall to meet

bright, cheery room, where a group of ladies and gentlemen

orward and gave hi

oolroom to the regiment passing through in the summer, and we weren't surprised to hear of his narrow escape from death from trying to regain

clenched hands he said boldly, 'Do you think I could ever forget my father's button, sir?

bottom of the r

Him every day to send it back to me. I'm quite su

s exchang

on," certainly,' said the col

he fire, and putting his hand into his pocket he dr

l me if you recog

then a gasp, and a cry o

n, my own but

n his arms. He lay there so still for a moment that Mrs. Graham bent forward to touch him, fearing that the excitement might be too much for him, but he was only trying to

ribbon attached, making it look as much like a medal as possib

discovered your button inside it-I wonder the fish had not come to an untimely end before from such an indigestible meal! She told us of it, not recognising what a valua

nd it!' he said, fingering his adornment proudly. 'It

l turned to one

youngster? Would you like to take him

y from head to foot, the

oy with a face like

' asked M

fore he was discharged. He came to us an angel, and departed a finished young blackguard. He drank, stole, and lied to any extent, and was as well versed in vicious sins as any old toper in the regiment. When I see a fresh dr

re giving us a shocking

' said o

ce is no place for highly strung boys like this one. The rougher, harder natures get on best. When t

rummer boys are well looked after now. They have a room

what kind of a man he grows into after having spent most of his early youth in the S

ation, but he gathered from the major

too small to be a

d about your size,' he said; 'you'll grow

ddy earnestly; 'I'd rather wait and be

to it, little chap, and yo

onel, laughing; 'meanwhile, I suppose you try your hand on

his sunny blue eyes. 'I don't fight with an

e?' asked M

o God's army. He takes very little soldiers. I've been enlisted for

ute, then Major Tracy said with a laugh, 'What an

as he could go. Snow was falling, but he heeded it not, and burst i

epared for the handsome adornment now on her boy's coat, and his grandmot

sgiving that night touc

hout my button, and You knew how unhappy my heart was about it, though I tried to be brave, and

reasure. She was quite as delighted as he was, but said, a few minutes after, 'Button-boy, do y

as I began to pray about it I knew it

button again; but if you were to die before me, I wonder if

'but I don't mind altering my mind about it, and if you prom

u I wouldn't love you till you gave it to me,

ldiers and sailors are just as goo

ldiers are quite even, and my father

y refrained from making any objection to the assertio

I get the button, I sha

to fight and carry on with, and now I've got one, and have Ipse to fight with, I'm getting rather tired of him. Is that wicked? I asked Mr. Upton to-day if I couldn't ever get r

et tired of fighting,

to hel

it will be much easier, won't it? Mother, do you

eed I hav

ten, are you? You nev

smiling; 'but I have lots of difficulties and temptations that you know

n I get to heaven I shan't hav

e will be no fight

think I've been nearly as brave as fa

better than he that taketh a city." Mother would rather have her little

and now, mother, just before I go to

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