Our Odd-men 



the blow broke him down. He wept so 

 piteously that Sprightly was scared out of 

 his wits, and when he braced himself up 

 and strove to run homewards he turned 

 faint and sick. Then Sprightly, who 

 knew how sorely my parents and sister 

 needed him with them at such a time, took 

 the poor lad upon his big, strong back, 

 and so went, sometimes running, some- 

 times walking, until quite near home, when 

 they met the cart that was sent to fetch 

 them. 



That was a terrible time ; on every side 

 we heard stories of the resurrection men 

 and their ghastly work. But no thought 

 of this horror stole across the sacredness 

 of our sorrow. With tears and love, but 

 with no fear, we laid my brother to rest 

 In the churchyard. It was bitter cruel 

 weather, and the churchyard lies on the 

 side of a hill. 



When the burial service was over, 

 Sprightly came to Fred, and said : '' I say. 

 Master Fred, d'ye think the master 'ud 

 lend me a box-coat for to-night ? " 



"What for, Sprlght ? " he asked, think- 

 ing, perhaps, that one of the fellow's queer 

 pranks would be strangely out of place 

 just now. 



'* Well you see," he said, grinning in his 

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