Winning His Way

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts CONTENTS PAGE I. FIRST YEARS 1 II. HARD TIMES 27 III. MERRY TIMES 42 IV. MUSIC AND PAINTING 63 V. THE NIGHT-HAWKS 82 VI. PAUL'S FRIENDS 91 VII. IN A TRAP 103 VIII. KEEPING SCHOOL 116 IX. RALLYING ROUND THE FLAG 126 X. A SOLDIER 144 XI. SCOUTING 156 XII. MISSED FROM HOME 170 XIII. THE MARCH 175 XIV. THE BATTLE 180 XV. SHOWING WHAT HE WAS MADE OF 190 XVI. HONOR TO THE BRAVE 200 XVII. CHICKAMAUGA 207 XVIII. HOW HE LIVED IN THE MEMORY OF HIS FRIENDS 211 XIX. WHAT BECAME OF A TRAITOR 217 XX. DARK DAYS 224 XXI. CONSECRATION 233 XXII. UNDER THE OLD FLAG 241 XXIII. THE JAWS OF DEATH 248 XXIV. HOME 253 WINNING HIS WAY FIRST YEARS. Many years ago, before railroads were thought of, a company of Connecticut farmers, who had heard marvellous stories of the richness of the land in the West, sold their farms, packed up their goods, bade adieu to their friends, and with their families started for Ohio. After weeks of travel over dusty roads, they came to a beautiful valley, watered by a winding river. The hills around were fair and sunny. There were groves of oaks, and maples, and lindens. The air was fragrant with honeysuckle and jasmine. There was plenty of game. The swift-footed deer browsed the tender grass upon the hills. Squirrels chattered in the trees and the ringdoves cooed in the depths of the forest. The place was so fertile and fair, so pleasant and peaceful, that the emigrants made it their home, and called it New Hope. They built a mill upon the river. They laid out a wide, level street, and a public square, erected a school-house, and then a church. One of their number opened a store. Other settlers came, and, as the years passed by, the village rang with the shouts of children pouring from the school-house for a frolic upon the square. Glorious times they had beneath the oaks and maples. One of the jolliest of the boys was Paul Parker, only son of Widow Parker, who lived in a little old house, shaded by a great maple, on the outskirts of the village. Her husband died when Paul was in his cradle. Paul's grandfather was still living. The people called him "Old Pensioner Parker,"…