The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1873-09-25
IDAHO WORLD.
i, IRON the st. Louis Democrat
rlfE BlffERED VETERAN.

veteran in blue appeared at her door
and meekly asked for cup of cold wa
t&E; s'PooE sol6efF know in reason
&at yop srs tired and thirty, and thai
you will Be powerful glad to get a
drink of water, not to speak OF little
suthin to mix with it."
"Thank you, mum; but l belong tc
Daughters of Temperance, and cant
drink. unless it is little in the way OF
medicine, and do fell little weak, as
I have marched more than forty miles
to-day!"
: rForty milel The laws have massey!
How could you doit! Why, it would
kill any mule"
ut is, very hard; but, we get used to
it. wouldn't have minded it, if | had
anything to eat"
"Sakes alive! Do come in and sit
down. Pore seldier!"
The good lady brought out q black
bottle, from which the battered veteran
polredsa teaspsonfal into glass Of
water, and took q vigorous pull at the
bottle when her back was turned. Then
she placed before him a substantial
.s61Rer 81 ham and eggs and. corn bread
and coffee, upon which he advanced in
gallant style.
"Ands you are mighty young to be
soldierin," said she, looking at him be-
nignantly over. her spectacles.
"Yes, num-; I am the only son of
my widowed mother; but my country
calls me, and my duty to my country is
only second TO my duty to my Creator"
"Sho! Why, you talk as peert as a
minister" ,-~v.r .su-ss.#
.4sT was studying for the ministry
when the war broke out"
"Ihad notion that the soldiers were
all so wicked; but l am glad to find
out that they amt. You have seen a
power of fightin, l reckon?"
"a great deal, mum. 1t is hard for
a Christian to take life; but the enc
mics of our country must be punished
"Jess so. Have yod ever been
lwounded?" ~ -'I.11lts
: every often. was onceshot through
the heart" los .sr
Through the heart! Lawful sakes!
Didn't it kill your"
il" Notasite, The intercostal muscle
was penetrated longitudinally and ex-
travasatated With .yaricosc veins; but
the bullet ranged across the left lobe
of the arachold artery, producing a COM
minuted fracture of the anterior pro-
cess of the cerebellum, and causing
lieson of the spinal vicera and the hypo-
phosphates of the fibula, and that de-
hyed my recovering" !-ftr 4.
fsfYon don't mean to say that you
lived ali through that!'' lax
II was spared, mum, to be an hum
BILE monument of the mercy of Provi-
dence."
sosSShoald thinkJso.4. What was that
noise? 1t sounded like some person
down the cellar"
Nothing but rats. Don't be alarmed,
madam, l am here to protect you l
once defended the house of a widow
when it was attacked by q dozen guer
rillas. Twas obliged to XIII seven of
them, and the rest ran away"
"Do tell! Should think you ought
to be an officer"
THE President has tried to persuade
ne to accept scommission as. General,
but have believed that can serve
my country better in my present sphere.
Thank you, l don't care if l do take a
spoonful Of that Unjust be going now,
with. many thanks for your kindness.
It is nearly time for our evening prayer
meeting, and / must be there to open
it. Have you such thing as pocket
bible to spare? Mine was destroyed
in the last battle, by being struck by
aAnpetia 81 1T pGkee1a It was TIE
last gift Of my beloved mother, and it
saved my life.' '.s, .s
~ lawful sakesl Which pocket"
a''"The behind pocket, num-" Gods
What q blessed thing it is to have
a bible! There is one that belonged to
my Matilda Jane; but know that you
win make good use of it. ! willremem-
Der you in my prayers. pore soldierp
As the last rays fof the setting sun
lighted Up the fade Of the battered vet
eran, they shone, upon two big tears,
thatyslowly trickled down either cheek,
making miniature canals through the
dust that coated his epidermis. He
q ~