Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-01
A HERO.

The young soldier having SAID rare
well to the fearful group in the doorway
| of his fathers house walked with firm
and elastic tread TO the station where he
was TO take the southward-bound train
and speed to the battlefield.
And he, you will naturally infer, is
our hero; but lest there should be any
mistake upon this point, hasten to in
form you that though he was and is q
hero, he is not the hero of This tale.
| That Is our hero trotting along by his
side--only dog, but with as faithful a
heart in his bosom as any soldier who
enlisted at his country's call; while, for
singleness of purpose, the dog might
take precedence of all. For him there
was no thought of fame, adventure or
compensation: his one motive was devo-
| ton to his master.
do not know to what breed he be-
| longed, nor does il matter On his own
merits let him stand or fall, and not on
those of his ancestors. In size he was
medium that is, he would have been
small for Newfoundland, and large for
| poodle His skin was variegated, or,
| as / should say, were describing piece
of calico or mousseline de Ldine, it had a
white ground with polka spots. His face
bore the imprint of honesty and good
nature, and his eye looked into yours
with dauntlessness which gave assur.
ance that he had never been caught rob-
bling your larder or worrying your cat.
The young mans name was Karl Beck;
| the name of the dog was Trump. AS
| Kari stepped on board the cars he was
| greeted by half a dozen young men of
his own age, all in the army blue, and
all as merry and smiling as if they were
about 10 set out on Fourth of July ex-
cursion, instead of going forth to hard
ship, danger, and perhaps death.
"Hollo, new recruit" cried one,
gayly, with mock military salute to
Trump.
"You ought to have shut him up!" said
another. 81 don't believe you can send
| him back"
He isn't going back" said Karl,
| quietly.
What! you're not going to take him
with your"
"Just that" said Karl.
"Do you expect Uncle Sam will find
him rationss"
"He can share mine, and forage for
the rest" said Karl
Suppose we adopt him as child of the
| regiment?"
agreed" chimed in all; and Trump's
| position being thus satisfactorily settled
it was never afterward questioned. In
| deed, during the three months of camp
| life which followed, he helped to beguile
many tedious hour for the young vol
unteers, and Jared sumptuously every
day, with very little expense to the Gov
| eminent.
He made no intimacies with the strange
dogs who lowered about the outskirts of
the camp, nor did he drive them away
SO long as they kept to their own limits;
! but If one ventured to put his head in
side the barracks he forced him to a
basty and ignOminious retreat. And
| this was the rule he adopted with all
tramps and hangers-on whatever.
AT first the Captain of Karls company
objected TO Trump's appearance at drill,
| and ordered him confined in his quarters
on pain of death, but accidentally dis
covering one day that he could go
through all the exercises quite as well as
| his young master could he counter
manded the cruel order, and henceforth
Trump marched forth at the beat of
drum with all the steadiness and sobrety
of veteran soldier.
| But the time came when the idle mo-
uctOuy VI Cdulp iIIC vas W DC CAIhdhbCu
| for actual combat. The summons had
come-"To the front p
The last thing Karl did before he
marched away was to commit Trump to
| the care of farmer who lived near the
| barracks.
BE kind to him. / shall pay for him
| when I come back; or, il never come, J
think father will send for him." And
| Karl turned quickly away, lest the man
should see the tear In his eye and mis-
| take the cause.
1t was the night after the battle.
Faint and wounded, with only the dead
| around him, Karl lay upon the ground,
his life-blood ebbing slowly away. Just
so he had been lying since four o'clock
| in the afternoon, when he fell unnoticed,
like a single leaf that falls in the forest
in autumn.
Then he was in the midst of the din of
battle, but it had gradually retreated,
and now he heard no sound but the sigh
ing of the wind and the cry of the night
birc.
They're all asleep at home, little
dreaming where I am" so his thoughts
ran; they'll read 1t all tomorrow
Karl Beck, missing No, not that.
hope somebody will find me, and let
them know died honorably.
"Harkl a footstep! Can 1t be that
help is coming, or is it some poor fellow,
wounded like myself, trying to crawl
away from this dreadful placer
"Comrade, are you there?"
His voice was weak and faltering, but
1t elected a most unexpected response
1t was the bark of a dog, and it sent a
thrill through Karl's frame.
"Trump! Trump he called, anxiously
raising himself on his elbow, but falling
back exhausted with the effort.
| Again that short, familiar bark, and
the faithful Trump came bounding over
wreck and carnage to his masters side.
After few moments spent in mutual
caresses Trump bounded away as quick
ly as lie had come, leaving his master
more desolate than before.
"Oh, TRIUMPH Trump! have. you LEFT
, me to die alone?" he murmured.
No, Trump has done nothing OF thu
kind, as was evident when he returned
, shortly, accompanied by several mem
beers of the Sanitary Commission, who
, were doing their good works in anothe
4 II -.