News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-04
SOLDIERS WITHOUT PENSIONS.
A Couple of stories Brought Out by an
Army Reunion.

Just then there passed in group OF
returning Grand Army enthusiasts
smiling, hilarious blonde With an empty
sleeve. "He'l never get pension,
said my Missouri friend. che lost that
arm in pawpaw thicket, to which ne
had gone from the picket line against
orders. He swore he would have some
of the pawpaws if he had to bring on an
engagement, AID sneaking into the
thicket was shot by rebel sharp-shooters.
He fell on the outskirts, but waved his
cap to show Ms he was alive.
1.-THE reserve charged down on the
thicket to rescue him, and the rebels
charged down on them, and the racket
brought reinforcements from both
sides, and there was right then and
there one of the hottest little fights OF
the war. We got Sandy out but it was
a tough pull, and the Captain and the
Colonel and the General were ali swear
ing mad over the way the engagement
was brought on. Sandy hasn't pen
sion because he couldn't say he was
wounded in the line of duty"
"There is a queerer case than that
right here in town." said fellow who
was out with Corporal R. one day on
little scout, and we were a co pie of
hundred yards or so in advance If the
company when we spied some lovely
magnolias. They were near an orna-
mental fence built around rather pre-
tentious place, and Jack, Happy Jack
we called him, said he must have a
flower.
"He climbed first to the fence, then
into cluster of trees, and was reaching
for magnolia blossom when pop went a
revolver or rife and Jacks arm dropped.
He made no remark, but swinging him
self down by his left hand, said !: Some
sneak of a guard over rebel property
shot me. Let's go for him. We went
toward the house rapidly but quietly,
and found no guards were on duty. We
were further assured that there were no
men about the house, and that there was
no one there who could handle a rifle or
pistol, the shot could not have come
from there.
"But Jack assured me that he saw the
curl of smoke very close to certain
window, and when the company came
up we searched the house. We found
no signs of men or arms, and rather
defiant young lady was so horror stricken
over the event that we could no more
accuse her than the serene old lady in
the parlor or the comfortable. looking
colored woman in the kitchen. We left
the house, and I was instructed to take
Jack to camp. We had proceeded
quietly for half mile when Jack, who
had been in brown study, burst out
with Il wonder why that girl shot meT
"'What makes you think she shot
YOU p asked. For answer he drew out
Of his haversack a revolver, with one
chamber empty. L took that from a
harmless looking foot-rest in her room.
She will discover in due time that some
badly took the pistol, and I am curious
to know what she will do about it.
why didn't you expose her? p He made
no reply, but before we reached camp he
made me promise to keep his secret.
And I did"
"But why did she shoot him ?" asked
the Missourian.
'I don't know. He don't know. She
don't know. She has told Jack SO
probably a thousand times since that
day they first met But do know that
he cannot get pension on the empty
sleeve that came as result of the shot,
because he won't swear to the facts"