Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-04-03

character in others.
Butler must not talk much, If you
please, ColcneLa Mrs. U'Haliorah said,
as she left the room and sat down on the
lowest step Of the hall stair, for she
was trembling so that she could scarcely
stand.
After a few moments the colonel came
slowly out. He was surprised that But
Ter had not interceded for Tom, because
he knew the mans liking for the nurse,
who, as a special favor, had been al
lowed him. instead of the usual hospital
steward, and that he might reasonably
expect to be heard with patience at least
by his old master.
g You know what / would say.
Colonel" Mrs. o'Halloran began, rising
and clasping her wrinkled hands my
heart has been breaking to say it this
long day, but / could not leave Butler
'eDoes Butler know anything about
this affair2h
mo, sir. Sure I couldn't trouble
dying man, who has been a good friend
to Tom, and his father before him, this
many day"
II wish Tom had your sense of duty,
Mrs. O'Halloran 2 cried the colonel, with
a sudden dinness in his keen eyes, as he
thought OF the mothers agony of sus-
pense that she had concealed for the
good of her patient.
II knew that l could see yon when you
came to see Butler, as you always do,
colonel" she said, simply; and then,
while the slow tears of age crept
down her pale face, "Colonel, it
is good and kind you have been
to my poor boy many and many
time, and sorelv he has tried
your kindness But his heart is set on
going to this fighting, and if you turn
him out Of the regiment now, the regi-
ment that has been his home since he
was little lad, sure, sir, you win ruin
his life entirely, and he soyoung. He is a
brave boy, too, is my Tom, Colonel, and l
have feeling here" pressing trembling
hand against her heart that if you take
him with you, he will do something to
make you and his regiment proud of
him.
1t was weak logic. but the brave, pa
thetic old eyes, the passionate pleading
of the faltering voice, made it very elo-
quent, and though the colonel told him
self that he was fool, he knew that he
was yielding.
''Take him with you this oncel Give
him this one more chancer she implored.
''sure, Colonel, the God of the widow
will not let any harm come to you, be-
cause you heard the widows prayer"
Every well, Mrs O'Halloran, for your
sake Tom shall have another trial, but l
shall keep my eye on him and if he does
any harm, it shall only be to himself
cried the colonel, with a sense of apollo
giving to his conscience. s'The son of
such mother as you are ought to be bet
ter stuff than hopeless drunkards are
made of "
"God bless you, sir, for ever and everm
catching his hand and kissing it. ellis
mother knows Tom O'Halloran better
than himself does; and you will be glad
of this days mercy as long as you live,
Colonel" "
The sun had risen on such hopes and
such confidence, such light hearts and
such gay laughter. on well-ordered,
we'll appointed regiment that scorned its
foes and believed in its own invincible-
ness. The sun was sinking, at the June
days close, on couple of hundred ex-
hausted men huddled together within
rampant of saddles and dead horses on
the bare crown of steep hill, whose
base was surrounded by howling savages
who stretched in dusky hordes, it seemed
to the tired eyes that watched them, end
lessly through the valley beyond the lit
tie river. They had been surrounded and
slaughtered by overwhelming numbers,
and the remnant still alive were worn out
with fatigue, heat, hunger, discourage
ment, but most of all by thirst. The
\ steep sides of the hill were strewn with
4 bodies; for the Indians, with the reck-
lessness of triumph, had charged almost
up to the rifles several times, and none
Of that weary band could say but what
the next charge might be successful,
though each man vowed silently to him
self that his own weapon should prevent
his becoming prisoner if he survived
his comrades
They were not quite hopeless, however,
for they knew that within twentv-four
hours march of them were reinforce
ments of such extent that at their APP
proach the Indians would vanish, and
that if they could but maintain their
I position, by sunset tomorrow they
would be safe. But in the meantime,
though hunger and fatigue could be
endured, thirst was maddening, and
the wounded, who lay in the center
of the little circle, would not live until
morning without water, the surgeon
said. The colonel and two or three of
the surviving officers, who ID been hold
ing council Gf such could be called
anything so unanimous as the opinion
that they must defend themselves while
there was life left), looked hopeIessly at
each other when the surgeon made his