The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-05-30


it riShted, whirled around, and the next in.
slant the girl pulled it to the shore. Leaping
to the bank she beached the boat half its
length, and then reaching to him said:
"Are you much hurtF
81 believe So" he answered, as, half crawl
ing, he worked his way out and fell upon the
ground. A second shot from the Same
quarter struck the ground within an inch Of
his body.
"The cowardly mscreant," she said,
throwing herself upon him. IF he kills
you, he must kill me-"
! Poor Bob gave a grateful look and weak
smile in return for this act Of devotion. At
that instant the clatter Of a horses hoofs
we're heard upon the pike. Corporal Bang
appeared. Taking in the situation at a
glance he dismounted, pushed the girl one
side, and picking up Ellersly as he would a
child, carried him round the bend of the
road, that made a shelter from further shots
Placing the Lieutenant timdly upon the
grass he asked:
"Are you hit bad, Lieutenantr'
bad enough, Corporal" he gasped, and
then added. water"
I Clara started hurriedly to the river. As
she approached the brink she took the beau.
tiful little leather sack Bob had SO often
eyed suspiciousy from her belt, opened it,
drew out Il package of papers, threw them
into the stream, and then STOPPING, filled the
sack with water. When she returned Bang
was cutting the blouse from the boys
shoulder, exhibiting wound not larger than
pea, from which the blood spurted like
fountain At the sight the girl nearly
tainted, but rallying, administered the
draught to his eager lips.
Again the girl hurried away. Throwing
off her riding dress she took her linen UNDER
skirt, tore it into strips, and, without wait
ing to put on her dress, handed them to Bang,
and then assisted him in binding up the
wound. She presented a strange sight to
the two men, in her short skirt for the collar
, and linen cover were displaced, and the
white column of neck and snowy precipce
of shoulder were exposed. She did not seem
to be aware Of her exposure, and started
blushing crimson. when Bang said:
"Now, miss, git on your toggery and sit
here while | so for an ambulance, Give him
sip of this times along" he continued
handing her his cantean that seemed full Of
commits ,ary whisky. Catching Chancellor
as the best horse of the three, he mounted,
without waiting to change saddles and rode
off at gallop.
The girl, once more in her riding habit
seated herself, and putting her arms about
the wounded man drew his head upon her
shoulder like a little mother all care and
tenderness The storm had passed, the sun
came out above the mountains, warm and
bright, and the hooking bird, in the cedars
near, poured out its flood of joyous melody.
The poor boys passion found utterance at
last, and, in words made eloquent by gasps
and pauses, he told his love. She listened in
silence, responding only in tighter grasps
and sobs she could not repress.
Her heart, in a strange agony Of grief,
was communing with itself She found in
this sad event revelation and revolution
in one How different was this declaration |
from the one she had courted and intended |
playing upon. And up through the new
found love in her heart came the cry, You
have murdered him"
A long silence followed, and Bob, feeling |
the hot tears falling on his brow, tried to
smother down the groans the fierce pain
wrung from him, and looked up with an ex
preston Of loving tenderness no words could |
express. She saw his increased paleness,
heard his shortened breathings, and clasplng |
him to her she said:
"Ohl Mr.. ElerIy-Oh Bob, don't die.
1t is killing me-"
Vain appeal Deaths higher claim was
closing in upon his heart. He gave one more
look, shut his eyes, shudder quivered
through his frame, then all was still.
The sun glimmered brightly on the wet
laurel leaves, the knocking bird sang in the
cedar near, and the great world rolled on in
endless life, as it ever does regardless of the
comedies and tragedies we mortals enact
The driver and escort Of the ambulance,
hurryng down the road, heard as they turned
the bend only the low wall of a broken
hearted woman For once funeral process
sion had only its real mourners for Bang, as
brave man as ever stood unmoved under
fire, wept as a child.
Twenty years after, business called me to
this part Of the Shenandoah valley, and
not only breakfasted at the old stone inn,
but visited the rude burying ground to look
on Bob Ellersly's last resting place As
entered saw carriage at the old gateway
with colored driver in livery, and inside |
met slender gray -haired woman coming
from the graves. / caught only glimpse
Of pale, hollow checked mourner, as she
passed me.
I found the sexton busy digging grave
for new occupant, and asking him to show
me that Of the Union officer he clambered
out and led the way. To my surprise was
shown q handsome monument Of marble,
consisting Of pedestal and broken column.
l was the more amazed to find it garnished
with rare flowers, and inscribed on the base
read:
SACRED TO THE MEMORY
OF Robert ELLERsLY, U. S. A, WHO FELL
FIGHrISG FOR HIS FLAG AND COUNTRY
llrH OF AUGUST, 1852.
"Why, who erected this monumentF ]
asked