The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-07-17
THE ENERAL,sARTICLE
a Contribution to History Lost by q wife's
Critical Acumen.

General Meckleham, in imitation oil
greater men, decided upon writing a
series ofwar articles. 'Why shouldn't
I, Nary" he asked OF his wife. who be-
longs to a literary society, and who is
considered an excellent critic. 81
should just like to know why / ought
not to give my experience? ] went
through the war, and served with dis
tinction, even if | do say it myself.
Another thing in my favor is that !
know how to write. understand the
construction of sentences. ! under
stand the use of vigorous English.
What do you say, Nary"
"Why, by all mean write your ex-
perience. lido not see why you should
keep back anything that might prove
Of interest to the public and result in
profit to yourself"
Chats it, Mary; that's it. You
haze hit the nail squarely onthehead.
While / was at college thestudents used
to laugh at eforcontinuing to devote
so much attention to rhetoric. twill
all come in handy now, you see. Well
[ shall go to work at once"
The next evening, when the lamphad
been lighted, the general said:
MARY, are you ready TO hear my
war paper.
He read it to her.
"What do you think of it?"
at is good
"Don't you think it's first class?"
eyes, / do"
"I have never said much about it,
Mary. but Iama writer. Many time
while visiting newspapers offices, j
have said to myself, sAh, well, you fell
lows think that you are great writers,
but you haven't learned your first les.
son. So you think it's first class, Ell?
Now, | shall wad it up apdsend it toa
magazine. / ought TO geta at least 500
for it."
"You are going to copy it, are you
not?"
ooh, no, not necessary. It's plain
as print
81 didn't know but you might want
to make a few corrections. Let me see
the manuscript a minute. Listen to
this paragraph: General B~eauregard,
seeing that the left wing was weaken
ing, determined to reinforce them.
Don't you think it should say it In
stead of sthem'?"
"Why2 Refers TO the soldiers
"No, it wing, which should be
it,"
"Well, go on, go on
"aThe general at one time, continued
.he woman, finding another objections
able paragraph, was much moved to
see a soldier dragging q gun with a brok'
en- leg
Whats wrong with that? It's q
fact, for / saw.it myself"
eyes, but how did he drag gun with
O. broken leg?"
"Confound it'll don't you seer The
fellows leg was broken, but so de-
termined was he that he still stuck to
the gum
Buthedidn'tdragi With his broken
leg
Hang i'll the fellows leg was broken
-n
Il understand UndJ.
"Well then. Leg was broken, but
unwilling to retire from the field, hi
crawled along, dragging his gum"
with his broken leg?"
MARY, haven't you got and sense at
all? The statement is as plain as day.
light. When you strike a or
military matters, dad blame It'll she
cant see two inches"
al understand it we'll enough. The
man was dragging his gun with hi
broken leg, which, 1 should think
would differ very little iron, dragging
his broken gun with his leg"
The general wheeled around in hi
chair, shovedbothhands into ! sp0ck
cts, and, In a calm voice, slightly
trembling on the bosom of a struggle
said:
urWhen I married / thought that my
wife was q sensible thoughi
that she was a woman of literary
taste. All, Lordl Mary, your blamed
blindness has confused me. Read thai
paragraph again"
THE general at onetime was much
moved to see a soldier dragging q gul
with a broken leg All, | see," she OK
claimed.
ri am glad you do, Mary
ssThe soldier was dragiuga gun witt
a broken leg-the guns leg was brok
en-"
"Gimme that paper" he exclaimed.
sII be eternally burned ii / alloy
any one to-Mary, 1 am ashamed Q
! you. Go on away, and leave m
alone. To suddenly discover such ie
norance totally brushes me. Do yo'
think that a gun has legs and arm
like a man? Do you for aminute SUP
pose-go on away, / tell you?
, "You mean that a soldier with
broken leg was dragging his gun, don
your"
, "Hah?'
She repeated the remark.
!. Thc oanaral foa&fha manuacripf