Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-01-26
His Sixth Medal.
detroit Free Press,

bctiOlb riOo iN'o'l
lie had been thrown out as vi
dette, and for hours he had peered in
to the darkness around him to watch
for the slightest sign of danger-lis-
tened like one who realized that the
willy Arab of the desert steals upon
his prey with all the silent cursing OF
the American Indian. AS the stars
of night began to pale before the adj
vance of dawn he felt like one re-
prieved. While he watched, the en-
envy had, for once, seemed to sleep.
Daylight would bring continuation
of the march, and every hour would
witness a skirmish, but even battle
does not unnerve man like stand
ing vidette OH a lone and dangerous
post.
What! Has he become blind ?
Daylight now covers the DESERT and
the vidette is looking towards the
camp of the night. There is no camp.
At midnight he left 500 of his COM
rades. This morning there is no
sign of life. lie looks to the right,
but there is no vidette. He looks to
the left-no living thing meets his
eyes.
lie stands and peers and stares and
blinks. Is he awake? If so, is he
blind? Has the night played some
strange trick OH him in this land of
strange things and strange fancies !
lie moves toward the spot where
the night halt was made, but he ad-
vances slowly and cautiously, and he
hesitates now and then as if to rea-
son with himself. All! lie is nei-
Their blind or daft. Here is cap
there belt-here rope-there a
,, sack, to prove that the camp had
been here. Here are the tracks Of
men and camels, there broad trail
leading away to the south.
3 In the stiffness of night a messen'
ger had come to the little band, or
i dering an instant change in march
!, Quietly and without alarm the mel
had been turned out, the beasts made
ready, and the videttes called in. AL
8 out one! In the hurry and the dark
i ness he had been overlooked.
n Leaning on his carbine and look
# ing over the trail left TO show tn
G change of march, the soldier reason
Il ed il all out. His command hat
$ been gone for hours. He was alon
|, and on foot. Overtake them! II
smiled grimly at the thought. TIL
1t sun and sand and thirst of Egyp
y were as deadly enemies as the spear
Is and bullets of the Arabs. He ha
a neither food nor water. A hundre
l. miles of burning sands and hot wind
If Law between him and blade of gras
Of "a single drop of water.
Of The soldier turned to survey tn
desert plain. To the east, nothin
but sand; TO the north, nothing bl
sand; to the west, nothing but sand
TO the south-ahl He straightene
in up, shaded his eyes with his han'
he and for a long minute continued h
lg gaze, then he let his arm fall.
k score of Arabs were riding dow
a upon him. :, =,
he Without undue haste-with L
ID dignity befitting an old veteran-tl
soldier took from his breast and pi
ned to his coat a medal. Upon
es, bright side were the words: ct
,p- Boer War;" He pinned on anoth
which said: "For Services in Zul
land" There was third-a four
"a fifth. In his twenty years
,u- soldier life the old man had thol
ok, and times been target for bulle
This was his last campaign. Det
we was riding down upon him, but
of would die as a soldier-ss Brit
soldier.
When the savage horSemen W,
half mile away they halted. !
old soldier was ready and watt
There was no thought of taking i
eP prisoner-no thought of surrenc
There was a moment for consul
ton, and then the bunch of hoi
men deployed in line and advan
at gallop.
Steady, now! Crack! era
Crack Two horsemen tumh
from their saddles-a third rec
our about in his seat like a man morti
hit. Before another shot could
fired the murderous fances dr.
blood and the old soldier lay dead
On the hot sands, his face upt'
cd to his foes, and his medals shir
in as never before in a morning sun
the old man, dead. And then,
by the hands of friends-not by
hands of comrades-a sixth m
h on was placed upon his brawny br'
1t was not of gold or silver, but s
thing of more priceless value.
now was the words of an Arab chieft
tax Comrades, a brave man