Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-05-23

could see only bit OF giouno, some
blades Of grass; upon one Of Thorn an ant
worked his way down; some dried leaves
Of last year-this was all my world |
feel very uncomfortable, horribly un.
comfortable | wish TO move, and 1t Is
utterly impossible to understand why
cannot Thus the time passes. hear
tha cracking noise Of the grasshoppers, the
buzz OF the bees; nothing else. At last |
make IN effort, drawing my right hand
from under me, and leaning my arms
upon the ground try to raise myself to
my knees. A sens alton as sharp and
rapid as stroke OF lightning runs
through my whole body from my knees to
my throat, and thence TO my head; | fall
back-again darkness and oblivion.
When awake, why do | see the stars
that burn so brightly in the dark blue
skies of Bulgarian | am not in my tent;
then where am IL / make a movement,
and again feel that agonizing pain in both
legs. 1 know now what IL isl have
been wounded In the battle. Danger
ouslyP On, no. ! grasp my legs where
feel the pain; both feet are covered with
coagulated blood. When / touch them
with my hands terrible agony tears my
soul, my ears tingle, my head is heavy.
| vaguely comprehend; | have been
wounded In both feet. As ! say this
wonder where are our men? Can IL be
po sible that the TURKS have beaten us2
begin TO recall all that has happened
aid reach the conclusion that we have
not been beaten. | cannot r. member any
disaster TO the others when | fell, but
do remember that we were ordered to
the front; that could not run and was
left behind, with something blue before
my eyes, aud that fell In the clearing
at the top OF the HILL
Thit clearing our commander had
pointed out TO us. ''We must be over
there, boysl" he cried In his loud, ring
ing tones. We are over thcre--then, Of
course, we cannot have been beaten.
But where are our men2 Why are they not
assembled here7 Surely am not lying
here alone1 / turn my head 10 see--then
all Is plain. When first revived | had
under my eyes the blades OF
grass and the little ant; In trying
to rise | had fallen, not In the
same position, but on my back; that Is
why / see the stars. | try 20 rise again
very painful and hard 10 do when bota
feet are shattered; many times gave up
In despair, but at last, with tears Of pain
Standing in my eyes, aaln sitting pos
ture.
Above me are the dark blne heavens, In
which burn a great star and many smaller
ones; around me something dark and
are the bushes, the ihickets.
| am IN the bushes--they Will never dad
me. feel the shivers rise 70 ms head,
even TO the roots Of my hair. But how
did get into the bushes when was shot
In the clearing? | must have crawled
here, unconscious from the force Of pain
yet II Is strange, for | cannot move. Then
how did ! drag myself to the thicket?
Perhaps, then, ! had only one wound
the other ball must have struck me here.
Spots of soft rose color begin TO spread
around me, the great star grows pgle,
the little ones vanish; II is the morn ris.
ing. Ga, how delightful II must be a.
home!
Then something strange happened
hear moan; yes, II Is some one moan
Ing on the other side Of me, perhaps
another forgotten one with his legs broken
ike mins, or bali ia bis stomach. No,
the moaning Is stu nearer--close beside
me, and yet there Is no one there. My
God, IL Is IL who utter thekc low, PLAIN
live m0aDs2 r. II true, then, that am
n such sufferingtf II must be, and yet
| cannot tell, my head ie SO heavy and
confused. | viii lie down and sleep,
sleep, sleep, but shall ever wake againY
No matter, It is AL the same 70 me.
Just rs prepare 70 sleep, pale strip
II moonlight lights the spot where I am
wing, aud see something, something /
arge and black, not five steps from me,
ind upon II little points that sparkle 10 |
lie moonlight They ara the bnttons Of
. nniform--it Ia corpse, or some one
eou0ded; all the same, I tim going 70
deep. No, II Is Impossible. Our soldiers
ire not gone; they are here they have
ilslodged the Turks and are resting IA I
heir position Bat Why Is there no lax |
ng, 20 erEckling Of flaming wcodg y