The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-08-10

~lIAN NJ
Billy wasconsidsred fortunate byhis
comrades, for his wife sent him notes
N the letters that Col. Grynes receav-
ca from Miss Lucy. a recruit from
Hell Town had told Billy that Vic.
and the Children wee not very we'll,
and that scarlet fever was in the
nelghborhood. The day alter this
news arrived Col. Grymes handed Bil.
" q note, which, he said, came IN one
from his slater Lucy.
lyon reed Ii fer me-, nlease. sir. .
said BIZ, handing the note back to
the cobInel.
This was what Vic. said:
Ny DEAR HUsBAND: take nv pen in
nan TO entorm you that we all is sick aud
William is nifty porely with the scarlet fe.
yer and the doctor SEE he cant git no med
Gun httin Tor the child only at Richmond
and thar amt nobody but old men and
women here now to git nuthin. Lucy is
Porely and sens her best love. William Is
fifty and talks about huntin and keeps on
askin II his pa amt done shootin Yankees.
Miss Lucy is good and kind but faint like
as II twas you. Idont see no use in htin
II the women and childuns has to perish for
want OF the men. Its most the same to
me as If the Yankees come and murdered
we all. hope you can git a furlo. If
you don't shall die. Hopin you are in
good health and prayin God TO bless you,
/ am your lovin wife.
VfcroRTNE STANLEY.
P. Sol course you must git a furlo be.
fore you leave. Ring and Music is well.
Come, for Gods sake, il you can git a
furlo.
Can / get a furlough2" asked Billy,
when the colonel finished reading.
SIN afraid not. We're refusing all
burroughs now, except in case OF sick
ness"
"Vic. wants me, an William is sick, y
said Billy, with almost a cry of de-
spair.
II must refuse you Billy, and I'm
sorry. I'll write to Lucy and see that
your family do not suffer. and I'll
have medicine sent"
"Tain't sufferin' from want Of nuth-
in ter eat; hits me Vic. wants" said
Billy, with q tone OF pain in his voice.
1--WE not enough men to handle my
guns now, AID ! must keep you here.
I'm sorry, but | can't help it. We
may have a battle to morrow"
The colonel rode away, and left Bill
.ly looking sternly at the ground.
i've follered YOU" said Billy, in a
low tone, FAN ever since lean remem-
Der. But now my child's sick, Vic.
wants me, an I'm goin,' home Ell t is
only fer one night. You an Miss Lucy
is been my fr'en's ever senceI kin rec
ollec. 1t pears ter me that all the
good I've ever done has been because
you helped me. But now my it's fol-
lerin you what's brought me here. i
told you at the first / didn't know
nuthin' about the war. Ef all mefi
had o'minded their own bizness like /
did, there needn't o. been no war. /
don't mind fightin', but my Godl I
can't stay here, with William sick an
Vic. a-wantin' me. What's fghtin,'
er nuthin' else ter me ef Their boy dies?
/ know the Cun'l will be kline - me
when | comes back; eff he amt, / can't
help it. amt nuthin' but a private,
an the wal kin 90 on without me. I'm
goin home ef they kills me fer it,"
The next morning found Billy fifty
miles away from his command, at the
bedside Of his boy-a deserter.
How did you get leaveH" asked Vic
torine.
II asked the Cun'l," said Billy, ashe
turned his eyes away; ''an' I'll stay
ez long ez you need me-"
For three days he watched his child;
then it died. Little Lucy was already
sick. and after three more days of suf-
fering she died also. Then Victorine
fell sick, and soon she was past all
help from the simple remedies that
could be gotten in those helpless
times.
One night Billy was watching his
wife as she lay in a stupor. He was
aroused by the sound OF q hornfar of,
and then he heard another and an
other echoing up and down Nswfoand
river. whats thatY' he asked Of
one of the watchers.
'tNuthin' but the provo guards g.
huntin' some 'serteT. But they can't
catch 'em here, fer we gives EN- warn
in BY BLOWN our dinner horns. Jim
Lowry leads 'em.,
Billy leapt to his feet, and rushed
toward the door. Victorine heard
WITH nail JA6 4ucSblOu
and the answer Billy quick move
ment reused her. She opened her eyes
and said, where are you going?"
"Back to camp exclaimed Billy.
"Are you7a deserter?"
BilIy's reply was to 60 quickly out
of the house. Down through the
pines he went to the river, determined
to 20 back to the. army rather
than be caught BY the GUARDS. But
the river was swollen now, aad it's
broad, muddy waters stopped his
fight. The only bridge for miles was
gone. Billy heard the horns still
blowing in the distance. "Too late"
be muttered. ~ forgot / was a de-
serter ez soon ez Igot home" Alter
q while, when he thought tine guards
had gone away he went back to his
home. THE house was All desolateI
now. His wife was dead. She thought
that he had left her, and her sorrows
became more than she could bear.
".
--a 49, -