Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-04-13
STIEPHERDSTOWN W.. VA, FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 1888

ABOUT 10 ucCluS " OtoI oi ONAAN 80 NAAN
opposite direction, when a shout
came:
Here they are"'
The shout was caught up and turn
ed into glad yell as it rolled along
the line. had heard the rebel yell"
before; and | heard it many a time
after. when it meant victory at the
close of a life-and death struggle, but
| never heard the boys in gray sound
such note of triumph as went up
from their throats that day, as they
double-quicked it 10 the spot where
those two little runaways were lying.
1t was in an old field, whose long
neglected burrows were covered with
a thick growth of yellow sedge all wet
with melted snow and shining in the
soft. red rays of the setting sun. a
bushy squat pine had shot up here
and there, the rotting rail fence was
overrun with blackberry vines and al
most lost in jungle of brown with
cred mullen and pokeberry stalks
that grew in its sheltering corners.
The children were in one of these
moist, tangled fence corners. Their
little blue homespun frocks-for they
both wore dresses-were all torn and
draggled Their chubby faces were
brier-scratched and dirty. Their bare
heads were matted with dry leaves
and straw But l reckon every man
of us thought that Gods blue sky
never looked down on prettier pic
ture than they made lying there, fast
asleep and clasped closely in each 9th
er's arms.
We held our breath after the first
shout-for fear of frightening them.
And when the grizzled old sergeant,
whose very look was wont to make
the recruits tremble in their boots,
stepped toward them with soft, al
most bashfnl smile on his lips and
stopped we all took off our hats and
leaned forward. How we all envied
big, burly. tender hearted Tom j
when the sergeant beckoned him and
laid the oldest boy, all rosy and flush
ed with sleep, into his arms The lit
tie fellow opened his eyes and stared
vaguely around, then clasped his arms
about Toms neck and gave n long
sigh of content.
The sergeant stopped again with
low chuckle of satisfaction. THE lit
tie un is asleep for sure" he said as he
lifted him gently and turned. The
next moment he staggered under his
light burden and almost fell. "A hoarse
groan burst from his lips. The little
head with its tangled mass of yellow
curls rolled heavily TO one side; the
little arms hung inertly down; the ser
geant's hands where they supported
the tiny white neck were all dabbled
in blood.
The stray shot had done its cruel
work well! 1t had plowed across the
small white throat and the baby's
head was almost severed from the
little body. The little un" was in
deed asleep for sure.
A kind of frozen horror swept over
the group gathered III that old field.
No man dared for a while TO look his
neighbor in his face, and when he did
he saw there an expression that he
has not forgotten yet if he lives
Ten minutes before we were all
ready to toss up for the privilege Of
carrying those little chaps home. But
now every man of us hung back dumb
and unnerved. And the sergeant and
Tom turned slowly and tramped
through the falling shadows to lay the
living and the dead together in that
waiting mothers arms. We followed
silently with uncovered heads.
When the Federal officer in COM
mand heard that the children were
lost, he offered to disarm his men,
stack their guns with ours and join in
the search. And more than once that
night our pickets were challenged
from the other side and anxious inqui-
ries made for the little ones. When
the answer went back across the hush
and silence of the night we could feel,
though we could not see, the look that
swept over the faces of our foes And
that look made us all akin
An Eastern Senator tells this story
about his little girl. He says that
when the family had gathered for din
ner little Elsie was too busy with her
playthings TO suspend, and her moth
er called TO her TO come.
Yes, in minute, was theresponse.
But we are all waiting" said my
wife, and your papa is waiting to ask
the blessing"
She came in, climbed into her chair,
folded her little hands ddmurely,
bowed her head and said in a low
voice: Let her go. Gallagher
Old Mr.. Topeasy fell overheard the
other day. He was fished out and was
sent home, and while tearfully re-
counting his misfortune to his wife, he
said:
II swallowed about a gallon OF wa.
ter"
Then you know how it tastes at
last, returned Mrs. T.
He wish he had been drowned
The most unique verdict ever rem
dered by a coroner's jury was that
found out West recently in the case Of
man who hanged himself by his sus-
penders to the bed-post After view
ing the body and hearing the evidence
the Jury found That the deceased