The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-22

| he did seek opportunities and hls reputntloa
was waning. He complained bitterly To his
| former aid Of his bad luck, aad once he limited
that the young officer had nc, kept the bargais
i which they made IN Theasalia
.rll do my best for yon. General was the only
response Guest made. Well And something be-
fore long that'li be good for both OF us
i "Hnmphs seems TO me you're doing well
enough AZ IL is and Solomon moved sulkily oil
/ TO his tent
Were not getting on 90 fast as we were when
/ you were here said Surgeon Gillespie who
came up the general disappeared.
There doesn't appear to be much disposition
| to stand by the chief said Guest putting hia
horse in motion.
/ I'D like TO know the use of helping your
1 worst enemy get the whip-hand of you" erunn.
1 hled the surgeon.
/ Guest heard these words 40 he rode away, and
/ they made him angry. He thought that ths
4 staff did not appreciate their chief He believed
/ that he alone knew the reason of his gloom. his
| and his desire for . chance 10 distinguish him
1 self Did not be know what that meant him.
| self Ali what glorious consummation might
that chance bring besides the honors of war;
| And Guest IN his pure simplicity thought that
solomon and be We're longing for the same end,
dreaming OF the same woman, and were gov
erned by a high devotion TO one another.
| Guest was twenty three then, and solomon was
| thirty-ona.
II was Guest, as have s.id who begged nd
| obtained the order that Solomon's division
should make the famou. assault He had TO
| beg and argue good while before his request
was granted. Other and better soldiers than
Solomon sought the honor. and it with
| great reluctance that the commander OF the
army yielded to Guests opportunities
well, Ill do you say he finally an
nounced. because you know that division bet
ter than any man in it, But I'll hold ron res
sponsihle mind you." he added with sternness.
and the colonel went of with his orders deter
mined that solomon should succeed and sue
coed brilliantly.
The commander of the forces surrounded bv
his staff, stood on hill nile from thu wood
which concealed Solomons troops They waited
anxiousiy. for the line to emerge, looking
tops were lighted by the setting sun. The gem
erals Impotence was augmented by his half
distrust of Solomonis capacity for the task He
felt that he had been weak 10 yielding to Guest.
and had taken the risk of serious failure at
the close of what had been of the most brill
liant campaigns OF the
Sergeant" he called to soldier of his signal
capture Fort Sullivan"
The flag waved and duttered as the quick
short jerky motions OF the soldier spelled ous
TN twenty minutes came back the answer.
and hardly had the general time to express his
satisfaction. when he heard the bueles. and in
another moment long black line moved out in
the opening A single officer was in advance
particular, evidently realizing that he spoke
aloud in his intense excitemsnt-''by Joye. Sol
ONION ought NO TO expose himself in that way"
The line swept on. The men were on the
douoe-quick, their at right-shouder
SHIFT The group at headquarters did not hear
sound. They saw the officer in front turn his
Il
black line kept on steady and without break.
The rebel fort was silent: The dreadful still
ness became Oppressive. me general ssaf and
below them. The tips of the bayo-
nets shone resplendentlv Now the troons
had gone by the abatis which seemed to be left
intact Now they disappear in the ravine and
again appear. Was it army of ghosts max
ing an attack on phantom enrth-worka No;
for look. there is cloud OF smoke and flying
sand and stones, and presently dull sound is
heard There is break In the line, and as tho
men move on, some bodies are left behind
the Sround There are other explosives and
other bodies. The torDedoes doing their
work, aud yet very feebly. for the division
moves forward SO swiftly that not many of them
explode. At last the are in the ditch; the
guns play on them. but for very short time,
for so soon are the blue coats swarmne over
the Darapet that the rebel coIors down and
the Union flag Ia mp three minutes within ths
twenty.
well done, Solomon. well done,n shouted the
commander jumping on his horse and darling of
toward the captured work. followed by hs staff.
"Pll apologies to Guest and congratulate Solo
mon before take another bit of bareback
How had the great deed been accompishedf
Guest had been oheysd under the m staken no.
ton that he came authorized by solomon to
give orders for the assault Thus the buglers
sounded the assembly and the officers got their
commands into line He dismounted and went
ahead. He followed unquestionineiy. be-
cause, when he was on the division staff. he
accustomed to lead Before the troops had gone
half way from the woods to the abatis they were
running. There was no shouting, for the men
realized the grim work before them. Over the
obstruction they went, and whom they were
the other side, the abatis seemed as firm
and bristling as 1t had been before. Apparently,
hardly branch or twig of the ugly bareNtr
was broken They seemed TO fly over the ra-
vine. Then came the stretch of sand. AT al
most every step Guest expected to be blown 60
pieces by the bursting of a buried tor
pedo. On moved the unbroken front like
huge billow unerowned by single fleck of
surf. Suddenly there is a rumble, a sharp
defamation, o cloud of sand, and ten writhing
bodies inst at Guests right are on the
another follows, further TO the eight, and then
TO the left. and before Guest ceases TO wonder
when his time viii come he 10 in the ditch and
the guns are playing on his men. Now hundreds
of bodies are down, some dead and others dying.
But the slaughter lasts for a second only, and
he ia on the parapet The soldiers are firing
their uauskets in the air. and relieving their
pentup feelings with shouts of exultaEi0n. The
commander of the fort approaches Guest and
comes M. for he has followed the attacking lima
at a safe distance. and Guest turns over the con-
fsderate officer to him.
When it was all done Guest seized both Solo
mons hands in his, and. his face glowing with
loyalty and pleasure, said:
General. aren't you glad we did it after ailF'
ANY one but the young colonel would have
noticed that Solomon was not In very friendly
mood But he affected 20 be eratifed and re-
Piled to Guests enthusiasm with laugh that
was a cross between a cough and chuckle.
sits all right my boy all right, said be. "but
you ran q fearful risk. You wouldn't have done
well so-morrow. But don't be alarmed he
added assuringly, an not report your rashnsss.
and I'll see 10 it that the general doesn't hear
how you did it
s.You can bet you life he will" whispered
Surgeon Gillespie TO Guest the latter turned
away, chilled and disappointed.
Solomon accepted his commanders cougratu-
lations, and Loyalty concealed tho part that
Guest played. He even received in silence the
great mans half-serioug chiding for his exposure
OF his life. He obtained his major Reneralship,
and in this Guest rsjoiced with Solomon Thsre
was about the young fellow ia these times q fine
dignity and beautiful spirit OF devotion and
self sacrifice that 'endeared him to the hest
among his comrades The fame of his exploit
at last reached the of his chief. who sent for
him and asked WIN led the assault on Fort Sui
Ivan.
do you order me to tell You. STRIP
The General looked at him sharply for