The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-10-20
almost to worship tie handsome,

6ll Doh NOSoStStAS.tt
leaving "Miss Anna, TO the mercies
of our mess; but tormented BY some
vague presentment of evil, l induced
my companions to return a little
earlier than they intended. AS we
neared the tent my ear caught the
sound of derision that came first from
our Virginian, and were then finally
caught up by the others and then
ended III Peal after peal Of. laughter:
We pushed eagerly. iii: Alas! 'Miss
Anna decked out In the most ridic-
nlous toggery, had been tied between
four stakes driven into the. ground
and the men were engaged. in prick
ing her with pine burrs until the poor
animal fairly writhed with agony.
In a minute we had freed her and Par
sons held the poor bleeding creature
close TO his breast. His small, square
figure seemed to ffse and dilate with
q certain sense of superior power; as
he turned his blanched face and blaE-
ing eyes upon the crowd. :,
"You call yourselves gentlemen"
he said harshly, "you who have tor
tured a poor, dumb, defenseless
creature left in your care. Thank
God, my meaning of the word is diff
fereftl You have no excuse. You
are all supposed to be men and hon.
orable men, men who are fighting
for the rights of their country; and
yet you can amuse yourself with
such senseless cruelty as you have
practiced this afternoon. You have
branded yourselves as towards
and liars, for"--and here his voice
broke suddenly-"I trusted you"
There was an ominous, threaten.
ing stir in the little tent, and several
men stepped out towards the speak,
er, picturesque in his very unpictur-
esqueness, whose grotesque figure
stood out sharply against the bit of
landscape showing through the open
ing in the tent. But his face awed
them back. The goat turned and
moaned pitifully, rubbing his nose
against Parsons coat with mute in
sistence. His face softened wonder
fully, be seemed to forget the men,
his anger, everything, and he whis-
pered to her in soft, caressing tones.
"You have followed me through
thick and thin, Miss Anna. When
the overflow came and wewere starv-
ing, it was you who struggled back
to us through the water, and it was
your milk that kept us alive. Every
thing then depended on your
strength. We called our baby after
you and when the poor little one
died it cut me cruelty, cruelty. lean
not forgive this days work. Be
brave, Miss Anna, be brave" and
putting his cheek on Miss Annals
head the tears fairly rolled out of
his eyes.
He stopped a minute, drawing in
his breath in short, quick little sobs
and threw out both hands with afor-
lorn gesture of abandonment.
ooh! great Godl I was so lonely
when wife and babies all were dead,
and loved Miss Anna then; 1 love
her now as the one relic left me of
that beautiful, vanished past. Then
the war came and I tried to leave
you, thinking it would be best, but
you followed me to be ridiculed, de-
spised and even tortured. All the con-
duct of the past week breaks over
me and see what a blind fool / have
BEEN"
parsons, you're to go on picket
duty tonight, and you had better
start now," called in the voice of our
lieutenant. The men, now thoroughly
ashamed of themselves, came nearer
and were about to offer some heart
felt words of apology, but Parsons
turned away, and delivering "Miss
Anna" over to Orphee, said plead
ingly:
"If anything should happen to me,
you will take care of herr"
Orphee's eyes filed with tears as he
pressed the extended hand.
Without another word or look
Parsons strobe out into the dark.
"We're brutes, cowardly brutes"
said our Virginian, disgustedly.
81 would rather face a million Yam
KEGS than hear that mans story told
in that voice again." said another.
That night was weary one. We
could not forget the solemn figure,
the dark, patient face, the broken,
harsh, tender voice, and the pines
above the river far away seemed to
mingle their grief at our cowardice
and brutality. Meanwhile ''Miss
Anna" slept peacefully on the best
blanket of the mess, while we lay
there sleepless, thoughtful, unhappy,
even the greater issue of the war
momentarily forgotten.
With the dawn came action. The
Yankees were upon us, and wefought
like wildcats. As evening came on
the fight was suspended, and when
cur mess met everybody was there,
''Miss Anna" included, except Par
sons. We had made up scheme to
beg his forgiveness and to swear
to be gentlemen, at least.
Each of us had a separate speech of
apology to make expressive of
shame and contrition. When night
SeUUl0u uOWu duu dIoOuc ulu uou
appear we grew anxious, and sat
silently around, not daring to breathe
the great fear uppermost in our
minds. "Miss Anna" too, walked
up and down uneasily, shifting the
air and rubbing her nose against any
convenient shoulder. AS we sat thus
our lieutenant called in to me:
Harrison, step here a minute"
arose and went out little I'M
steadily.
parsons was hurt last night on
guard, and has asked to see you.
Go now; there isn't much time Pm
afraid"
He turned to lead the way.
81 may tell them?" / said.
''No use,' he answered shortly, as
Orphee's stricken face appeared in
the doorway.
Well, followed him to the rude hut
selected for our hospital. 1t was
lighted by torches, and the surgeons
were busy with the men who had fsl-