The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-08-25


| whom the Virginlnn rose. and in n
speech the delicate humor OF which
shall not attempt 10 reproduce. begged
| that MISS Annals" rest should not DO
broken by our rude chanting.
/ shall never forget the broken. ten
der. deprccating lutte repls that came
from Parsons. and how we consented
at last TO sing His face was so rapt
as he sat beating time W tn his fore
finger and occas onally quayering out
M effective dying Tonight. Dying
Tonight which we sang rs IL our
very likelihood were cbbing away. that
began to realize the absolute cow
ardco of ridicnling perfectly inno-
cent unconscious man. / began 10
try and shield him from the f,nmakers.
and was finally joined by Orphee, who
became his more ardent and eloquent
partisan. As for Parsons. he grew al
most to worship the handsome. sweet
| voiced lad.
One luckless afternoon. Parsons,
Orphee and 1 strolled off together.
leaving "Aliss Anna" 10 The mercIes OF
our mess, but tormentcd by some vague
presentlment of evil, l induced my
compan ons TO return little earlier
than they intended. As we neared the
tent my ear caught the sounds Of do
rision that came first from our Virgin
ian. and were then finally caught up
by the others and ended In peal after
peal OF laughter. We pushed eagerly
IA. Alas Mise ADna,' decked out
in the most ridiculous toggery. had
been cd between four stakes driven
into the ground and the men were en-
gagged in pricking her with pine burrs
until the poor animal fairly writhcd
with agony. In minute we had freed
her and Parsons held the poor bleed
ing creature close TO his breast. His
small. square figure seemed TO rise and
dilntc with a certain sense OF superior
power. as he turned his blanched face
and blazing eyes upon the crowd.
You call yourselves gentlemen.
no said harshly. .you. who have tor
turcd poor. dumb. dcfenselcss crea-
turc. left in your care. Thank God
my meaning of the word Is diflerenti
You have no excuse. You are all sup
posed To- he men. and honorable men.
men who are fighting for the rights of
their country. and yet you amuse
yourselves with sessclcss cruelty such
as you have practiced this afternoon.
You have branded yourselves rs
towards and liars for voice
broke suddenly trusted you"
There was an ominouS threatning
stir In the little tent and several men
stepped out toward the speaker.
picturesque in his very unpicturcsque-
ness. whose grotesquo figure stood out
sharply against the bit OF landscape
showing through the opening of the
tent But his face awcd them back.
The goat turned. and moaned pitt
fully. rubbing her nose against Par
sons coat with mute insistcnco. His
face softencd wonderingly. he seemed
TO forget the men. his anger. every
thing. and he whispered TO her In soft.
carossing tones.
You have followed me through
thick and thin. Miss Anna. When
the overflow came and We were
starving. il was you who struggled
back To us through the water. end 1t
was your milk that kept us alive.
Everything depended then on your
strength We called our baby after
you. and when the poor little one died
II cut me cruelty. cruelty. | can never
forgive this days work. BE brave,
Miss Anna. he brave" and putting his
cheek on Miss Annals head the tears
fairly rolled out of his eyes.
He stopped minute. drawing In his
breath in short, quick little sobs and
threw out both hands with a forlorn
gesture of abandonment.
''Ol great God! was lonely when
wife and babies all were dead, and
loved Miss Anna then; love her now
rs the one relic left me OF that beauti-
liful, vanished past. Then the war
came and tr ed To leave you, think
ing it would be best. but you followed
me to be ridiculcd. despisod and even
tortured. All the conduct OF the last
week breaks over me and see what
blind fool have been"
Parsons. YOU are TO 60 on picket
duty Tonight. and you had better start
now" called in the voice of our
lieutenant. The men. now thoroughly
ashamed of themselves camo nearer
and were about to offer some heartfelt
words OF apology. but Parsons turned
away, and delivering Miss Anna ov-
or TO Orphee. said plea,ingly;
III anything should happen to me.
you will take care OF her?"
Orphee's eyes filled with tears rs he
pressed the extended hand.
Without another word or look Par
sons strobe out into the dark.
We're brutes. cowardly brutes,"
said our Virginian. disgustedly.
II would rather face million
Yankees than hear that mans story
told in that voice again." said another.
That night WIS weary one. We
could not forget the solemn figure. the
lark untient face the broken. hargh