The South western news. (Dawson, GA.) 188?-1889, 1888-09-05
BURTON,
A SPECTRE OF The PAST AND
A STORY OF The WAR.
just kfter he Surrender.
Atlanta Constitutional

-AIIdbl ~ \ OllS IllulIOHs
Bill Burton was on the con>
federate side in ii hundred Fl hts all
through the war but he never kills
ed one Of the enemy until after the
surrender.
He was as brave as a lion, but
he had a horror Of bloodshed. Many
and many a time Bill would take
deliberate aim at a union soldier,
and then raise his gun and shoot at
random.
eff I accidentally kill man."
he used to say, Il can stand it, bit
l am not going to pick out a fellow
and deliberately plug him. 1t may
be all right but l can't Go it,"
The boys laughed at Bills scrus
pies but he was a good soldier and
never shirked his duty. Once when
a big fuse shell fell in the trenches;
and lay there spluttering about to
explode, he frequently Pitched it
up and pitched it OH the outside of
the breast works where it burst
W thout doing any damage. For
this gallant act his colonel offered
him a forty days .urIough. Bill
was strongly tempted to accept it.
He knew that certain little wom>
an down in Georgia was crying her
eyes out for his sake, and he knew
that several tow headed little boys
and girls would be very glad to
see him. He drew bis hand across
his eyes, and then looked at his
colonel with a smile.
81 can't 90 home now," he said
bluntly "Every man is needed
here, and | feel THAI It is my duty
to stay"
That was Bill Burton all over.
He was as gentle and self,sacrifcn
ing as a woman, and re was af
raid of nothing. He came out of
the war without scratch, and
footed it all the way from Virginia
to his little farm in Middle Geor,
ia, where he buckle down to work
to make crop for his wife end
babies.
Doe day he had to 90 to Atlanta.
He Brushed himself up as well as
he could, but he had nothing to
Wear except his old Confederate
uniform. Money was scarce with
him, and lie had not been able to
buy a suit Of store clothes.
Bin never thought about his mi
torn, and it did not attract any at
teLtion in those days. Several Of
his fellow passengers on the train
wore their faded gray suits. They
we're in Bills fx-they had no.
thing else to wear.
The train logged along without
anything to disturb the trip until
it was within a few miles Of Attain
ta.1 Then a crowd of federal sol
diers got on, and in a few mil utes
they began to make it unpleasant
tor the veterans in gray.
1t was the custom at that time
for the tederals to cut the eonfed-
crate buttons from a gray uniform
whenever they saw man wearing
it, but Bill and his friends had been
out in the country all the time, land
they knew nothing of what was
going on, "a hen Thea soldiers
started through the cars, whacking
off the confederate buttons right
and lett, the victims OF this rough
and insulting treatr ,ent hardly
knew what to do. The unexpected.
ness OF the thing, and the presence
OF a large number Of armed men
caused them to submit, as they did
not want to have a row if it could
be avoided.
Bill Burtton's face turned viii e
when he saw what was up, and his
eyes shone with a strange glitter.
With mighty effort to control him>
self he arose from his seat and went
into the baggage car, hoping to es>
cape pursuit.
He was mistaken. In less than
five minutes half dozen big fellows
in blue followed him.
Heres another Johnny with hi
buttons on" said the leader, an
as he spoke the words he made a
swoop with his knife.
A button dropped on the AooI.
Only one-it was the last button
that any federal soldier ever cut
from Bill Burton's gray jacket!
Before the knife reached the
second button a pistol shot rang out
sharp and clear, and the big soldier
with his knife tell dead, shot
through the heart.
The train was running at the
rate OF twenty miles an hour, but
Bill didn't care for that, He made
wild leap and rolled over ant
over when he touched the ground