The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-03-29

Dramatic Meeting of Two Old Vets
who Fought Each Other Mt Round
Top.
A tall man stood on the circular dias
in the panorama Of the battle of Gettys-
burg and gazed long at one point of the
picture spread before hi q, says Fred
Nye in the Omaha World. He wore a
SLOUGH hat, faded blue overcoat,a gray
beard and an air of melancholy wisdom.
A sleety rain was falling outside and
people were passing around HIM, but the
tall man did not appear to hear the
storm or see the other visitors For al
most a'half hour he stood there gazing
with what might have been the abstrac-
ton of retrospection upon the one point
in the picture.
Presently a short, thick set man de.
tached himself from the crowd and
paused by the side of the tall man. The
short man had stubbled face, gray
eyes, a wide, loose mouth and more
than adequate chew of tobacco. He ap.
peared to be about 40 years of age. lie
stood close to the tall man, joining his
silence to that of his companion, for
five minutes or more. Then he said:
Howdy, stranger.
The tall man looked down rather sol
EMMY but not displeasedly. Howdy,
YOURSELF he replied.
Purity fair picture. remarked the sholt
man, casually.
You bet! said the tall man,
Ever seen it aforeI
You bet!
Reckon mebbe you fit in the late war?
You bet.
Confed?
You bet not.
/ wuZ.
The tall man didn't answer for some
time, during viii h he seemed to be re-
flecting deeply. Finally he drew long
breath aud said, All right.
Wuz you thar?nquired the short man
indicating the picture in general way.
You betl
Whar?
There said the tall man, pointing to
ward the spot which had seemed to
rivet his attention for 80 long a time.
When?
The tall man showed signs of ANNA
ton. Say. stranger, he began. it pears
me you was mighty curious like. What
was there. and what if wasn't?
The short man laughed good natured
ly. Wall, he answered, nothIn'. Only
was there too.
You?
Me!
Where?
Thar! exclaimed the short man, point
ing to the exact place before designated
by the tall man.
The tall man looked closely at his
companion and then at the fascinating
location in the picture. That there's
Round Top, said he. at once asserting
his own information and inquiring into
the validity of the others.
Exactly, assented the short man. That
thar's Round Top!
Neither spoke for a minute or two
Then the tall man turned again from
the attractiveness Of Round Top to the
consideration of his companion.
Lookey here SAID the tall man, slowly.
| want to tell you something. fit at
Gettysburg on the day. Sykes and
| Longstreet's men was raisin' hell to git
hold of that there little ridge. | was
with Sykes. I'd been laid off fer week
sick. but got to work fore Gettysburg.
Lookey here! If eyer killed any one it
was at that there Round Top. | hadn't
been in no other battle to speak of and
hadn't never shot to kill any body in
particular. jes' lettin' fly in general
way 8 you might say, but that day dur
in the charge seen a little drummer
boy. reb, I'd got hold of gun some
way an he was pIntin' I at me close
range. | let him haye l. fust an he
rolled over nigh onto.a stump an he got
ketched there. an got just one sight
into his big gray eyes film with tears,
an heard Just one little sob from his
white throat, which you could see on
account of the Dustin open of his shirt.
an then the charge came right up on
me an was lifted clean often my feet
an ] never seen him no more. But.
stranger, can't git that boy out of my
mind. I'm always dreamin' of his eyes
an his throat with the sob into it, and
always wonderin' if he died. II I'd a
killed more of 'em 1t wouldn't bother
me so much, but to think of Teller go.
in to war an KILN just one poor little
grey eyed drummer boy-say, stranger,
I'd give thousands of dollars T L had 'em
to know that kid well.
Tue SDOib WIN hCNh
interest at first-afterwar6s with the
quietness of one who knows exactly
what his companion IS going to say
When the tall man concluded he looked
up.
Yaas, said the short man, you've got
it all right. You shot me in the lung an
though it took me a right smart while, |
pulled through. So kin forgive you,
don't you see. 'Tain't as if Id died. |
don't git no pain from it neither. Yes,
we can forgive you all now.
The tall mans face beamed. Is it true!
he cried. Be you the drummer chap?
Sure
Conner
What?
Let's liquor.
No. stranger, don't drink. See you
all later.
The tall man vanished with tender re-
luctance. The short man staid awhile