The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-09-20

poor, dumb, defenseless creature left
| in your care. Thank God, my mean
ing of the word is different! You have
no excuse. You are all supposed to be
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 your
selves as towards and liars, for"-and
here his voice broke suddenly 81
trusted YOU
There was an omnous, threatening
stir in the little tent, and several men
stepped out toward the speaker,
picturesque in his very unpicturesque-
ness, whose grotesque figure stood out
sharply against the bit of landscape
showing through the opening of the
tent. But his face awed them back.
The goat turned and moaned pitt
| fully, rubbing her nose against Par
| sons coat with mute insistence. His
face softened wonderfully, he seemed
| to forget the men, his anger, every
thing, and he whispered to her in soft,
caressing tones.
You have followed me through
| thick and thin. Miss Anna. When the
overflow came and we were starving it
was you who struggled back TO us
| through the water, and it was your
| milk that kept us alive. Everything
then depended on your strength. We
called our baby after you, and when
the poor little one died it cut me
cruelty, cruelty. l cannot 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 minute, drawing in his
| breath in short quick little sobs, and
| threw out both hands with a forlorn
| gesture of abandonment
"Oh! great God. l was so lonely
when wife and babies were all dead,
| and | loved Miss Anna then; l love her
| now as the one. relic left me of the
beautiful vanished past. Then the war
came and l tried to leave you thinking
it would be best, but you followed me
| to be ridiculed, despsed and even tor
tured. All the conduct of the past
| week breaks over me and l see what a
| blind fool have been"
Parsons, you are to go on picket
duty tonight, and you had better
start now," called in the voice of our
Lieutenant. The men, now thorough
| ~ ashamed of themselves, came nearer
and were about to offer some heartfelt
words of apology, but Parsons turned
| away, and delivering Miss Anna" over
to Orphee, said pleadingly:
IF anything should happen to me,
| you will take care of her?n
Orphee's eyes filled with tears as he
| pressed the extended hand.
| Without another word or look Par
| sons strobe out in the dark.
Were brutes, cowardly brutesr'
said our Virginian, disgustedly.
Il would rather face million Yam
| KEGS than hear that mans story told in
| that voice again said another
That night was a weary one. We
| could not forget the solemn figure, the
dark, patient face, the broken, harsh,
tender voice, and the pines above and
| 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 forgot
! ten.
With the dawn came action. The
| Yankees were upon us. and we fought
like wildcats. AS evening came on the
| fight was suspended, and when mess
met everybody was there, Miss Anna
included, except Parsons. We had
made up scheme to beg his forgive
ness and to swear to be gentlemen,
at least. Each of us had separate
| speech of apology to make expressive
of shame and contrition. When night
settled down and Parsons did not ap-
| pear 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 con
yenient shoulder. As we sat thus oul
Lieutenant called in to me:
Harrison, step here minute"
| arose and went out a little un-
steadily.
| Parsons was hurt last night on
| guard, and has asked to see you. &c
now; there isn'tmuch time, I'm afraid. y
He turned to lead the way.
Il may tell them?n | said.
No use," he answered shortly as
! Orphee's stricken face appeared in
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 fallen
in the days fight. In the farthest
corner of the room lay Parsons.
knelt down by him and took his hand.
He smiled family, reassuringly, and
whispered:
Its not so hard-it was so quich,
YOU know-just a flash, burn, and
then dull pain. Only lay there sc
long, Harrison, that | thought every.
thing very clearly ont, and I'm sorry.
| How could those fellows know? l am
afraid | lost my temper" he said,
pathetically. land, Harrison, / bee
pardon, old fellow-but Miss Anna.'
His eyes apologized amply for this
inquiry. and | went in search of the
men and their charge.
They followed ME eagerly. and we
unconsciously fell into a procession
and moved through the door with
Miss Anna in our midst. 1t must
have been strange sight, ahalf dozen
men and a goat marching solemnly up
| the aisles of the rude cabin, but to the
credit Of human nature be it said no.
! body laughed or seemed to observe the
humorous side of the situation.
Miss Anna"