Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-06-21
The Man With a History
rY DOUGLAS sI.ADES.


lie and the best part of his regiment
under his command were winding their
way along the desert, through thick,
thorny scrub, between trcachcrous look
ing low parallel ranges.
81 can't make on: those palm trees"
said the Major; 'T.icutcnant Lovctt,
shoot the guide at the first sign of his
playing false"
Lieutenant Lovc;t's gone with two
files of men and the guide to the tops of
the ridge to reconnoitrc, sir"
Lieutenant Lovett and the two files of
men never came back, and the Major
said no more, for vollcy from the ridge
stretched him lifclcss.
Officer after officer, sergeant after
sergeant fell, marked out by their uni
forms rs distinctly us if they had been
branded. The Arabs evidently had some
renegade among them well up in English
uniforms
Still the column fought its way on
'-o@gcdly. Al last there was only one
commissioned or non commissioned Oil
Ger left, Il smooth-face,l boy. fresh from
school, just rushed through Sandhurst
But still the magic of discipline held the
men together. And then he, too. was
picked of Ivy the sharpshootcrs, and if he
had been Crncan veteran the effect
could not have been more Instantaneous.
The men, who were half of them little
better than recruits. commenced ii sinvc
qtu pcut, cac! man rushing for the near
est boulder or thorn bush 10 shelter him
self for one minute from the murlcro,ls
hail of bullets which poured from the
ridges Tic Arabs had been waiting for
this, like vulturcs waiting for Il lion 10
die. and Spran@ ont of the shrub with
spear and knife to make SHAMELESS.
Next moment one of the rank and lie
sprang forward to where the dead boy
lay, sword i'll hand, clutching the color>
which he had seized as the coor-scrreant
fell. Quick as lightning he caught hold
of The sword and waving il in the air.
Numbered ont the command: .sForm
company square" The men. when they
saw the familiar signal and heard the
familiar word of command. sprtnw into
their places witt one accord They were
again Il regiment and not flock OF sheep
without ii shepherd. They had "a strange
commander; fine man enough he must
have been once bit his ruined complex
ion and nloodsho; eyes, with their look of
devil -may-carc, told the tale Of tlissipatcd
years. Still, the men felt that they had
n master among them oncc more, and
neither bullet nor blade could nuke any
impression on their lir,nncss. though
their numbers diminished wofullv fasr.
md, owing To their commander bcinu
one of the rank and file like themselves.
the sharpshootcrs could not pick him out.
Their ammunition was failing. and they
knew that in u few minutes death mus,
await them rs surely us il did an hour
ago, when each was covering 10 save
himself, when suddenly they heard the
noise Of - machine gun and saw the
swarthy hordes of Arabs mown down.
The heart OF every one but the man wirh
the bloodshot eyes beat high. lie did
not value his life. In another moment
he was dead, pierced to the heart by II
shot fired by an Arab in his ilight--at
random. a moment later the General
dashed up at the head of his cavalry, and
the main force appeared at the top of the
ridges. The Arabs were in full flight
and the hissars were ordered 10 complete
the rout. II appeared that there had
pecn double trcachcry. The regiments
guide Was one of the enemy, who had led
Them into Il crap and with the enemy was
an Arab i'll the service Of the English
who had Slipped away at the earliest OPP
portun.iy and ia.:cn the alarm To .ne Ger
eral, who lad hss:encd to the rescue with
his full force. The General found the
soldiers crowded around fallen co.ni-,dc.
man in private uniform, with the regi-
mental colors in one hand and I'M officers
sword in the other.
He leapcd from his horse. and while
the saved men told the story OF the man
whose presence OF mind had saved them
he unbuttoncd the dead mans tunic and
shirt, for he had caught II glimpse of Il
slender god chain round the swarthv
neck. The Chain was attached to Il
leather wallet, brown with sweat and wet
with the blood from his death wound.
1t hung next his skin. The General
opened it rcvcrcntly, and, rs he examined
it the rough soldiers standing around
him were moved, for tears rolled down
their cheeks. The wallet contained only
three things tress of hair, fair and
silky, the miniature of beautiful Young.
girl with II delicate, high-bred face, and
Il letter, worn by being carried about in
the pocket, addressed: Captain the
Honorable Charles lie Grey, Whites. y
The paper inside was coroneted and the
writing splashed with tears; the Eo;c was
very brief:
"My first and last darling-After this terri
bic morning / can never, never marry you
can never see you again. But, by my hope
of heaven, / am yours and yours only till
die. She whose fondest wish on earth was to
be your wife. G. Gu
&c. c., Gwcndolin Carbs," said the
General in husky voice, and he kissed
the letter and miniature fondly, and re-
turning them to the wallet, put them in
his pocket. Bring the body to my
tent" he commanded, and they hastily
Knocked up IL stretcher, and on it they
laid the body of Pie. Harris, with the
boy-oiiicer's sword in his hand, and the
tattered colors of the regiment laid over