West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-10-17
WAS IT A CRIME!
A cHAPLAIN's STORY.

A cHAPLAIN's STORY.
It was with that question on his lips
that Corporal Jack fell out OF rank in
the march Of life and deserted to the
majority.
He has been answered by now, but for
me 1t Is still a question, and as such l
tell my story and in my turn, ask my
readers
What is a crimel
1t was during the first year of the war
that John Holiday enlisted in the
Twenty-tifth Georgia Infantry, of which
regiment / was Chaplain, and from that
hour until his death, two years after, at
the battle of Antietam, the Confederacy
never had more daring, reckless de-
fender.
He was a stern, reserved man among
his companions, never joining In their
conversations around the camp fire, or
taking part in their frolics, but becom-
ing almost cheerful on the eve of
battle
In appearance Jack was not prepossess-
ing-over six feet in height, and of mag
niticent build, he was the very beau ideal
Of soldier, but his face was positively
ugly. Small, deep set gray eyes looked
out from under q bush of reddish eye
6rows, while his high, thin nose and ca
daVerous complexion, emerged from a
second bush of reddish beard, which hid
the rest of his face, and left his mouth
an impenetrable mystery.
But il Jacks mouth was mystery
Jack himself was an enigma, and ac-
eepted as such by his comrades. Formy
own part, /, too, accepted him, but not
until after several futile efforts to solve
the riddle
Jack always met me with the same re-
spectful manner and same blank wall of
reserve, but it was owing to those kindly,
Il mistaken efforts of mine, that / owe
my present knowledge of his story.
The year Of suffering and hardship had
passed, and it was the eve of the battle
Of Antietam. We had had busy day.
and had just thrown myself down,
worn out with fatigue, TO get a little
sleep, when / was reused by Corporal
Jack. He had pushed open the fly of my
tent, and stood in the opening, his form
dimly outlined against the summer twi-
light sky.
bNB lOhA tdihOus MI oOhelETs NAV
have word with you, sirl" he said,
saluting me respectfully.
had by no means lost interest in the
regiment "enigma, as he was called,
and signifed my assent, motioning him
10 a seat on the ground by my side He
took it in silence, and in obstinate silence
I waited for his confidence. knew nv
man too well by this time to attempt TO
hasten it. The result proved my wis
dom. After apparently last, sharp
struggle with his habitual reserve, Jack
plunged in one sentence into the very
heart Of his story
Mr.. Boteler," he said hoarsely, "three
years ago 1 committed what the law
would call a crime. call il an act of
justice. Will you hear my story, and
judge between the law and me?'
sat up, startled out Of fatigue; here
wns a story with a vengeance. But imi.
'ating his conciseness, said quietly:
Il am ready to hear the case, Cor
poral
f'Fo make you understand my story,
must go back fifteen years, " resumed
Jack, calmly. 'At that time / was a boy
Of twenty, experimenting the home
plantation for my father, who was
small planter in Mcintosh County. There
we're only three Of us-father, brother
James and T.
MY mother was dead, aud Tor years
We had seen no white woman in our
house, except our housekeeper. an elder
ly maiden lady, and distant relative OF
my father. You can imagine the revela-
ton il was 90 rs then, when Aunt Mile
Payne died and her little orphan daugli
ter came to live in our quiet old house.
Dorothy-her name was Dorothy-was
only ten years old when she came 20
MS, a lovable, hesdstroug little creature.
with great brown eyes, and a mass Of un-
tidy, red brown curls. that were the trial
IF the child's life.
''She was not pretty then; her face
was too thin and brown, aud in manner.
/ avn afraid she was u tOmb0y, but even
then loved heP and thought her beau
tiful. She was fond 0f me, too. i'm
way, end was always with me. indoors
and out. When my father wanted 70
send her away 10 school 10 was through
my pcrsuasions that be was induced 20
engage a goyerness for her, o thing very
unusual with people Of our class But
nothing was too good for my darling.
The Corporal broke of suddenly his
voice had shaken suspiciously over that
last word and ne waited y moment to
regain his self-control, before he resumed
in bis ordinary tone
you must excuse me, sir, for dwell
ing on this part Of my story Try to
keep In mind that those years were the
only happy ones Of my life, and you will
appreciate the struggle It is for me to
turn from them to the MISERY that fol
lowed.