Wichita eagle., 1889-06-20

! pered TO him that II contained The inrorma
ton by which they had caught the UnioniSts
| The general sat mute, with the unopened
paper between his fingers. 4 reproof fol-
his subordinate was on his tongue, but he did
not speak it. In warfare it Is essential to ex
anime private papers. The boy who had
done them so signal q service had been robbed
of his childish scrawl and the information il
contained had been used to surprise that
boys father. With bowed head the soldier
handed the paper to the little girl
At this moment the wounded boy caught
sight Of his father lying stiff and stark on
the bed.
"Popl" he exclaimed, with moan, "popr'
He had never seen death, but something
told him that this was death. With diff
Guilty he raised himself and sat up on the
lounge.
did you shoot my popr' be asked, looking
with his great, honest eyes at the lieutenant
Without word the officer turned as one
might turn from a storm of bullets, and left
the house The boy fastened q reproachfUl
gaze on the general
What d y let him shoot my pop furf'
MY boy-my little hero" began the sol
der. He could not go on How could be
make child understand the necessities Of war
Chivalrous war! that permitted him to read
q child's letter and kill the childs father.
II didn't do nothen to you uns What d
you uns want t so n kill my pop furf'
moaned the boy.
Little Maggie was standing by, looking on
with childish wonder.
Mag" said Tom, Il writ v that letter.
writ it all myself; all ont. The sojers token
it, reckon"
The general drew the girl up to the lounge,
and put her hand in that of the boy. The two
children remained in this position to the end.
The boy soon began TO wander. He was rid
ing with the paper pellet in his mouth; he was
passing the pickets; he was convcrsing with
officers and soldiers. All the while the gene
raj was trying to soothe him, smoothing back
the uncombed locks from his forehead, or
pouring a little water between his lips
Suddenly the boy sat up.
I'm a-goen' fur to be capn" he shouted
then fell back, dead
One may fancy the angel fiend of war-if
such there be-looking down on this scene
with grim satisfaction. Even in an innocent
child there was the germ Of that thirst for
glory which. melted by the ambition Of ADLER
brains furnishes food for battle fields
The next afternoon the army, beginning q
movement for which the little courier had
paved the way, had struck its tents and WAS
marching along the road that led past the
Lane house. As the head Of column emerged
from wood, the men saw d funeral pro
ceSsion, composed OF some officers, soldiers
and few country people. leave the house
and march along to an inclosed lot in field
near blythe family burial place
Two oosfins, the one but half thu sire Of the
other were borne BY Confederate soldiers.
They contained the bodies Of Tom Lane,
father, and Tom Lane, son. the one OF the
Union, and the other OF the Coutederacy
Directly behind walked the general: then
company Of soldierS-a captains escoCt-snd
next group OF ueighbors
The procession moved slowly onward 70 tbs
incloSure IN which grave had been dug.
The two Collins were lowered, and laid side
BIZ side in tie one grave, The general, wLc
held in his hands bundle Of green sprigs,
cast them into the grave. Tie earth WIS
shoveled in and volley fired by tie soldiers
over the grave.
By this time the head OF the advancing col
uInn had reached the burial plane. whore the
general was standing with uncovered head
while the last shovelfuls OF earth were being
thrown upon the grave. The men Of I'D army
ara quick 10 gather news, and not soldier
bu. knew already the story Of thetw Lanes