The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-05-31


"o~E SIcHr We WERE sIrrISa- nrGnr HERE
near by: this gave me the nance to ask a
question:
II suppose over there H. your headquar-
tiers most Of the time. SAM"
mo. sir There's Just where you don
hit II. There has not been a drop Of that 70
into my mouth since the day J promised
hsr.f
IL was a neat house. with a goosS old col
ored servant. / was taken to and + eAioyed
my supper with the old sergeant and the
hoy. and then. in the moonlight. on that
Memorial Day, he and l sitting alone.
enjoying our pipes. old Color-Sergeart Sam
told me his story:
when we left the service. coinnel,
having neither kith nor kin, came out here
with Leftenant Foster. he needed ms 10
help hold him up in one way. and / surely
needed him 10 hold me on from some ofmy
~nvs
Well. been married, rs you may
nsember. 90 his leave OF absence at~cut a
wear before we left, 80 we both went 10
work 70 fix up this place for the wife and
little one. aad | worked square and honest.
though ! stTtl took my grog mighty regular,
and was mighty fond Of il too
when We got all things here ready Tor
Inspection aud review. then the Leftcnant
he rarts down 70 II. Louis 70 get his
back pay ansS final settlements and 20 bring
the wife and bany home. He had some
money OF miro, and before he started he
gave X 70 me. anil all that money and most
Of mvtimc I gent at that tavern YOU see
over there.
know xnat | am. Colonel. when I'm
on the Dose. asd ! guess got that time
worse than ev.r. having no commanding
otficrr whatever. and | kept il NJ. day and
night. until l was Graz, as a hoss in a barn
a fire
II didn't hn~c any idea just when the
Leftena1f. was coming home. and so cns
night a. 1 came rolling back here. full
A. | cou al hols9 70 my back teeth. I spied
through the window a man moving about
in the front rossn: 'twnSn't an instant be-
fDre l ws in there and had him In my
RIP. | raised hln up and was Just about
20 bring him rs one smash on the floor
when ~omething somebody all IN ~ hite
kind Of finats,l - my side and laid a hand
N my arm
sam. sam. Il Is Your Ieftcnant'' that il
sylrat ! heapi. arrl a child could have fin
tsssd me tier.
syon've, heard men say. sir. how they
sometimes wished the earth could swallow
them TINT : ho~ | felt 80 little. 80 brave.
80 .tuict-I si,in'f dare 20 louk NJ her. !
lust laid tia I.frenant Down and turned t.
.paway forever
".Snln. ,rssrs, here " i'm me come 70 Your
rr<m.' shD sai,l ! obcyet better than even l
did..vcn yvir orders. sir; hut ] didn't dare
to look at tsr. lou sse she knew me fron
what he bnk told her. and her grand heal
oould forgive all that.
~ .a. ~. ..x. ln.l ~rI ahA Irnt0If rsa
mytea ant soup. mase by her OWN han Vs.
and shs xt by me aud talked ~ me as no
on. ei-e s>ssr talked. nor could talk 10 me
neither preach nor spcld II MARATHON ct,
friendly. .sving talk and she hold me lHw
| naa saved her hisiand for er. and how
ne lext-t me and The 10y ri me md
Colonel. q fetched ne bad. 4, sched macy
nry wav. and she Kent and brought in a
wee bit N q babhy. and She says: sam. !
want ys,a t. look tier and , Uc for tfh lit
tie Sblrsey as you Il a for his athcr. a. 4 sou
mnt promise me nat you sill, for y trust
vvn. sam
"ArsA sir. ! did promise her Thu and
chsrc, and | put myself o especial duty 70
Garry the coiors efore thss boy, 70 carry
Them up and quarc 70 thu a mt and
thac promise ! h rc kept. md will keep 70
one end Of my lie. % hell tme, Cor
W. were veiy happy and wea-conten
here-all but me Isee III u she was wearin (
h<x life out for her boy and huband. hut
what could | ~. II was rot for ! - 70 speax.
Love her, ! "a love lsr-but not In t1s
~av that mets talk Of Losing wcnen Wat
could ] be To Aer. but SAM. ln1ser touc fsd
even the skiJs OF her ,ness. Love was not
\ the name ar H.
.she was fading ans fading away; n,-one
but me scsmed u nc licc IL, mt ! cousis see
IL every dy and hour. and aid not know
Ii I'D feel glad ar sorry. S3c did iDt be.
long hcr. she ~ kin to God and "a His
and her place was above.
.-Unc night we were sitting rirSt here
where we are noe. and sho heard little SID
give Il whimper nom his cot.
s..Im called she SAID and gSt up ans
went In.
"An hour aver I hear 4 the LcStcnnnt cry
an a jumped. we found her whsc and love
~ a. ever, WITH the baby Ia her arms
sxetchcd upon her he'd, but h hal gone
nome TO the tod tina: loved tier to the uo'
slc loved
sIt wasn't long before 10 went. too; h'
didn't seem 10 care 10 want ~ live afte
that and nothing could rally him, not ever
the tricks or little Sid, that was the peart
est baby YOU ever see, Just as he's tn
brightest hoy In the world now.
zone night. the little chap was in the 60
with me. and | heard the Lieutenant call 4
his weak voice;
sergeant. tho hoy, quick
III had Just time To raise the child 80 HI
; father could put his lips against the bah
check when l sec u was oil over with "