The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-08-02

| - sGs
| a--~Tt s-
BACK, BACK, THEIR LINE WAS FORCED.
the badly decimated regiment IN com
mand of the senior Captain, Luke made a
diligent search among the slain Confeder
ates.
HE may be killed." said the Colonel
sand if so will find him and give him Chris
tian burial. If he is wounded l will be his
nurse until he is restored to health"
But though he searched two days he
could not find the body.
At the last days search he returned to
his tent, and was sitting in it, weak and
sick at heart, when he heard his guard
challenge some one. A moment later the
guard, putting his head in at the tent door,
said:
Here's niger, Colonel, that wants to
see you"
"Yes, Massa Luke, is got sumpIn fob
We" said a familiar voice that thrilled tine
Colonel
admit himr' said Luke. staggering to
his feet. A giant negro stalked into the
up to taunt me with this mystery. Out
with it, man or devil, whichever you are
tell me what YOU want!'
"rve got lettah for massa, dat am ALL
and the negro handed the Colonel bit of
folded paper. 81 promised to bring it to
you, massa, and I've done it."
Opening it, Colonel Mason was astounded
to find the brief note in the handwriting of
his betrothed. 1t read:
"DEAR LUKE: II Heaven has spared you,
and good fortune should permit you to receive
this, come to US at once. Albert is badly
wounded. Colonel Morgan is also here, NOR
tally wounded. I fear. Blackhawk, whom
accidentally met, will guide you. LILLE"
Tenderly folding the note he thrust it
into his pocket next his heart, and turning
to Blackhawk said:
"Can you take me to the housed"
ayes, sab"
"How far is lt?''
"'Bout six miles, sab, may be seven"
Did you walk or ride!"
NV all1ed, massa; couldn't find boss"
"Well, Blackhawk, we must get horses to
ride back
At this moment the door OF the tent was
darkened by the appearance of a white
haired soldier, who had a bapdage about his
head and one arm in a sling.
s'Whar We gwine. Kernel:" he asked, with
the familiarity of a friend.
'Ishall leave camp for short time, Tom -
Il jist came ter tell .e, Kernel. that
Max IL grumble no more"
"What ,-dead"
"Yes, Kernel, jist breathed his last"
show is Ned Cotton:"
"First rate, / reckon; the doctor TUX his
leg off ter day and thinks he'll live, but
Ned's almost tuckered OUT
sDid you find Bill Snow!"
"Yes, n buried him"
Colonel Mason bowed his head, and for a
moment was lost in painful thought. Then,
with sigh, he said:
'Tom, l am the only one of the original
five who escaped unframed. 1t is sad, but
it is the fortunes of war;
KERNEL I've follered We through thick n
thin; I've fit every time at yer side, n I'm
sorry l can't go Wi you this time. Sumthin'
might happen, We know"
"No, no, Tom; stay with your dead friend
and see him decently buried, nurse Ned un-
til he is able to go home. There is no dan
ger, for the enemy are all out of the imme-
date neighborhood. A wounded friend has
sent for me, and must 60"
The wounded veteran of the "Hornet's
Nest" could make no answer. Those eyes
that had long been dry grew moist with
tears, and wringing his Colonel's hand he
said:
"They're all gone but you an me, Kernel,
n next it III be old Tom. But won't kick
Goodbye
Luke left him and with his guide mounted
the horses he had ordered, and they began
their journey. On every side Of the road
little mounds of fresh earth marked the
last resting place of some brave soldier,
who wore either the blue or gray.
Shiloh's stubborn fight taught both North
and South a lesson. They learned that
there were men of metal on both sides.
They were brothers of the same family and
equally brave.
Luke could not repress q shudder when
the groans of some dying wretch in the
brush at the roadside reached his ears.
Altar off in the wood could be seen torches
moving about. They seemed the lights of
ghouls or ghosts who lowered over the field
of the slain. There still remained many
dead yet in the woods who had to be gath
cred up, and those lights belonged to the
searchers of the slain. The forest, which
but few days before had been the scene of
such pandemonium, was now silent as the
tomb The intense darkness, broken only
here and there by the ghoulish-like lights
that fitted about, seemed to cast an ap-
palling gloom over the battlefield, magnify
ing instead of decreasing its horrors.
Are you acquainted with this countrym
Colonel Mason asked Blackhawk as they
passed beyond the outlying pickets.
"Yes, massa, has been all ober it many
a time. Vars ago / lived fur a week in
desc woods"
"Iu the woods. Were you a runaway"
"Don' talk bout dat, massa; it am all over
now"
Blackhawk, won't you explain that mys-
terry to me, at which you have intimated
time and again? Who are you! Who am 1!
For feel that you have my past history
locked up in your breast"
81 will tole yo' soon, massa, but not now:
no time now'' After few moments ST.
lence Luke said:
Blackhawk, where were you during the
battle!"
Fright in t. massa. from fust to last.
fought all de time and kill UNI; cher so
many" The chuckle of infinite satisfaction
which followed this sent a thrill of horror
through Luke's frame, and he almost
loathed the cold- blooded, heartless African.
In order to change the subject he asked:
"Did you see Lille Neff"
"Yes, massa; I saw Miss Lille on de
berry fust day oh de fight. She came to