Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-01-17
SHE SAVED HIS LIFE.
A Little Girls Present stops Bullet and
Prevents n Soldiers Death.

Prevents n Soldiers Death.
was merely child when the war
broke out, but being a good operator on
the sewing machine l was able to do
considerable work on uniforms for the
soldiers.
l heard old Dan Poynette, an elderly
man who had just enlisted, say one day
that he dreaded neuralgia in the head
more than the enemy's bullets, S. made
him a scarlet cap out of an old night
cap that had belonged to my grand
father.
There were some scraps left over, out
of which l concluded to make him pin
wheel, putting two silver dollars in the
inside that l had saved up.
He tried on the cap, declared it would
be the saving of his life, wondered that
he or his wife had not thought to make
one, and, taking up the pin holder,
asked what it was, and cried out at its
heft. "What has the child got in itT he
said, balancing it on his hand.
ooh, if you ever get hungry just take
it to a suffers tent and-eat it," l sung
out, dancing away on a hippety-hop.
Early on the following morning the
boys marched gayly away.
Again we went back to picking lint
and watching the telegraph dispatches.
Then the air seemed to fill again with
recruiting officers, more men had been
called for, and we saw brave boys march
ing up and enrolling their names. There
was news of battles, and the awful
words, "Killed," Wounded" "Miss-
ing" flooded the land with tears.
In one of the lists we read the name of
Dan Poynette among the wounded. We
thought pityingly of the wife and chill
dren and offered them all the help pos
sible. There were many lis for help
in those days, and every hea TT was sore
and bleeding.
dan has three wounds his wife told
US, mot any of them fatal. lie expects
to get entirely well, but he SAYS tell the
little one he has mimic ball lol ged Just
over his heart, fattened against pin
wheel, if you know what that is, I
1on't."
claspe1 my hands in ecstasy. Then
ny silver dollars had saved his life.
lad builded better than l knew. l think
me knowledge would send a thrill OF
pleasure through the consciousness OF
,ne grown staid and reserved with
years, but to me, an impulsive child, il
was simply delightful.
Dan never grew entirely WELL as he
had hoped, but was given an honorable
discharge and sent home with knee
that would never bend again.
On the evening of his first day at home
he came hobbling over to our house
wearing his bullet riddled uniform, tc
show us the dent in the outer silver dol
ar of his pin holder.
81 don't know that l ever killed 6
man," he said, looking down to me with
smile; II hope not, though 1 shot al
them. But I'd rather be in your place
little one, and know for sure that | haC
saved a mans life than wear a generals
straps" He had been promoted fol
bravery and given a colOnefs straps, Sc
took my compliment proudly.
"The nightcap saved me many an ache
know, for l have not had an attack Of
neuralgia since | began to wear it. II
never be without one again, but it was
the money that saved my life. There il
nothing between me and a trench in Vir
ginia, but that he said, holding it on
in his hand.
Mrs. Poynette came across the room
and, STOPPING down, kissed me. | fun
bled in my small pocket for a handker
chief, but failing to find one slipped on
when no one noticed and mopped up in,
eyes on the corner of my print apron.
Its an awful jolly thing to save
mans life" l muttered but (snifD i
(sniff) sorter makes one feel kinder fun
ny."-New York journal.