The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-04

forthwith he sought out the headquarters of
the general in command.
General he said when he had found
that officer-"G General, want to fight"
The general was bluff, big-faced, stern
man, but good hearted as we'll.
"And who the devil do you want to fght!''
he inquired, as with twinkle in his gray
eyes he glanced over Felton's emaciated
form and thin, shrunken and flushed face.
''The enemy" said FELTON,.
tired" said the officer. II don't object.''
Some one who was standing by laughed
uproariously, especially short, stout ar
tillery officer, whose stiff, reddish beard
grew almost up to his eyes.
FELTON, turned about, and as he went
away he heard this officer say, in chatting
tone:
''That's the first man I've seen lately that
Jest naturally wanted to fight"
Literally and truly dying for fight"
some one else remarked. "Looks like a
maniac."
All this cut FELTON, to the heart. Silent,
desperate, his brain hot and his veins all
distended, he returned home to find heavy
battery of artillery planted above the house
on the mountain side.
His mother and sister were not there.
''Sent EN- to the rear,'' said a soldier.
And if you've got any brains you'll foller
'em. This here's no place for Teller like
you.''
Three or four cannon began booming far
up the valley, accompanied by rattling,
desultory sound of musketry.
Don't you hear that?' the soldier con-
tinued. "lf rs you I'd make tracks for
some safe place.
thetic one. but it hurt FELTON,. He went in
| to the silent, deserted house and looked
| around for moment in a half-bewildered
| way; then he took down from the wall his
old, heavy tlint-locked rifle and powder
horn and bullet-pouch. Bearing these he
went forth into the woods and up to the
| top of the mountain. From his favorite
| seat he could see the brigades and regi-
ments marching and counter marching to
| take their places in what soon began to be
| a long, crescent-shaped line of battle.
There was no enemy in sight as yet. but
there soon would be, for heavy clouds of
dust rolled up along the distant roads of
ing away in the woods beyond the little
river.
Nightfall was near. and FELTON,, as he had
done many time before, remained ON the
height till morning.
II was very dark night, without moon or
cloudy; dull fleece lay against the sky,
more like smoke than clouds.
Strange enough we're Felton's thoughts
I and feelings as, half esleep, half awake, he
listened to the sounds down the valley.
His whole life passed in review before
him. He had never known q day of genu-
inc happiness; he had been simply dragging
| on to death, without, aim, without hope.
Why had he been born into the world? He
addressed the question to the vast universe,
and to the God of it.
All through the night he coughed a good
deal, and his chest was burdened with a
| smothering sensation. He thought of his
mother and sister, wondering if they were
safe, but the thousands of little lights down
| in the valley disturbed his mind in some
| strange way. He listened almost breath
lessly to the far-reaching but confused
sounds of the army.
| Suddenly he knew that he was dying and
| he felt great sinking in his breast. His
| gun fell from his knees as he cast one more
look over the lights in the gloomy valley.
and then the myriad of sounds down there
! filed his mind with visions of the morrow's
battle, in which he could take no part. A
cold sweat stood in heavy beads upon his
| body, his limbs, his face. He stretched him.
self. pale and cold, upon the ground, and
lay there still.
The battle began at daylight, and by 10
o'clock q. m. it was at its height all along
| the line.
| The enemy made assault after assault
each time gaining a little ground at some
point and holding it with desperate valor
At the FELTON, house a strange night was
going on. The red bearded artillery ofhcel
was in command of the battery there, ane
the enemy had pushed forward some gun
into position on the salient OF rocky hui
only 400 yards away. The shells OF thes
gyms were beginning 70 fall Mtp aH9pl rs