Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-02-12
HOW JOE LOST HIS ARM.

lAko featner wen HOaC IN my Rutntroo canoe.
The clerk of the Pretty Jane had a
mellow voice, and blended sweetly with
it was little Jennie's childish treble.
He sat upon the deck of the little
steamboat gazing around on the bright
waters of the Tombigbee as the sun
danced on them, gazing intently, and
smiling absently to himself.
He was man of about thirty, and his
right coat sleeve was empty and pinned
upon his heart.
Little Jennie leaned upon his knee,
staring him intently IN the face in a way
that children have. She pushed her
broad brimmed hat back from her eyes
SO that she might stare the better. The
hat was q queerly shaped palmetto
structure, for this was in '63, and clothes
were at premium. She was the child
Of one of the passengers, and between
her and the clerk quite a friendship had
sprung up.
''And did you sure enough meet your
Julia here on the Tombigbee?" asked the
child, stroking the empty sleeve with q
plying touch.
''Yes," said the clerk, reused from his
reverie and smiling down on the eager lit
tie face; 81 have often taken her rowing
on the Tombigbee before the war, when
/ had my other arm"
Chow nicer said Jennie. "How nice!
And in a gumtree canoe?"
"Well, I wasn't particular as to the
kind of canoe, so it was canoe" said
he, smiling.
"And your Julia amt named Julia,
but Mary Jane, after all, )" said the child.
"Yes," said he, "but she's just as
sweet as if her name was Julia, though
'twouldn't fit in the song so we'll"
"No, you couldn't say, 4 rowed my
Mary Jane SO true 'Twould make the
song too long legged"
"True," said he, Laughing, "but that
makes no difference. | think of her
while I sing it, SO that it seems as if it
was her name"
sWell, Mr.. Perkins" said Jennie, 'tell
me why haven't you married your Julia,
if you've been rowing her around in
your gumtree canoe these ever so many
years%
s'You see," said the mate smiling, "my
Julia couldn't make up her mind that
she loved me till the war broke out and
volunteered; then she said directly
she'd marry me, but twas too late then;
Ihad to go off TO fight.
ssYou had both of your arms thenr' in
terrupted Jennie; ''you was born with
emp
'sOf course, child. Did you ever hear
of any one born with one arm? Nature
don't ever make no such cobbled, lop-
sided work as that"
sWell, if you had both of your arms
then, don't see why she wouldn't have
you."
''Bless you, child, everybody had
plenty of arms then; that was no in
duoement to take fellow. But, as I
was saying, when she found was going
of to the war and might get killed, then
she found that she loved me-"
'tShe'd rather marry you than that
you should get killed." said Jennie.
fsYes, I think she ought, after you rowed
her around in the canoe"
'tYou are right" said Perkins, laugh
ing; "but twas too late to marry her
then. We agreed that if ever got back
safely, when the war was over, we'd
marry"
"Tell me now, how you came to lose
your arm," said Jennie.
"'Twas in one of the great battles
around Richmond that year. had beer
in many fights before, but this was
about the hottest. The enemy were
hound to get the hill on which we stood
and we were holding on desperately
But at last the boys began to waver anG
give way. Then our colonel came ou
to the front, and the rest Of our officer,
followed him, and they ran up and dow
the lines cheering up the men.
"'Steady, my boys said the old colo
mel; keep pouring it into them. Steady
Re-enforcements will soon be here
Never let it be said that the line brok
where the Alabamians stoodp
t'The whole air seemed black witt
shot and shell. A piece of one grazet
the colonel's cheek, and the blood KEEP
trickling down his face, but he didn'
seem to feel it. The firing grew 80 no
that the men seemed fairly mowet
down, and the line began to waver ant
break. Suddenly, clear OH our right
there arose tremendous yell. It grew
louder and louder, and ran down tn
line toward us. Then, at last, we saw
courier galloping down the line. I shal
never forget how he looked. His blacl
horse was all white with foam and it
fanks were bloody from his spur. HI
rode bare headed down the line as if b
bore charmed life, and he kept wavin
his cap around his head and shouting
something to the men, and as they hear,
him the wavering line rallied and sen
up deafening cheers. Then he gallope,
by where we were and yelled:
"'Rally, men! rally! Stonewall Jack
son is in their rear, and giving 'em suit!
''Then we cheered, too, until we wer
hoarse. The courier galloped on, AM
presently our officer shouted:
forward men; charged
NAnd away we went, down the hil
and across n field, right toward th
Yankee lines, yelling like Indians,
II held the colors in my hand. and
ran little ahead. | didn't seem to hay
any feet; seemed to Gy, and the me
Emperor William is said to be huI