Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-02-13
JOE LOST lis ARM.

NtuEln.t TOW away row . CT the MNIafa Sc Ltuet
Like a feather Wen doat 20 my gumtres canoe.
The clerk of the Pretty Jane had a
mellow voice, and blended sweetly with
it was Ettle Jennie's childish treble.
He sat upon the deck Of the little
steamboat gazing around on the bright
waters Of the rombigbee as the sun
danced on them gazing intently, and
smiling absantly to himself.
He vas a man of about thirty. and his
right coat sleeve was empty and pinned
upon his heart.
Little Jennie leaned upon his knee,
staring him i~ntently 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 a queerly shaped palmetto
structure, for this was in 'G3. and clothes
were at a 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 hero on the Tcm5igbeey' asked the
child, stroking the empty sleeve with a
pitying touch.
eyes" said the clerk, reused from his
reverie and smiling down on the eager lit
tie face: Il have often taken her rowing
On the Tombigbee before the war, when
l had my other arm
"How nicer said Jennie. Glow NIGEL
And in a guntree canocY"
"Well, l wasn't particular Us to the
kind Of canoe, 50 it WIS u canoe eaid
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 Jalia, though
'twouldn't fit in the song SO we'll"
no, you couldn't say, i rowed my
Mary Jane so true 'Twould mako the
song too long leg 3ed."
''True," said he, laughing, "but that
makes no difference. l think Of her
while l sing it, 50 that it seems rs il it
was her name"
"Well, DIR. Perkins" said Jennie, "tell
me why haven't you married your Julia,
if you've been rowing her around in
your guintree canoe these ever so many
years."
"YoIGce," said the mate smiling. "my
Julia couldn't make up her mind tAar
she loved me till the war broke ont and
l volunteered; then she said directly
she'd marry me, but twas too late then;
! had to gOOL to fight
"You had both Of your arms Them in
terrupted Jennie; you WA born with
emf
"Of course, child. Did You ever hear
Of any one born with n ar-n? Nature
don't ever make no saol coObled, lop-
sided work as that"
"Well, if you had both Of yoar arms
then, 1 don't see why she woulda't have
you"
"Bless you, child, everybody had
plenty of arms then; that was 10 in
ducement to take a fellow. But, rs l
was saying, when she found I was going
off to the war and might get killed. then
she found that she loved me-
She'd rather marry yoa than that
you should get killed." said jennie.
Eyes, l think she ousit, after you rowed
her around in the canoe"
you are right, said Perkins. laugh
ing; bur twas too late to marry her
then. We agreed thatif ever 1 got back
safely, when the war was over, we'd
marry"
"Te1 me now, how you came to lose
your arm" said jeanne.
"'Twas in one OF the great battles
around Richmond that year. Ihad been
in many fights IefCre, but this was
about the hottest. The enemy were
bound to get the hin on which we stood,
and we were holding On desperately.
But at last the boys began to waver and
give way. Then ON colonel came out
to the front, and the rest OF our officers
followed him, and thsy ran up and down
the lines cheering up tue men.
Steady, my boys, said the old colo
mel; keep pouring II into them. Steady
Re-enforcements VIII 500 be here.
Never let it be said that the line broke
where the Alabamians stood.
"The whole air seemed black with
shot and shell. A piece Of one grazel
the colonels check, and the b.ooi KEEP
trickling down mis- face, but he dida1.
seem TO feel it. The firing grew so 10.
that the men seemed fairly move
down, and the line began 40 wavcr q
break. Suddenly, clear on our D.
there arose a tremendous ysN. III Bfe
louder and louder, all ran down
line toward Ge. Ih.a al b. L, we
courier gdoping 90 IT, hlc. Ia-
never forget how h. is,,l. Ills l.l.
horse was al whiss Nl.4 ..t-l aal 4.|
hanks We're bloody lf.A nii hp.I l.
rode base headed down tis Ia l.
bore a charmed lie, and la L.Jl aa,las
his cap around his head and shouting
something 10 the men, aud as thay heard
him tho wayering iine rallied ana sent
up deaiening cheers. Then he galloped
by where we were and yelled:
"'Rqily, wellr4ilyi 5tonewau Jack
son IS ia their rear, and giving 'ein suit
''Inen we cheered, too, until we were
hoarse. The courier gGiioped on, and
presently our officer shoutels
FORWARD men; cns4gel
"Ard away we went, down TIE hli
and across "a field, right toward t.s
Yankee lines, yelling lze Indiaiss.
~ held Tie colors ia my hand, anil
ran Itle ahead. didn't seem % have
any toe1. segioed 70 ay, aid Gao @en