Passaic City record., 1891-09-26
CAPTAIN SMEDLEY.
A Romance of the Civil
War.
BY MAI. JAMES F. FITS.
CHAPTER xvII-Continued.


Doctor, must get back into the serv.
Ice.
NO, you mustn't"
II tell YOU, I will! I can't bear thit
idleness and inactivity. Hundreds o,
men have been worse wounded than /, anc
taken the field again."
And helped fill q graveyard soor
efte-."
u don't care. shall fret myself te
death here"
You uneasy, discontented devil! Why
can't you be satisfied with what you've
done and suffered already?"
I can't-that's all. Will you help me
to get back into the service?"
"How?"
Write me certificate that am fit fol
active duty"
as bad as that"
DO the best you can.'
The Doctor seized pen, and in con-
siderable irritation scratched off the fol
lowing, and put his name and rank to it
Charles Smedley, late Lieutenant
Colonel of the Tennessee Mountain Bat
talon, was badly wounded before Vicks.
burg, May 22, and discharged on that
account He il: so far recovered that he
can walk and ride, but his is case where
complete recovery is impossible. He
fcolishly desires to re-enter the service
If he does, the exposure and fatigue OF
active duty will kill him, even if he
should escape another bullet"
The irate Surgeon threw down his pen
pushed over the paper to Smedley, and
growled:
There, - is that strong enough fol
your"
Ff1l. l.. L. 80 ox,I fn1
statement perused it, and quietly said:
Doctor please add underneath some
thing like this: Mr.. Smedley has read
the above, and still insists on applying
for reinstatement and active service
We'll, I'll be II" laughed the Doctor
as his mood changed. You're a trump
anyway. Write out your application and
I'll take it to our General here myself
If you re bound to see it out, even if you
go under yourself, I suppose I might as
we'll help along with it.
The application was duly forwarded,
and all that fall while Smedley anxiously
waited, it slowly ascended the official
channels to Washington, being we'll
scored on the back as it progressed with
Endorsements. One day in the following
February the applicant received note
requesting him to call at headquarters.
liz w pCOpiO LA Q 4CbulaOo
your application, Smedley, said the
Adjutant, with queer look. Here it is.
Rejected, I suppose, remarked the
other, dolefully.
Look at it and see."
Beginning at the top of the first fold
he ran his eye down, over to the top OF
the next fold, and down again. Every.
where he read Approved" with fattering
and complimentary remarks, signed by
names we'll known to him. Near the enc
his breath was nearly taken away as ht
read the following:
@Emphatically approved. Colonel Smed
ley's record is we'll known to me. running
back as far as the Mexican war. 1t is o.
the very best As for his physical condi
tion-if he think he can stand more ser
vice he can, no matter what the doctors
say. He is competent and fit to be Brig
adler, and recommend him accordingly
Nv. L. SHERMAN, NJ. G.
Under this he read:
Approved: U. S. GRANT, NJ. G.. c."
Charles Smedley turned pale and faint
why, heavens and earth, he gasped
what does all this mean?"
1T means that you've made bigger fig
ure thar you thought. replied the Adju
tant. AT any rate, they know you; ant
Uncle Billy has had his way, as usual
Here's something will interest you. Gen
eral Smedley, allow me to congratulate
you"
He handed him rolled parchment
With trembling fingers Smedley opened
it, and found himself commissioned BY
the President of the United States as
Brigadier General of Volunteers.
CHAPTER XVIII.
REST BY THE SEA.
Again in the service! Charles Smedle.
thrilled with renewed life as he tool
command of the brigade of veteran
Northwestern soldiers to which he ha,
been assigned, and first led them at Re
SAGA. The soldiers life, the soldier
duty were all that were left to him now
He sometimes thought of Isabel, but onl
as one thinks of some longvanished JOY
some dear, lost face. Any hope for tn
future with which she was associated wa
now utterly dead. AS men look back t.
.er1ve SAD species or enjoyment iron
the recollection of what was once within
their reach, but which they never car
possess. this man at times said to him
self that it was much to have touched
isabel Montford's hand, to have heart
her speak to him not unkindly, to hav'
seen her smile He was once sentimental
enough to write her namo upon paper
with the stanza underneath:
LET Fate do her worst, there are moments O
Bright scenes in the past that she cannot de
stroy,
which come in the nighttime of sorrow an'
And briag back the features that Joy used d
wear.
The picture Of Isabel that he had showI