Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-02-12
Right toward the blazing

followed me. Right toward the blazing
line we ran.
IAN at once saw the colonel, who
was riding by me, grasp the colors, for
they were falling. | looked and saw
that my hand, my whole arm was gone,
and I hadn't felt It'll I grabbed the flag
in my left hand.
"I can carry the colors yet, colonel
said. 4 don't feel any pain
81 ran on some fifty steps, when the
blood began spouting from my shoul-
der. dropped. Joe Ashe, one of the
color guards, snatched the flag, and they
all rushed on.
al fell senseless. / never knew an
other thing till weeks after, when Iwoke
up one day in Chimborazo hospital and
found some funny looking ladies' in black
bonnets, that the boys called the sis
ters, bending overme. If it hadn't been
for their good nursing, / should have
died"
Perkins ceased. He had been so car
ried away by the interest he felt in his
own narrative that be had gone quite
beyond his auditor.
sBut tell me, Joe," Jennie eagerly
asked-she had been impatiently waiting
for an opportunity for some minutes
''tell me, did you ever find your arm
that you droppedS'
''No; to be sure not. never went to
look for it,"
"You couldn't fasten it on again, then?"
"Of course not, child. am not a
jointed doll"
"What pity you couldn't" said the
child "What pityi And how do you
manage to dress yourself and tie your
cravat and shoes?' she asked, for she had
been burning to make these inquiries
ever since she had seen the one armed
confederate.
"'Twas awkward at first, but I learned
at last to do it with the help of my teeth" !"
''But how when you get old and lose
em?" said Jennie, who was of an inves-
tigating mind.
Providence will raise me up some
other way, he said with a pathetic smile.
"Tll have my wifeto wait on me-"
"To be sure. forgot; Miss Mary Jane
will. What did she sayf"
81 got one of the sisters to write her
for me, and set her free. said l
wouldn't bind her to poor cripple like
me-"
"And she said no, sir-reel 'spose,
cried Jennie, full of fiery zeal for her
new friend.
Something to that effect" said Joe,
smiling.
sShe wrote me that she loved me more
with one arm than she ever had done
with two. And whenever I could get
home she was ready" Here Joe's eyes
filed and he gazed steadily in the water.
"Well, now, Joe," said Jennie, who
was suddenly struck with bright idea,
''maybe if you would lose both arms
she'd love you betterer and betterer."
81 believe I'm satisfied with what she
feels now," said Joe, laughing.
"But why hain't you married." con.
tinued Jennie, pursuing her investiga-
tions.
Because I first had to get well, and
then I had to get something to do.
had been q mechanic, and I couldn't
work at my trade with my left hand
So Capt. Ramsey gave me place ON his
boat, and I've been trying to learn how
to write, so that can keep his books.
think I'm doing pretty well. See."
He drew from his pocket a little blanl
book in which were scrawled divers
hieroglyphics, at which he gazed com
placently.
"Why, yes," said Jennie approvingly
"There's It. with the cross mark, ant
there is * with his broken back, ant
that's an H. I know him by his eye
brow. You see I can read a little" sh'
said proudly.
: $50 I see," said he, laughing and put
ting up his book. "Now I must go
! The sun has set. 1t is time for me II
see after things for the night"
He stroked Jennie's curly head witt
his left hand, and walked away, softl,
singing in his mellow voice, my Ow1
Mary Ann."-Paul Grant in Atlant
Constitution.