San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-11-04

IS ~
- -
Sdts gtrl'S likeness SGred him lCIIen he
meant TO die"
The first day of Gettysburg was over
Northerner and southerner alike had
fought their best, and the dead heaped
along the slope of Cemetery hill showed
that the contending hosts were worthy
of each other On the northern side
every general engaged, save one, had
had his horse killed under him On the
southern side General Rodes, riding up
to rebuke an infantry battalion which he
saw, as he thought, lying down to es-
cape the Yankee fire, found that they
were all corpses fallen in their ranks.
AL around the curving line of heights,
on which a vast crescent of bright spots
marked the northern position, another
fiery crescent showed where Lees men lay
encamped in readiness for the morrow's
battle, and a reckless fellow of Sickles'
division. posted to the left of Towards
position on Cemetery hill, said with
laugh, as he pointed to the far extending
lights:
THE Johnnies air SEEM good few
stars tonight, but | reckon we'll make
EN- see some more tomorrow"
Guess they may make some of US see
EN-. too, fore alls up" growled veter-
an. Them rebs kin fight some, so they
| kim
DRY up. Pete" cried third man;
you're a worse croaker than 'Neyer-die
Joe yonder. It's mercy he's asleep, or
we'd have him tellin' US who's to die to-
morrow, and maxim US all feel bad"
And the speaker glanced at man who
lay sleeping beside the fire, with its fitful
glare playing specially on his upturned
face. Bronzed and weather worn as it
was, that face was as delicate of outline
as woman's, and haunted all who saw
it with vague suggestion of one Of the
handsome, high bred. i'll fated cavaliers
of Charles l.
"He alters sleeps like that jist fore a
fight, said one man in an awestricken
whisper; the only time he's happy is
when he thinks he's gwine to die!"
Darn my skin if | know what to
uldhC vi ul4IIt duNlCu SSSOlll IluSC,
heavy, good natured giant from Illinois.
He'd whip Old Nick himself at fightin
he whipped me once. as you know, and
faint every man kin do that; and he
mout ha' been promoted a dozen times
over if he'd liked. But no, not he! he
alters says he wants nothin' but to die!'
We'll, it's rough on him if he can't
-, -
leetle thing like that When I'm
a-gwine to die | don't mind changin
with him, or maybe the gineral I'D hang
him as great favor if he was to beg
hard"
He's queer sort, that's fact He
looks like gal and talks as soft as a
child, but in battle, by thunder, he's
Like the divil wild a toothache!" broke
in a deep Irish voice
Hello. Mike. are you there! Say,
boys, do you remember how Mike said
tother night that he didn't fear man or
devil, and jist then an old COW poked its
horns over the fence and went 'Moo-Oo-
oor and down goes Mike on his knees
and sings out, Forgive me. Misther Sa-
IanI uluD lndue yObG
Och, be aisy, We vagabone!" retorted
Mike O'Reilly Sure, when | hit yez
from behind wild hot pratie, didn't We
scrame out: Lord have mercy on my
sowlI I'm shot""
Amid the silence that followed the
laugh which ensued, the slum bering man
by the fire, speaking in his sleep, was
heard to say in cold and naughty tones:
Apparently your royal highness does
not remember me"
And then, with a struggle and vio-
lent start, the sleeper awoke.
Sure, is it the Prince ov Wales he's
talkin' to-" cried Mike, staring Twas
royal highness' he said anyhow Who
is he, thin, at all, az all?"
But the mysterious Joe, without seem
ing even to hear him, rose and went
straight up to the big Qlinoisan and held
out his hand.
Dick, said he, with an unconscious
dignity that impressed even the rude fell
low to whom he spoke, eve had fair
fight, and hope you bear me no grudge
for it, as I'm sure bear you none. Shake
hands, and let us be friends tonight, for
tomorrow one of us two must die!'
You didn't happen to hear achich one,
Joe?' faltered the giant, who evidently
put full faith in his comrades strange
prophecy, as indeed did all the rest,
Judging by their looks of awe
No" said the other YEARLY. but
know which | wish it may be-"
Somehow the talk and laughter hap0ed