Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-06-15
'Hb 9tyrs s0teress sured htm chen ~
meant % dte"
By DAVID KER

'Hs gsyrs Nkeress snred htm chen 10
meant % die"
The first day Of Gettysburg was over
Northerner and southerner alike had
fought their best. and tho dead heaped
along the slope OF Cemetery hill showed
that the con,ending hosts were worthy
Of each other On the northern side
every general engaged, save one. had
had his horse killed under him On the
soutnern side General Rodes. riding up
20 reouks an infantry battalion which he
saw. a. he thought. lying down to es-
cape the Yankee IRE. found that they
were ali corpscs fallen ia their ranks
All around the curving line of heights.
on which a vast crescent OF bright spots
marked the northern position. aaother
fiery crescent showed where Lees men lay
encamped In readiness for the morrow's
battle. and reckless fellow Of Sickles'
division. posted 70 the left Of Towards
position on Cemetery hill, said with a
laugh. IS he pointed to the far extending
lights:
Tho Johnnies air seein' good few
stars tonight. but | reckon we'll make
EN- see some more tomorrow
Guess they may make some Of us SEQ
EN-. too. fore alls up growied u veter-
an Them rebs KIN fight some, so they
kinf"
Dry up. Pete. cried . third man;
you're q worse croaker than 'Never-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
Aud the speaker glanced at a man who
lay sleeping beside the FIRE, with its fitful
glare playing spectrally on his upturned
face. Bronzed and weather worn as it
was. that face was as delicate Of outline
as q woInan's. and haunted all who saw
It with a vague suggestion Of ono of the
handsome. high bred. Ill fased cavaliers
of Charles l.
HE alters sleeps like that fist fore .
fight" said one man in an awestricken
whisper, 1.-The only time hos happy Is
when he thinks he's gwine TO die!"
Darn my skin il | know what to
make Of him." added q second-a huge.
heavy. good natured giant from Illinois.
lied whip Old Nick himself at fightin
Tho whipped me once. as you know, and
faint every man kin do that; and be
mout ma been promoted q dozen times
over II he'd liked But no, not he! he
alters says he wants nothin' but to diet"
We'll. it's rough on him il he can't
find no kind Christian to obleege him in
. ieetls thing like that When I'm
a-gwine to die | don't mind changin
with him. or maybe the gineral nd hang
him as . great favor II he was to beg
hard"
Hes a queer sort, that's . fact He
looks like a gal and talks as soft as .
child, but in battle. by thunder. he's
Like the divil wild toothache!" broke
In deep Irish voice.
Hello. Mike. are you therel Say.
boys, do you remember how Mike said
t'other night that be didn't fear man or
devil. and Just then an old COW poked its
horns over the fence and went 'Moo-oo-
cor and down goes Mike on his knees
and sings out. Forgive me. Misther Sar
tan. didn't mane you'"
Och. be aisy. We vagaboner retorted
Mike O'Reilly. Sure. when | hit yez
from behind wild a hot pratie. didn't We
scrane out: Lord have mercy on my
sowIl I'm shotr"
Amid the silence that followed the
laugh which ensued. the slumbering man
by the FIRE. speaking in his sleep. was
heard to say in cold and naughty tones:
Apparently your royal hishness does
not remember me-
And then. with struggle and . vio-
lent start. the sleeper awoke.
Sure. is IL the Prince ov Wales he's
taikin TOP" cried Mike. staring. TWAS
royal highness he said anyhow. Who
Il he. thin. At all, At ally'
But tho mysterious Joe. without SEEM
ING even TO hear him, rose and went
straight up to the big nlinoisan and held
out bis hand
Dick said he. with an unconscious
dignity that impressed even the rude fel-
low to whom he spoke. I'VE had fair
fight. and hope you bear me no grudge
for IL. as I'm sure bear you none. Shake
hands. and let US be friends tonight, for
tomorrow one OF N two must die!-
you didn't happen 10 hear ,chtch one.
JoeY" faltered the giant. who evidently
put full faith in his comrale's strange
prophecy. ~ indeed did all the rest
judging by their looks OF awe.
Mo- said the other YEARLY. but l
know which | wish il may De.
somehow the talk and laughter tagged
after that. and the group melted away
IN silence.
II was Ave o'clock In the evening OF
the following day The July sun Ioomed
Aimly through a vast cloud 81 smoke. and
the alr shook with the deep anslsckening
roar Of two hundred southern guns
mingled with the ceaseless crash OF the
houshs torn BY the pelting shot from the
sr--s along the YANKEE line The second
q the three great Confederate assaults
- AZ hard. and Sickies and HE gallant
few. in their advanced position. vers
shrut N bear the hrvnt Of q
Foremost among ms couvsd.s stood
-Neverdi. Joe. -cslmesrd silent - ever
bus with the light Il a strange and ter
risie joy in hrs deep gray eyes Oslr
ssui,i the storm 81 battle and the shallow
Of dcorn could trait restless spsrit--evsr
s.ekinx a-ssh with sa sr'ior Ne sssres
- which no man kpew--hope 70 ind
reare. ard such . Storm wss shoaf 70
hurst nrru hi~, uow A. even hs had