The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-12
HOW JOE LOST HIS ARM.

On the Tombigbee river so bright. I was born.
In a hut made % huss Of the bright yellow corn,
And twas there that met my julia so true.
And rowed her about ii rly E,uDtree canoe,
Singing row away, row DER the waters so blue,
Like feather Wen float in my gumtree canoe
The clerk of the Pretty Jane had
mellow voice, and blended sweetly with
it was little Jennie's childish treble.
He sat upon the deck OF the little
steamboat gazing around on the bright
waters of the Tombigbee as the sun
danced on them, gazing intently, and
smiling a5sently 10 himself.
He was 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 intently IN the face in way
that children have. She pushed her
broad brimmed hat back from her eyes
so that she might stare the better. The
hat was queerly shaped palmetto
structure. for this was In '63, and clothes
were at a premium. she was the child
of one of the passengers, and between
her and the clerk quite friendship had
sprung up.
'And did YOU sure enough meet your
Julia here on the Tombigbee" asked the
child, stroking the empty sleeve with
plying touch.
Yes" 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
had my other arm. -
How nicer said Jennie. "HOw nice!
And in a gumtree canoe:
"Well. l wasn't particular as to the
kind of canoe, so it was Il canoe" said
Is, 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 Julia. though
'twouldn't fit in the song so we'll
mo, you couldn't say, Il rowed my
Mary Jane so true 'Twould make the
song too long legged"
True" said he, laughing, but that
makes no difference. l think of her
while sing it, SO that it seems rs if it
was her name"
''Well. Mr. Perkins" said Jennie, ''tell
me why haven't you married your Julia,
if you've been rowing her around in
YOUR gumtree canoe these ever so many
years.
You see, said the mate smiling. my
Julia couldn't make up her mIhd tina
she loved me TIL the war broke out and
I volunteered; then she said directly
she'd marry me. but twas too late then;
had to 90 OF TO fight
You had both Of your arms them in
terrupted Jennie; You was born with
'em:'
..Of course, child. Did you ever hear
of any one born with one arm? Nature
don't ever make no such cobbled, lop-
sided work as that"
well, if you had both Of your arms
then, l don't see why she wouldn't have
you"
BLESS you, child, everybody had
plenty Of arms then; that was no in
ducement TO take fellow. But, as [
was saying, when she found l was going
off to the war and might get killed, then
she found that'she loved me-
shed rather marry you than that
you should get killed said Jennie.
Yes, think she ought. after You rowed
her around in the canoe
You are right, said Perkins, laugh
ing; but twas too late to marry her
then. We agreed that if ever got back
sadly, when the war was over, we'd
marry"
Tell me now. how you came 70 lose
your arm, said Jennie.
Twas in one of the great battles
around Richmond that year. / had been
in many fights before. but this was
about the hottest. The enemy We're
bound to get the hill on which we stood,
and we were holding on desperately.
But at last the boys began to waver and
give way Then our colonel came out
20 the front, and the rest Of our officers
followed him, and they ran up and down
the lines cheering UP the men.
IS Steady, my boys. said the old colo
mel; keep pouring It into fhem. Steady.
Re-enforcements viii soon be here.
Never let II b. said that the line broke
=
The whole air seemed black with
shot and shell. \ piece Cf one grazed
tha colOnel's cheek. and the blood kept
trickling down his face. bat he didn't
seem to feel it. The firing grew 30 not
that the men seemed fairly moved
down. and the line began % wayer AID
break. Suddenly, clear on our right,
a - -. q. ,-..,., ~, ~ .rra --.f7 II aragy
louder and louder. and ran down the
line toward az. Then, az last. we saw
courier gallopiug down the Lac. shall
never forget how as looked HIS black
horse wac all white with foam and S.
fanks were bloody from his spur He
rode bare headed down the line a. IL he
bore a charmed hfe. and he kept waving
bis cap around ms head and shouting
something 20 the men. and a. they heard
him the vaveT1ng line rallied and sent
up dezfeusag cheers. Then ne ga!loVed
by where we were and yelled:
Rally. mem rally StDnswal JACK
son Il II their rear, and giving EN- sui.
Thin re chsered, TOO, untll ws were
hoa-ze. The courier gzIloped On. ard
yTes@Btly ctr 0ffioer SHOUTED:
- Forward men. charge.
And assay re went, down the hill
aud ac-oss q field. Tghi toward tie
YANKEE hnes, yelling Ike India1s-
Il bed tAs cgloTs u ny hand and
ran a hssle zhezd dI3n sseIa 20 have
sry feet: 1 -zsr11l - ~ aid thr nen
followed M. EsG1s iD&a-4 ne cl&z4ns
line re rzn-
..All az ouce 1 saw the colonel. who
was riding by rne. grasp tie color, for