Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-30

HIS LIPS.
| night breeze came from this very quar-
ter. It was desperate strait. With
| out were raging those bloodthirsty
| fends, who, unlike the chivalrous
| Southern soldiers, seldom gave an
| enemy quarter; within the air each in
slant became more and more unbreath-
| able. A horse, too, maddened by the
| smell of fire, had broken loose, and they
were obliged to shoot him to prevent
his trampling on the wounded.
'Shall we make an assault, Major?"
| Charlie asked, as cool as though he was
on parade.
"How can we?'' Besant groaned, for
the thought of his gallant men perish
| ing like rats in a trap cut him to the
quick. THAT narrow door, the only
egress, would only permit to rush
| out in a line so thin that the boys would
be slaughtered like sheep in PEN
"But we should die fighting, and not
be choked to death by this internal
atmosphere"
ga flag of truce and surrender is all
I see for it, Charlie was the doleful
| answer. ''There is One chance in
| thousand they might respect it,
''Then, let me bear it. Quick, or I
|
There was no alternative.
you'll tell the old man did my duty
to the last" Fulton said, as he grasped
Franks hand.
81 am as little likely to see your
father again as you are,' was the sad
reply.
and Fulton advances with white hand
kerchief waving in the air.
Do those rough hordes stay their
hands at the futtering symbol of peace?
Not so; with yell of derision they
rush upon him, and even as Frank
| gazes in indignation, he sees a rope
flung round the neck of his unhappy
friend.
With cry Of rage he turns to his
men: Prepare to charge-Fix bayo-
nets" in tones of maddened fury.
But what is that?
The laundering beat of horses hoofs
upon the turf-nearer and nearer-and
a squadron of Union cavalry dashes
like whirlwind on the astounded be-
siegers, riding them down and tramp
ling them to death like dust beneath
their feet. Not dozen of the hapless
wretches reached the woods to tell the
tale Of their misfortunes.
'Mark Henderson,! By all that's
glorious!" Frank cried, as he grasped
the hand Of that sturdy warrior when
the rush of the charge was over.
Frank Besant! Hurrah. I've paid
you back the debt owed at last
''You have, indeed, with interest"
81 little thought when I met that fell
low Of yours pounding along the road,
that it was for you he sought such
urgent help from my gallant troopers. -
And, where on earth did you spring
FROM
'Oh, we were on our way down
South to join Shermans force under
Fitzpatrick. We've had rambling
time of it of late-but, we must not
stand here talking. Let us first get
E your wounded out of this burning
S rattle-trap.'
But they found that by tearing away
. the smoldering boards the building
/, might yet be habitable, and it did not
: take them long to accomplish this
S little work, to the qualification of the
poor fellows, who dreaded moving
r worse than any thing. Not only die
3 they make their own helpless ones a:
comfortable as circumstances would
> permit, but they tenderly cared for al
g of the poor bleeding guerrillas, whost
: wounds were not fatal. AS the mel
q were moving one of these latter, hi.
q slouched hat fell back. and disclosed t.
t the astounded Major the drawn feat
e ures of James Lawson. None recog
nized him but Frank, whose compass
It sion was stronger than his Indignation
g so when they had laid him on the foo
It and gone for another CHASTITY burden
It he lnelt down by the sufferers side an,
whispered:
o Lawson, can do any thing 70
p your"
!, ''Who is it?" was the feeble question
frank Bssant-do you not know
= me?"