The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-02-14
HOW JOE LOST HIS ARM.

The clerk of the Pretty Jane had a
mellow voice, and blended sweetly with
il 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 absently to 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 a way
that children have. She pushed her
broad brimmed hat back from her eyes
30 that she might stare the better. The
hat was a queerly shaped palmetto
structure, for this was in '63, and clothes
were at 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 Tombigbeer asked the
child, strokng the empty sleeve with a
pitying touch.
eyes," said the clerk, reused from his
reverie and smiling down on the eager lit
tie face; 81 have often taken her rowing
On the Tombigbee before the war, when
i had my other arm"
'tHow nicer said Jennie. "How nicei
And in gumtree cancer"
''Well, wasn't particular as to the
kind of canoe, 50 it was a canoe" said
he, smiling.
"And your Julia amt named Julia,
but Mary Jane, after ALL" said the child.
YES" said he, t'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, L rowed nv
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 as if it
was her name"
"Well, Mr.. Perkins" said Jennie, s@tell
me why haven't you married your Julia,
It you've been rowing her around in
your gumtree canoe these ever so many
years2"
'<You see," said the mate smiling, ssmy
Julia couldn't make up her mind that
she loved me till the war broke out and
volunteered; then she said directly
shed marry me, but twas too late then;
had to go off to fight"
'EYou had both Of your arms thenI" in
terrupted Jennie; "you was born with
'em?" -5
'tOf course, child. Did you ever hear
Cd any one born with one arm? Nature
don't ever make no such cobbled, lop-
Mded work as that"
"Well, if you had both of your arms
then, 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 was going
OH to the war and might get killed, then
she found that she loved me-" fS-ff
shed rather marry you than that
you should get killed." said Jennie.
Eyes, think she ought, after you roved
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
safely, when the war was over, we'd
marry"
Teu me now, how you came to 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 were
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
TO the front, and the rest of our officers
followed him, and they ran up and down
the lines cheering up the men.
Steady, my boys said the old colo
mel; keep pouring it into them. Steady!
e-enforcements will soon be herei
Never let it be said that the line broke
where the Alabamians stoodr --e=
The whole air seemed black with
shot and shell. A piece of one grazed
the colonels cheek, and the blood kept
tr1ckhng down his face, but he didn't
seem to feel it. The firing grew SO hot
that the men seemed fairly moved
down, and the line began to waver and
break. Suddenly, clear ON our right,
there arose tremendous yell It grew
louder and louder, and ran down the
6ne toward us. Then, Mt last, -e saw
courier galloping down the line. shall
never forget how he looked. his black
horse was all white with foam and it's
Tanks were bloody from his spur. He,
rode bare headed down the line as If he
bore charmed life, and he kept waving
his cap around his head and shouting
something to the men, and as they heard
him the wavering line rallied and sent
mp deafening cheers. Then he galloped
by where we were and yelled:
Rally, meut rallyi Stonewan Jack
SON is IN their rear, and giving .em sutr
'@Then we cheered, too, until we were
hoarse- The courier galloped on, and
presently our officer shouted:
'' Forward men; charged
"And away we went, down the hill
and across q field, right toward the
Yankee lines, yelling like Indians.
'1 held the colors in my hand, and
L. Il. j !