The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-06-11
AN EPISODE OF '65.

'tPl'AtOse' "L4u tile HSnt ma9 VHes ~ ~
had been hot and fierce whilei 1t lasted,
and the battered remnant al southern
troons tbo,nb a. last 4bov nod Loon
s.,, o.1 S 80. .Ss ~ - -.
loFceu 70 n'eht, leaving ohe-tnlro thelr
force on the field, had thinned the num-
bers of their conouerors, Though the
smollost ~ DC or;sodoo ~ y,or uhoso
. '"''SSt y. y. =. =, 9p.sous' - W" ""o9O
issue ses'loa inc iusule o. Tue Aneti'a y,
continent and Affected the history OF all
mankind, the battle had brought the
NANCE If dooth N many a valiant boort
!. I.;. ~. eU"'u " naHy 7" 's.aA' ne". ).
us plt'efness 10 many woman anu
child, who, yet unaware, were praying,
safe in distant cities. for the husbands
and fathers whose Inns world never
more meet theirs. Overhead, the stars
sparkled keenly in tho frosty sky, but
from the horizon a ridge OF inky cloud
spread upward 10 the zenith, threaten.
ing not only TO ouenck their feeble fire.
but to deepen the crisp powdery snow
in which the landscape was smothered.
The river ran like a long black snake be.
tween its whitened banks.
To Roland Pearse, monotonously
tramping on sentry duty along the track
worn by his own feet in the snow at a
tantalizinr distance from the nearest OF
the small yatch.fires which gleamed
around the central one. where the Off.
GERS were sunk in sleep. it seemed as il
the dawn would never come. A years
hard campaigning had touphenei him
To nil the accidents of war, and The
coldest and longest nights watch after
the hardest DAVIS fighting or
marching came to him, as a rule,
naturolly enough. But he had been
wounded in the fight, though
not seriously, vet painfully, and be-
tween the CONSEQUENT loss OF blood and
Ike bitter cold was weary well-nigh to
death. In the dead stiffness 81 the
NIGHT the monotonous chant of the
river near at hand combined with weak
ness and WEAKNESS TO stupefyh senses,
and for minutes together he shuffled
along the track he Ind worn in the
snow with n quite unconscious. per-
sistence awakening at the end of his
heat with nerye.shattering start. and
falling asleep again ere he had we'll
turned to retrace his steps. At last, a
deener doze was Terminated by his fall-
ING at full length in the snow. He
gathered his stiff cold limb together,
and limped along shiyering. swearing
nj the snow which had penetrated diff
ferent Ioonholes of his tagged Uniform.
and slowly melted by contact with his
scarce warmer skin. served at last to
keen him awake. He drew from his
nocket flask containing a modicum of
whiskey. II was little enough -he
conld gratefully have drunk twice the
amount: but. withh self-denial taught
hv many hitter exneriences. he took
only a moutLful. and reserved the rest
for fntnre needs'
With n vagne idea that new beat
would Somewhat relieve the monotony
Of hin watch. he struck into another
track and trndoed resolutely at right
angles with Ills former course. the two
lines Of footsteps making a gigantic
cross mon tho snow. His former lassi.
tnde was again beginning to conquer
him when Il was suddenly dissipated
by n voice, which rang out on the still.
ness with startling suddenness, instinct
va" 1Tf Won have the heart of a man in
vour breast, for Gods sake help me!p
Twenty feet from where no stood,
Roland beheid the figure of man
raised feebly on one elbow above the
level Of the snow. There was only Just
iight enough to distinguish it. He ap.
nroached L cautiously. with his rifle adj
yanced. and shooting rapid glances
from the urostrate figure to every
clump of snow.covered he rbage or in
ennaIity Of ground which might afford
shelter for nm ambuscade.
II am alone" the man said.
He spoke each word upon a separate
the Southern uniform. and Roland saw
that one arm and one leg dragged from
his body, HOPELESS and distorted. An
old sabre cut trayersed his face from
the cbeek.bone to the temple. He
looked the very genius OF defeat.
II nm dyinv" he painted at Roland.
The vorinp man pulled his beard az
he looked down at him, and shrugged
Ills shoulders with scarce perceptible
e "a,
81 knovn said the southernor: 81
don't prowi at that. Pve let daylight
in n few OF your fellows in my time,
and would again, if / got the chance.
Now it's INV tlrn. and Pm going to take
Il nuiet But / want to say something
10 write something to my wife in
Charleston. viii YOU do that for me !?
Il isn't much for a man to ask OF an.
ether i don't want TO die and rot in
this cursed wilderness without saying
sood.hy Ia her"
SYou must look sharp. then" said
Roland knooling beside him. sfor /
shall be called into camp in few min.