The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-03-04
AN UNLUCKY KICK.
Low a Soldier Lost His Foot in
Battle.
His Irresistible Impulse to Stop spent"
Cannon BaIl-A Manned Veteran
Who Has Never Applied for
Pension

II NdS ii NOIO buL I!lS COIOhc4
was comfortable in mind and body.
Business had gone well with Kim. He
had had a good breakfast. He was
making a trial trip in n new overcoat,
which was as weR suited to blustery
weather as any he had ever worn. As
he stood at the corner waiting for the
car he was at first amused and then in
terested in the movements of man
who wore no oVercoat. who had only
one foot, and who was making believe
that he was not cold. The colonel
finally said: You seem rather shivcry,
my friend" Quick aS a flash came the
reply: Il am. ! have no more blood
than goose, but there are worse
things than ShivCring around waiting
Tor job, and | am not as cold as !
look. | am not a. gay Is lark, but l
Im happier than Il fellow who has the
grip"
What arr you standing here for in
the cold: Why don't you 90 home and
I by the fire awhile? \ man who has
% more blood than a goose ought not
be taking such risks" The colonel
led good Eumoreily a. he said this,
Il thi, sInite was answered by one
I as good humorcd on the face of
- other. Il have an object" he
Il "Do YOU see that pble of coal? |
\ lurking about TO get a Job fo carry
in. The lady of the house is not at
nome, but when she comes | know /
VIII G.i thc Job she knows me. She
lIaowS avn all right. She knows | ara
a good deal better fellow than / look
To be"
Does she know how YOU lost your
foot?"
The whole attitude and appearance
ofthc man changed in an instant, and
II said stifily and somewhat resent
fully: NO, do you?"
Again that amused and interested
look came over the cololeI's face. and
he said smiling.y= ''No. l don't know
How did you lose your foot?"
In an accident" said the man In
an accident in which got only what
deserved I was foolhardy and fool
ish aud-well, lost my foot, and that
is all there Is to it,
Didn't lose it in a football game.
iil you?' The man chuclsled and shook
his head. You weren't run over hy a
street care Another snake of the
head. Didn't have it torn off by
machinery Not exactly" said the
:aln. Were you in the army" \
head Did you lose your foot while
you Were ia the army Another nod
''Dia yoU have it shot off, Not
novel no. No, cant say that
Id. II wa, {. narrow escape, though. -
We'll, don't suppose there was any
ming to ar ashamed o., was thcrc?-
tn, colonel ask Il this with some inn
patience, On, promptly came the reply:
sslah fp..-s I ]. 81 Of
70. am ashamed of it. | am SO
.,hamad OF it that / never tell the
srp-y. That IS where You missed it
g IA re never was a fellow more
,- named OF anything than am of the
way lost that foot.
- on a"s it vas this way. Did you
ever zee :; cannon bail rolling along
IL ground. wh.rling and bouncing and
looking as harmless - u toy balloon?
Il you did. did you ever want to kick
it?' \ queer light came into the
co,oncls eyes and nc nodded and
5 lied. We'll, III b-t you sixteen
cents you didn't. III go you half dol
lar You didn't. But that's what's the
latter with me. ! was good soldier.
was proud OF being u good soldier
had done good service | was never in
the rear IN time of battle. | was not a
eat man aud knew ! was not. but
my duty and took great satisfac.
t,on IN doing 1t / had great luck. too
cause ] was not sick; | had not beer
Al the hospital; | was never in the
courthouse and the boys counted me
one of the jolly men OF the company,
bat an one great battle-it was big
hight. | tell you-there was a terrific
ianonading and our division was
anding in line of battle waiting for
the whirlwind to strike us. There was
q tremendous racket and confusion on
our right, but we had little to do ex-
ccpt 10 stand and watch the scared
rabbits and other animals as they
rushed biindly pc llmcl across our
front. but every few minutes shells
would burst near us or large cannon
balls would come rolling oblique-
ly from the left front One of
these rolled almost along our
Ine- We could s.e il coming; saw il
bound up ten or twelve feet when IL
struck a rock ar log, then come whirl-
ing along toward us. IT was almost as
large as a football. and in motion
seemed as smooth and polished as fin
ished steel. Il had queer effect on
all the men. ! saw a dozen get ready
TO stop il with their feet ! heard the
captain shout for them TO let the thing
alone, but 1t fascinated me. The idea
came into my mind that / could stop
it easily. and that ! must 50 in
SD tc of all shouts and commands put
INV loot out = - II little kick and
i had a foot, or rather had one foot
less.
Il had good deal of time to think
it over. and ] came to the conclusion
| was the blamedest fool in the corps.
They wanted me To 90 home. They