The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-06-26

nldTcDeU InTOIkn TIC tOHu OU VI why "
the battlefield, and more than half a hum
dred persons, including Molly Cnlp her
self, who stood at her door and waved @
handkerchief. saw Henry Crawford carry
ing "a rifle at right shoulder shit"
But no one saw Sam Eeagv. He was
away OFF there in New York. with bright
new buttons and no dust on his uniform.
Henry Crawford wen To the front IN
Molly's esteem. She sorry for it; too.
She would have liked 10 see sam Heagy
marching through Gettysburg to the front;
but she now came TO the conclusion, re-
luctantly enough, that the hero of the two
men was Henry Crawford. 20 she looked
her tate sqnarely In the face. and said;
wen this war 10 over i guess I've got TO
be Mrs. Crawfd."
And then size went on making bread and
butter, while all around her native town
Tor three days the furies of hell were let
loose. A shell struck @ corner OF her house
its there yet; but she set her teeth and
muttered:
"Mebbe I'll git killed an mebbe Henry
Crawfd'Il git killed.. but I'm here. an
guess Pve got TO stay"
And stay she did. The hospital flag went
up over every house IN that unhappy
town. The dead and the wounded filled
the homes, the seminary, the churches.
les opened that appalling fire which pre-
ceded Pickett's sublime charge-a charge
which In the maRniicence of it's heroism
has never been surpassed. To General
Meade those COnIoucIat6 guns cTlcu
"Morituri to salutamus." Across the open
fields from the wooded slopes of Seminary
Ridge swept Pickctt's mighty cohorJ to
shatter itself hopeIessly against that blue
line behind the stone wall. Armlstcad fell;
Pickett and one staff officer galloped from
the field unwoundcd, and soon after ward
Lee went down the HagerstOwn road a
defeated hero. Then Henry Crawford
walked into gettysburg, and fell exhaust
ed In the street with q shattered right arm.
N.1Iu Epln ANU him carried infn his q " n
home. She stopped making bread and but
ter, put on her bonnet and went TO Craw-
ford's.
.Hen'y Crawfd," she said. her lips pale
and her es es vet, you're q better man n |
thought 1 guess I've got to help nurse
you till you git we'll"
The surgeon who was present looked at
Henry's face as the girl spoke, and, seeing
it ill with gladness. said:
well. young lady. it isn't going to take
him so long to get we'll as l thought at
first"
Then the surgeon made a careful al
came grave.
My man" he said; You've been hit by
"Wots that" demanded Henry, starting.
You've been shot from behind"
Crawford raised his head and gazed with
painful anxiety into the surgeons face,
while his check turned a shade pa,er.
Shot from behind!" he muttered, in q
nall whisper.
why, of course. Can't you tell that
yourselif'
NO" said Crawford. family, as he
turned bis eyes restlessly toward Molly.
"Wby, you've been hit in the back of the
arm In a way that would be impossible I'M
Unless wotf7 asked Crawford. with an
guIsh which he seemed to strive yainly to
conceal.
Unless GU dubbed your musket."
There WAS ~ moments silence.
Ibid ye club t, Hen'yi" asked Molly
MOI answered the wounded man
hoarsely and with q shudder; Il didn't do
no ciubbin'."
Then. " said the surgeon. II don't see how
you could have raised Your arm high
enough TO get this shot from the front.
Where was your regimentf"
With Webb's brigade, in the corner o
the wall near that clump o. trees"
1t was the place which came to be known
as the Bloody Angle.
That's where they broke our line" said
the surgeon. Yes. that's it, In the con-
fusion you got a shot from one of our boys
behind; too bad-too bad"
| One o. our boys behind; too bad" MUIR
INJURED Crawford, closing his eyes and turn
ing his face away from Molly.
1t seems q great. great pity" continued
the surgeon; but you're Just as much of Q
hero as If a reb had shot you. And now
I've got to tell You some bad news"
bad newsf | amt goin' to die. am II"
asked Henry, III q husky voice.
n indeed, not q bit of 1t. But-you
are going to be pointed out all the rest of
your life as one of the surviving heroes of
this war"
Henry Crawford thought for o minute.
and then raising his eyes with q frightened
appeal IN them, said:
Il amt got to lose 1T"
The surgeon gravely bowed his head.
uttered q groan and closed his
eyes, but opened them when he felt the
pressure of O small hand. He looked mo
and saw Molly Culp's face close to his.
with the beautiful eyes swimming in tears
of pity.
"ti.n'y," she said. gently. II guess III
have to Try and take the place o. one arm
fur ye.'
And then he was sure that he had the
help that was meet Tor him.
So in Gettysburg he stayed, and long be-
fore the was was over. long before Molly
Culp had time to learn to lock upon the
empty sleeve without pity, there was @
quiet wedding. and the girl received hun
dreds of congratulations on having won n
hero OF Gettysburg for q husband. Joseph
| TrOstie. who Was old and childies,. took
| Henry as a partner in his grocery business.
because he needed the aid of a young and
active man. aud prosperity shook hands
with the Crawfords and called them
friends.
Molly was a serious wife. She did not
laugh or sing much: but made bread and
butter with an earnest countenance and
methodic hands. No one could have said
that she fell short of her duties as a wife.
yet she seemed to be going up hill all the
time. Sometimes she stopped and won
dered what had become of Sam Heagy.
But whenever she did that she drew q
sudden, short breath. and began to climb
the hill q little mare resolutely tina before.
Henry Crawford was very happy at first.
He had won the woman he loved; but as
the months wore on, al inQuiring express
sion settled npon his countenance. There
was something wanting; he could not fsll
Just what 1t was. but the fulfllment of his
desire had not satisfied his soul. And as
the DAYS passed. he found himself more
ma more frequently standing. gazing at n
little distance at Molly as she gravely did
her duty. and wondering why he did not
possets the peace of a complete and soul-
filling JOY. To tie sure. he did not formu-
late 10 in those words. He did not fOrmu-
late It at all. but there was hungry disap-
pointment.
Meanwhile. the war ended, The troops
were mustered ont, and one day q strap
ping. bearded. snnburned man, in a STAIN
ed and worn artillery uniform, arrived IN
Gettysburg. He strobe down the street
with such Oriskness. with such n swinging
stride. such q firm. seif-reliant bearing,
that for a time no one knew who lie was.
But he walked up to Peter Minnigh. VINO
was standing in front of the Eagle Hotel,
slapped him vigorously IN the back, and
said:
"Hullo, Pete. Don't We know meiD
"By gol," exclaimed Peter. after q mo.
ment's scrutiny. "ef faint Sam Heaey.n
No one could have been expected to
recognize this energetic fellow as Sam
Heagy. But 1t was he. The war had