The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1893-03-16
BRET HART f
OPYRlGHL 1882. .BY IAf AUTHOR

J and showed the unexpected sun glitter
ing down the slope upon a near and
peaceful river.
The handsome artillery officer had
dismounted and was gently examining
the dead man. His breast had been
crushed by a fragment o. shell He
must have died instantly. The same
missile had cut the chain of a locket
which slipped from his opened coat
The officer picked it up with a strange
feeling-perhaps because he was con-
scious himself of wearing a similar one;
perhaps because it might give him some
clew to the mans identity. 1t contained
only the photograph of a pretty girl, a
tendril of fair hair and the word
sally" In the breast pocket was a
sealed letter with the inscription: For
Miss Sally Dows, to be delivered if |
fall by the hireling's hand" A faint
smile came over the officers face. He
was about to hand the articles to ser
geant, but changed his mind and put
them in his pocket.
Meantime the lane and woods be-
yond, and even the slope itself, were
SLO"dlA4S "Abh ICSC1 NCo anu "
troops. His own battery was still un-
limbered awaiting orders. There was
a slight commotion in the lane.
Very well done, captain. Smartly
taken and gallantly held"
It was the voice of a general officer
passing with his staff. There was a
note of pleasant relief in it's tone and
the middle-aged, care-drawn face of its
owner was relaxed in a paternal smile
The young captain flushed with
pleasure.
And you seem to have had close
work, too," added the general, point
ing to the dead man.
The young officer hurriedly explained.
The general nodded, saluted and
passed on. But a youthful aid airily
fingered.
THE old mans feeling good, Court
land" he said. "We've rolled 'em up
all along the line. It's all over now.
In point of fact I reckon you've fred
the last gun in this particular fratri-
cidal engagement"
The last gunl Courtland remained
silent, looking abstractedly at the frag-
ment it had crushed and broken at his
feet.
"And shouldn't wonder If you got
your gold ,leaf for to-day's work
But who's your sunny southern friend
here?'' he added. following his COM
panion's eyes.
Courtland repeated his story little
more seriously, which, however, failed
to impress the young aids levity.
$50 he concluded to stop over" he in
terrupted, cheerfully. But" looking
at the letter and photograph, 81 say
look herel Sally Dows?' Why, there
was another man picked up yesterday
with letter from the same girl! Doe
Murphy has it. And, by Jove! the
same picture, too, eh? Look here,
Courty! you might get Doe Murphy's
letter and hunt her up when this cruel
war is over. Say you're fulfilling a
sacred trustr See? Good idea, old
mani Ta-ta," and he trottcd quickly
after his superior.
Courtland remained with the letter
and photograph in his hand, gazing abb
stractedly after him. The smoke had
rolled quite away from the fields on the
left, but still hung heavily down the
south on the heels of the flying cavalry.
A long bugle call swelled up musically
from below. The freed sun caught the
white flags of two field hospitals in the
woods and glanced TRANQUILITY on the
broad, cypress-fringed, lazy-fowing
and cruel but beautiful Southern river,
which had all unseen crept so smilingly
that morning through the very heart Of
the battle.