Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-01-11

tered the hand of the gunner who still
mechanically served the vent AS they
lifted the dead body down, the order
came to cease firing. For the yells
from below had ceased too; the rafting
| and grinding was receding with the
smoke further to the left. The ominous
central cloud parted for brief moment
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 OF 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
:lew 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
scaled letter with the inscription: For
Miss Sally Bows, to be delivered if l
fall by the hireling's hand" A faint
smile came over the officers face. He
was about to hand the articles to a ser
geant, but changed his mind and put
them in his pocket
Meantime the lane and woods be-
gond, and even the slope itself, were
:rOwding with reserves and waiting
troops. His own battery was still I'M
iimbered awaiting orders. There was
a slight commotion in the lane.
every well done, captain. Smartly
taken and gallantly held"
1t was the voice of 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 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 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 l reckon you've fired
the last gun in this particular fratri-
cidal engagement"
The last gun! CORTLAND remained
silent, looking abstractcdly at the frag-
mcnt it had crushed and broken at his
feet.
And l shouldn't wonder if you got
your gold deaf for to-day's work
But who's your sunny southern friend
here?" he added. following his COM
panion's eyes.
CORTLAND 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 here! Sally Dows?' Why, there
was another man picked up yesterday
with a letter from the same girl! Doe
Murphy has it. And. by Jove! the
same picture, too. Ell? Look here,
County! you might get Doe Murphy IS
letter and hunt her up when this cruel
war is over. Say you're fulfilling a
sacred trust! See? Good idea, old
man! Ta-ta," and he trotted quickly
after his superior.
CORTLAND remained with the lette1
and photograph in his hand, gazing alb
stractedly after him. The smoke hat
rolled quite away from the fields on the
left, but still hung heavily down thu
south on the heels of the flying cavalry
long bugle call swelled up musically
from below. The freed sun caught thu
white flags of two field hospitals in thu
woods and glanced TRANQUILITY on tn,
broad, cypress-fringed, lazy-fowine
and cruel but beautiful Southern river
which had all unseen crept so smilingly
that morning through the very heart o
the battle.
CHAPTER L
49, Il E two o,clocl