Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1893-03-23
A PATHETIC WAR EPISODE.
That Failed to Terminate In tho Cor
rect Way.

rect Way.
About the saddest thing | ever cn-
countered was pathetic little Incl
dent on the battlefield after the siege
of Atlanta, 1t was night, and had
been ordered to go ont and work on
easement near the onemy's lines,
says a writer In the st, Louis Globe
Democrat They knew we were thorc.
for they kept up continuous ping,
ping, ping of mimic balls, now and
then varying the amusement by send
ing hot ten-pounder, scorching the
ground and playing havoc with the
bushes unploasantly close to our ears
As was running about suddenly one
of our boys rushed up and said:
There's II dying man wants TO see
you, captain. You'd better come
quick, for he's got hole through
his head, | Fastened In the direc-
tion he indicated, and soon found the
poor fellow. He was being propped
up by corporal, but by the way he
acted aud talked | knew he was set
tied for
They've got me this time, captain, -"
he said slowly, the blood choking
him rs he spoke.
He'd been wounded II couple of
times before. and was II brave man
and u good one, too | said what |
could in the line Of sympathy, telling
him that II was the fate of war, and
that all his old comrades would follow
him sooner or later, II was only u
matter OF II few days anyhow.
Il want YOU 10 do me u favor, cap
TAIN he said, the sweat on his fore
head shining like beads In the iltlul
CLEAN OF n candle we had lighted,
''Or course I'll do It, my boy" |
said,
"rherc'smy knapsack aud cantccn, "
he chokcd piiifully, take them or
send Thorn To my poor old father and
mother up in Vermont. Tell 'cm that
their only son died like u soldier on
thc field of battle, Toll them that
died thinking Of them; and and 70
and there's another matter another ~
Here II stream of blood gushod
from his lips and his eyes took on u
look of horror that almost frightened
mo.
"Anothcr NATTER he gaspcd,
''nnothcr matter, Reach down in my
blouse and got II picture that IL
there" | did rs directed and saw in
the faint light that the card bore the
lace Of young woman, 'It's It's
the girl was going to marry"
sobbod the dying man, "fc'l her
that--that | died with my lips on
hers, Put the picture to my lips,
captain, that may may kiss itH'
He kissed the scusoless cardboard
over and over again, and though |
turned my laco reyeron'ly away |
caught glimpse of the loyo-lighted
eyes that told his devotion As he
caressed the likeness for the last
time the ambulance drove up and he
was tcndcrly loaded In for the
hospital, whore his last moments
might be ut any rate II little less
painful than on the rough rock
Gtrcwn battle ground.
Tho first chance | got ! sent that
l,napsaclS and the sweet face 10 the
ones who loved The soldier, That
isn't all OF the story, IN October, II
lrccollcdt Alright, just before the battle
OF Allutoona, and after General Hood
swung round t3 Grants rear, was
riding along II very dusty road with
my company, Suddenly saw II spec
tuclo before me that nearly knocked
me OF my horse. There, in the mid
die Of the road, with his arms wildly
waving toward me-, was the same dy-
ing soldier. His head was banduged
up, and when he spoke his voice was
much lmpedcd.
ave got d furlough,n he said try
ing to grin good-naturcdly, but fail
ing because of the bandagcs round
his face. "I'vc got Il furlOugh, and
I'm going home to marry that girl. "
And he did.