Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-09-14

UcItQ IL nC Wup Jul OAA odlEC VI
some stranger acting in his place.
About month after the receipt Of
the letter which worked such change
he received one in handwriting I'M
familiar TO us. II was mans CHI
Biography, and somehow we felt that it
would add to the seFgeant's troubles.
Some Of the boys who saw him open
and read it never forgot how pale he
grew and how his hands trembled aud
his eyes blazed. That night at ten
O'clock, in the face Of the enemy, sold
6aFgs" disappeared-deserted Per-
haps No meant to take everything away,
but that letter was found after he had
disappeared, II was from brother.
Coolly and calmly end without the least
feeling the brother wrote that the SER
neant's wife after so conducting her
rseat M TO scandalize all her relatives
had Brought things TO climax by run
ming away with man he named.
There were Lovers who were untrue
and wives who went astray in those
DAYS, and this was only one case out Of
hundreds.
Deserted to the enemy was the
record made for the war department,
hut we who knew Sergt Roberts best
did not believe H. lie was brave and
loyal man, and no matter what his
trouble he would not haVe turned
against his flag. He had gone without
Aeave, and that was desertion, but we
argued that he had taken that course
because he knew that he could not get
q furlough with hot campaign just
opening. Ha had gone back home
gone to find wife and child-gone to
plead and condone or TO speak his con-
tempt and take his revenge. Weeks
went by, and no word came from him.
At the end Of three months we read of
a tragedy in Chicago. At nine o'clock
one evening strange man had forced
his way into tho apartments of citi-
ION and shot him dead, His wife was
heard to cry out; "0h, VIM and their
little girl to shout: 'gThat's my old
papaI' Before anyone could interfere
The stranger seized the child and disap,
peared, and the mother was so over
come that little or no information could
be got from her.
tThat's Old Sargep" we said as we laid
the paper aside. HE deserted to hunt
down and kill the man who wrecked
his life while he was fighting at the
front, and that makes him dearer TO us
than before. He will hide his child
somewhere and then come back to us"
Yes, we felt sure he would return,
and yet we dreaded it. He was de-
serter and must be punished. Had it
been in winter quarters they might
have been merciful, but we were almost
in battle line when he went, and the
military authorities would wave aside
his personal reasons. The life of
great republic was at stake. What was
d wifes honor or a soldiers love for his
child compared to that? We looked for
him as we followed Lee to the Potomac,
but he did not come. We looked for
him as we marched over the turnpilSes
Of Pennsylvania, but he did not appear
As we formed battle line at Gettysburg
another sergeant filed his place. As
Hancock naAsed bis corps to beat back
what every man knew was coming
.sOld Sarge was still absent. Pickett
was messing his Virginians We all
knew that and were waiting. "Piclett
is movingl" cried q thousand voices,
and we tightened our belts and closed
up the lines.
STEADY, menl We can beat them
bacIrl''
1t was the voice Of "Old Sarge" lie
was in citizens dress, dusty and way.
worn, ard had picked up mushet and
cartridge box as no came across the
fields to join u.s. We raised cheer OF
sight OF him, and il went eehoing along
the lines right and left The other
troops thought we were expressing our
deaapea We had no time to aAsA