The Kansas blackman., 1894-05-25
JIM'S GRATITUDE.


prairie trail; horseman in uniform,
riding at q gallOp.
"A turn in the road; bushwhacker
hidden iii the bushes shot, and
fall from the saddle
1t was Little Jim, our third Ser
geant, riding across the country to
carry a dispatch. We called him
Little Jim because he was small of |
stature and because everybody liked |
him. He was only a boy, and one |
look into his frank tace and big blue |
eyes made YOU his friend. The bush
whacker peered over the log and saw
his victim lying on the stony road
and the horse galloping away in
alright. and smile Of satisfaction
came to his face as he rose up and
hurried through the woods War is
not always war Sometimes it is as
sass natinn--murden
Twenty rods beyOnd the body lying
ia the road is humble cabin, ten
anted only by woman and
two children. War has forced
the husband ara father into the
ranks. At sound Of the shot and
the clatter of hoofs they rise up from
| their frugal MONDAY meal and run
| down to the gate. "A dead man is bY
no means a rare sight to mother and
| children. Scores of dead nave been
left On that highway in the last few
weeks, and at times the cabin has
been full of wounded me who
groaned and cursed.
tits a Bluenose who's been bush
whacked,n whispers the mother as
she leads the way down the road, and
presently the trio are looking down
upon the lifeless form OF our Little
Jim. NU, not lifeless. The bullet
struck him in the side and inflicted
severe wound, but even while they
gaze at 9him he opens his blue eyes
and tries to realize his situat on.
s4Looks jest Ike Uncle Dan, "
WHISPERS one Of the children.
Let's be good to him" pleads the
other.
she would. Assisted "a bit by the
children, she got him to the house
and had captured prisoner and
natient at the same time. Her hus
hand and her neighbGrs had come
} home with gunShot wounds ana she
had helped to nurse them and SEND
them back to fight tor the cause she
believed was right Aside from
surgeon our Little Jim could not have
fallen into better hands. She prObeC
for the bullet and found it, ana
living to-day he wears it on hi
watchchain. The Eastern volunteer
had been holding that road 10
r weeks, and all that afternoon ant
evening the woman listened Tor tn
a clatter Of hOOfs that she might re
q bort what had occurred and nave ne
patient taken away not morse
man passed.
J There were days and nights whe
Little Jim was out Of his head an
rayinp Of home and mother. liner
e were DAYS and nights when his III
hnng on A thread. He had the cal
his own mother would have give
= him. Many and many a time h
r called her his mother, and bleSse
VI her that she had come down tToI
m heold home to nurse him back
life. By and by the crisis passed an
L. the soldier knew where ne was al
n the situation outside. He KneW mo
y than the good woman would ma
him. That little family was belr
ne mt to sore straits to find him sut
If. food AZ al invalid must have. and
n: heard the children cry out at mig
M hecanse they had not enough Govern
~ keen them warm. After re
ng davs when he found there was
h- chance to ret word to the loyal In
he begged Of the woman 90 dellV
ew him 10 to the rebel authorities az
le; relieve herself Of the burden. ,
ng ind gnantly refused, and the ch
dren, who had insisted on calling n
TTncle Daniel, cried at the thouG
I'M Of his going away
Pretty soon new peril threaueht
iP The neutral territory was given
PHI II hushwhackers and Indians Y
up- day A long haired. evil-looklng ma
whose garb was that OF farmer.
who was probably the would-Oe ass
LII sin OF Little Jim, was seen lurki
M - about the premises The woman
ass another pillow behind the soldl
handed him his revolver and qule
ND said:
IL ~ have your earbine and shall
he to kill him il he persists In enter
Dn the house Ii am killed then
IN must take care Of yourself
The Sergeant could hear every W
ink Of the conversation as the G1an I'm;
rid advanced to the house and the
md man stepped outside to meet him.
1wl .Iook yere, woman, ne beg
lan t4who yo' got In yo'r house,"
ell s.By what right do YOU ask ina
YES she demanded in turn
nd l4By the right everybody has
ht- kill cussed Canuck wherever he
ty, ind him. Stand aside and let
FEE zee what sort of fowl Yo'ye
cooped in we're for two or th
YES weeks"
ads Click. Click. sounded the haml
Ice Of her carbine, and as she Oroui
iii the muzzle on a line with the IN;
,de heart she said;
old .There's the road. Yo' scatter.
ty- count twenty and then It'll shoot.
ty He backed away, mutterlng
in cursing, and for the next three g
red the cabin was in state OF siege
red hnnp about, determined 10 1nyt
he. pate the rel orts which had somel
laaked ont. but tinding tha VOL