The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-06

followed the teams with an air Of un-
willingness, OF being dragged by the
heels.
Some officers of the scattered infan-
try were cursing and railing like fish
wives. Their scolding voices could be
heard above the din. Into the I'M
speakablc jumbo in ihc roadway, rode
q squadron Of cavalry, The faded yell
low of their facings shonc bravcly.
There was Almighty alteration.
The artillery were assembling as if
for conference.
The blue haze of evening was upon
the fields. The lines of forest were.
long purple shadows. One cloud lay
along the western Sky partly smother
ing the red
AS the youth left the scene behind
him, he heard the guns suddenly roar
out. He imagined them shaking in
black rage. They belched and roarcd
like brass devils guarding gate. The
soft air was filed with the tremendous
remonstrance. With it came the shat
tering peal of opposing infantry. Turn
ing to look behind him, he could see
sheets Of orange light illuminc the
shadowy distance. There were subtle
and sudden lightnings in the far air.
At times he thought he could sec heav-
ing masses of men.
lie hurried on in the dusk. The day
had faded until he could barely distin-
guish places for his feet. The purple
darkness was filled with men who lee.
turcd and jabbercd. Sometimes he
could see them gcsticulating against
the sombcr sky. There seemed to be a
great rucli of men and munitions
spread about in the forests ard in the
fields. The little, narrow roadway now
lay lifeless. There were overturned
wagons like sun-dried bowlders. The
bed of the former torrent was choked
with the bodies of horses and splintercd
parts of war machines
1t had come to pass that his wound
panied him but little. He,was AFRAID
to move rapidly, however, for dread
of disturbing it. He held his head
very still and took many precautions
against stumbling. He was filed with
anxiety, and his face was pinchcd and
drawn in anticipation Of the pain Of
any sudden mistake of his feet in the
gloom.
His thoughts, as he walked, fixed
intently upon his hurt. There was
cool, liquid feeling about it and he
imagined blood moving slowly down
under his hair. His head seemed swol-
len to a size that made him think his
neck to be inadequate.
The new silence of his wound made
much worriment. The little, blister.
ing voices of pain, that had called out
from his scalp, were, he thought, def
mite in their expression Of danger. BY
them he believed he could measure his
plight. But when they remained
ominously silent, he became frightened
and imagined terrible fingers that
clutched into his brain.
lie held continuous argumen is as to
whether he should lie down and sleep
at some near spot, or force himself on
until he reached q certain haven. He
often tried to dismiss the question, but
his body persisted in rebellion and his
senses nagged at him like pampered
babies.
AT last he heard chcery voice near
his shoulder: "Yeh seem t be in a
pretty bad way, boy?"
The youth did not look up, but he as
sented, with thick tongue:. ."Uh."
The owner of the CHEEKY voice took
him firmly by the arm. "Well," he
said, with round laugh, "I'm goin'
your way. Th' hull gang is goin your
way. An l guess / kin give yeh q
lift" They began to walk like a
drunken man and his friend.
AS they went along, the man ques-
toned the youth and assisted him with
the replies like one manipulating the
mind of q child.
In the search which followed he
seemed to possess a wand of magic
kind. He threaded the mazes of the tan
gled forests with strange fortune. In
encounters with guards and patrols he
displayed the keenness of detective
and the valor of a gamin. Obstacles
fell before him and became of assist
ance. The youth, with his chin still
on his breast, stood woodenly near
while his companion beat ways and
means out of sullen things.
The forest seemed vast hive of men
buzzing about in frantic circles, but
the CHEEKY man conducted the youth
without mistakes until at last he began
to chuclslc with glee and self-satisfac-
tion. "Ah, ther yeh are. See that
fre?"
The youth nodded stupidity.
"WGll, there's where your regiment
is. An now good-by, OF boy, good
luck t. yeh."
A warm and strong hand clasped the
youths langu,d fingers for an instant,
and then I've heard cheerful and auda-
cious whistling as the man strobe
away. AS he who had so befriendsd
him was thus passing out of his life, it
suddenly occurred 70 the youth that he
had not once seen his face.
lie went slowly toward the fire indi.
Gated by his departed friend. AS he
reeled, he bethought him of the well
come his comrades would give him. He
had conviction that he would soon
feel in his sore heart the barbed missiles
of ridicule. He had no strength to in
vent tale; he would be soft target.
He made vague plans to 90 off into
the deeper darkness and hide, but they
were all destroyed by the voices OF ex-
haustion and pain from his body. His
ailments clamoring, forced him to seek
the place of food and rest at whatever
cost.
He swung unsteadily toward the fire.
He could see the forms of men throw
ing black shadows in the red light, and
as he went nearer it became known to
him in some way that the ground was
strcwn with sleeping men.