Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-08-22


mo an overwhelming sense Of patriotic
duty
Mother WAS tho first 90 notice my nb-
inindedness, and % her first conildod
tho greGt wish Of my ohrly manhood. IL IL
hard for parents ~ bid n fOn 20 forth 10 do
scryice upon the battlefield, but Ne~ Eng
land In those times responded chccriuiIy
and nobly 90 ~. LlncOln's call
Tho Eiahth Massachusetts cavalry was
tho regiment / enlisted In. bakers
dozen of us boys went together from tho
qulct llitio village nestlinR In the shadow
Of Mount Iiolyoke From Camp Andrew
/ wrote back pitcous letter, complaining
OF tho horse that had been assigned 10 mo.
WANTED Royal. We had been inseparablO
In times Of pcacs---why should We not
share together the fortunes Of wari
within fortnight along camo Royal, con
Quoted In all dignity by--syou would never
gucss--by Judge Phippsl7 Full Of patriot
Ism and cheer was the judge.
"Both Of ye arc thoroughbred" said
hc "Yell come In under tho wire first
every time, / know ye Will"
The judge also brought me saddle
blanket which Susie had ornanentcd with
wondrous and tender art.
So Royal and went into tho war to-
gcther. There were times Of priyation and
Of danger; neither Of us ever complained.
am proud 10 bear witness that In every
emergency my horse bore himself with
patience and "a valor that seemed actually
human My comrades enyiod inc my
gentle, stanch obedient servant. Indeed
Royal and became famous as inseparablo
and loyal friends.
We were In five battles, and neither Of
one afternoon in skirmish with the
rebels near Potomac mills bullet struck
me In the thigh, and from the mere shock
/ fell from Royals back into the tangle OF
the thicket. The fall must have stunned
me, for tho next thing / knew j was alono
deserted Of all except my faithful horse.
Royal stood over me, and when opened
my eyes he gave faint whipny. / hardly
knew what to do. My leg pained me ex-
cruciatingly. / surmised that l would
never be able to make my way back to
camp under the fire Of the rebel picketers,
for discovered that they were closing In.
Then 1t occurred to me to pin q note to
Royals saddle blanket and to send Royal
back to camp, telling the boys OF tho
trouble was in. Tho horse understood
IL all. Off he galloped, conscious OF the
import Of the mission upon which he had
been dispatched.
Bangl bang! bang went the guns over
yonder, as II tho revengeful creatures In
the faroff brush guessed the meaning of
our maneuvering and sought to slay my
loyal friend. But not bullet touched
bim-leastwise he galloped on and on till
last sight of him.
They came for me at last the boys did
They were formidable detachment, and
how the earth shook as they swept along
| "We thought you were a goner sure, >
: said Hi Bixby.
II guess would have been if it hadn''
| been for Royal" said L.
II guess so myself" said he. "Wher
we saw him stumbling along all bloody
we allowed for sure you were deadp'
can bloody?' 1 cried. "Is Royal hurt?
GAS bad as a hoss can be, said he.
In camp we found them doing the bes
they could for him. But it was clearly o.
no avail. There was a gaping, ragged
hole in his side. Seeking succor for me
Royal had met his death wound. forgo
my own hurt 1 thrust the others asid
and hobbled where he lay.
| "Poor old Roy' cried as threw my
self beside my dying friend and put IN,
arms about his neck. Then patted ant
| HlIu anu nlIl again ant
again by name, and there was a look IL
his eyes that told me he knew me and wa
glad L was there.
| How strange and yet how beautiful i
was that in that faroff country, with my
brave, patient, loyal friends hutterins
heart close unto mine, 1 neither sow MOI
thought Of the scene around mel
But before my eyes came back the old
| 70 tha Loft ho lan "a
the narrow road up the hill, the rive
winding along between great stretches o
brown corn, the aisle of maple trees ant
the fountain where we drank SO many
many times together, and smelled th'
fragrance Of the flowers and trees abloom
and l heard the dear voices and the swee
sounds Of my boyhood days.
Then presently a mighty shudder awak
ened me from this dreaming. And criet
out with alright and grief, for felt tina
was alone-Chicago Record.