The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-08-28

been in direct grapple with an enemy.
He smiled grimly when the men stared
at him. He turned his horse toward the
meadow.
Collins, OF A Company, said: 81 wish
had drink. l bet there's water in that
there oil we'll yonderln
ayes; but how you goin' to git it?"
For the little meadow which intervened
was now suffering terrible onslaught OF
shells. Its green and beautiful calm had
vanished utterly. Brown earth was being
flung in monstrous handfuls. And there
was a massacre OF the young blades OF
grass. They were being torn, burned,
obliterated. Some curious fortuBe OF the
battle had made this gentle little meadow
the object OF the red hate of the shells
and each one as il exploded seemed like
an imprecation in the face OF a maiden.
The wounded officer who was riding
across this expanse said TO himself: why
they couldn't shoot any harder IL the
whole army was massed herel"
A shell struck the gray ruins OF the
house and as, after the roar, the shat
tered wall fell in fragments, there was
noise which resembied the tapping OF
shutters during wild gale OF winter.
Indeed the infantry paused In the shelter
of the bank, appeared as men standing
upon a shore contemplating a madness OF
the sea. The angel Of calamity had under
its glance the battery upon the hill
Fewer whitelegged men labored about
the guns A shell had smitten one OF
the pieces and after the fare, the smoke,
the uust, the wrath of this blow was
gone, il was possible TO see white legs
stretched horizontally upon the ground.
And at that interval TO the rear, where II
is the business of battery horses 10 stand
with their noses TO the fight awaiting
the command to drag their guns out OF
the destruction or into ii or wheresoever
these incomprehensiDle humans de-
manded with whip and spur-in this line
of passive and dumb spectators, whose
fluttering hearts yet would not let them
forget the iron laws of mans control OF
them-in this rank OF brute-soldiers there
had been relentless and hideous carnage.
From the ruck OF bleeding and PROSTATE
horses, the men of the infantry could see
one animal raising its stricken body with
its fore-legs and turning its nose with
mystic and profound eloquence toward
the sky.
Some comrades joked Collins about his
thirst. "Well, IL yeh want drink so
bad why don't yeh go git it?'
"Well, will in a minnet IL yeh don't
shut up"
A lieutenant Of artillery foundered his
horse straight down the hill with as great
concern as If il were level ground. AS he
gallopcd past the colonel Of the infantry
he threw up his hand in swift salute.
"We've got to get out of that, " he roared,
angrily. He was a black bearded officer,
and his eyes, which resembled beads,
sparkled like those of an insane man.
His jumping horse sped along he column
of infantry.
The fat major standing carelessly with
his sword held horizontally behind him,
and with his legs far apart, looked after
the receding horse man and laughed.
/" He wants to get back with orders pretty
quick or there'u be no battery left ~ he
observed.
The wise young captain of the second
company hazarded to the lieutenant
colonel that the enemy's infantry would
probably soon attack the hill, and the
Lieutenant colonel snubbed him.
A private in one of the rear companies
looked out over the meadow and then
turned TO companion and said: "Look
there, JIM" 1t was the wounded officer
from the battery, who some time before
had started TO ride across the meadow
supporting his right arm carefully with
his left hand. This man had encoun-
tered shell apparently at a time when
no one perceived him and he could now
be seen lying face downward with a stir
ruped foot stretched across the body OF
the dead horse. A leg OF the charger ex-
tended slantingly upward precisely as
stiff as a stake. Around this motionless
pair the shells still howled.
There was a quarrel i'm A Company.
Collins was shaking his fist in the faces
of some laughing comrades. "Dern yehi
l amt afraid Z go. II yeh say much /
will go!''
"Of course yeh will You'll run
through that there medder won't yeh?"
Collins said in a terrible voice: ''You
see, nowl" At this ominous threat his
comrades broke into renewed jeers.
Collins gave them dark scowl and went
to find his captain. The latter was con-
versing with the colonel of the regiment.
Captain, " said Collins, salutnig and
standing at attention. In those days all
trousers bagged at the knees. "Cap-
tain, want { git permission TO go git
some water from that there well over
yonder"
The colonel and the captain swung
about simultaneously and stared across
the meadow. The captain laughed. "You
must be pretty thirsty, Collins?''
eyes, sir; | am"
"well-ah, said the captain. After a
moment, he asked: "Can't you waltz"
"No, sir. :"
The colonel was watching Collins face.
sort of voice. "Look here, my ladO
Collins was not lad. "Don't you think
that's taking pretty big risks for little
drink of water?''
81 dunno, " said Collins, uncomfortable.
some OF the resentment toward his com
panions, which perhaps had forced him
VI MER RESORTS