The herald., 1895-06-23

them were two comrades who were
more nearly like Damon and Pythias
than any other two men L ever met. They
had been born and bred in the same town.
had enlisted at the same time, and hau
never been separated for moment since
they first donned Uncle Sans blue uni
form. | am sure that either would gladly
have laid down his life for the other.
They had both been slightly wounded be-
fore, the one having received bayonet
thrust in the left arm and the other hav
ing had the index and middle finger of
his right hand shot away. Now as they
lay side by side, however their injuries
were of much more serious character.
The surgeon looked very grave, and he
turned from one to the other, and the
gravity of his expression deepened as
he concluded his second examination.
Then, as was his custom-for he held it a
physicians duty aways to inform q
patient of the true state of his case-he
told them plainly, but not without feel
ing. that they both had bit few
moments to live.
I" All right said one family bu6
firmly. 1--WE will die together, as l always
hoped we would
- i want to 60 if Tom goes, murmured
the other. Give me your hand, dear old
boy. he continued, and he reached out
his left hand toward his comrade. The
dying man erasped the extended hand
but finding it whole and UNNAMED he
no, not that hand | want the one that
was partly shot away on The battlefield.
His comrade extended his wounded
hand, and Tom. his eyes fast glazing in
DEATH clasped it and felt for the stumps
OF the missing fingers.
This is the hand | want he ex-
claimed, and raising it to his lips his
N,~tt
friend, by great exertion, raised his he ad
and looked at his comrade. Seeing that
tie was no more he uttered q loud Cry
and the two friends were reunited.
There was no better, more fearless, or
more loyal soldier than old Jack Dublin,
but he had one fault, and that was an
overweening fondness for the whisky bot
tie, or rather for its contents. He had a
boon companion whose name | never
knew, but every onescailed Linn Uncle 81.
i While in camp old Jack was taken i'll OF
a fever, and despite the unremitting at
| tention of Uncle 81. died. The corpse de-
veloped an unusual rigidity after death
| sitting posture. Accordingly on the
night before Its burial, it was stretched
out upon board at full length, resting
| upon two wooden trestles, with its head
and feet tied down by ropes. Old Uncle
81 insisted on watching the remains of
his dead friend. Shortly after midnight
| he became very thirsty and stepped out
to neighboring suffers to procure a
drink. During his somewhat protracted
absence two stray cats found their way to
| the tent containing the remains of old
Jack. When Uncle 81 returned he was
naturally indignant at seeing these felines
sitting on the corpse-one at the mead,
the other at ,he feet. Seizing a billet Of
| wood from the ground he aimed power
ful blow at the pussy sitting near the
head, 1t missed its mark and struck and
| severed tho rope holding down the head
| Of the corpse. which Immediately flew
| into sitting posture. Selling the dead
man by the shoulders and forcing him
back into q cumbent position Uncle 81
exclaimed In an aggrieved tone: Darn
ye. old man. lie down and keep quiet; I'll
attend to the cats. -
'In one OF the early battles of the
war, in the hottest part of the action,
felt my coat tails being pulled by young
fellow whom | recognized as having been
employed in tobacco factory prior to
his enlistment "'Wby are you not fight
ing in your placer" | asked angrIy.
=" We'll. just wanted to tell yor that
if you don't mind | think | will take my
time off today
Admiral Porter tells the following:
| AT the deathbed of my friend Col. II.
| witnessed what think was at once the
| most touching and dramatic incident of
tho whole war. 1t was some time after
the termination of the great conflict and
the colonel bad long employed as the
| children's governes, young southern
! lady OF great beauty and refinement. and
rs stoud with his wife by his dying bed
he called this girl to him. told her how he
had killed her father--a confederate cap,
tain in handto-hand fight, having
recognized her by her resemblance 10 heI
parent, and by his miniature, which