Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-09-26

"ho"h oSteVi, anu W VIC cOutTuTy,
We were with Mcclellan long SPELL
There was heap Of sickness among
the boys, for we weren't used to the
climate, and most Of us pined for the
comforts OF home. Looking back over
the thirty years that lie between this
time and that see one figure loomin'
up, calm and bright and beautiful In
the midst Of fever and sufferin' and
privation and death. see homely,
earnest face radiant with sympathy
and love and hope, and hear Conky
Stiles voice again speakin comfort
and cheer to all about him. We all
loved him; he stood next to Mr.. Lin.
coin and Gen. McClell an in the hearts
of everybody in the regiment.
They sent committee down from
our town one Thanksgiving time to
bring a lot Of good things and to see
how soon we were going to capture
Richmond. Mr.. Hubbell, the minister
was one Of them. Deacon Cooley was
another. There was talk one time
that Conky had soft spot in his heart
for the deacon's eldest girl, Tryphena.
but always allowed that he paid as
much attention to the other daughter,
Tryphosa, as he did to her eldest sister,
and guess he hadn't any more hank.
erin for one than he had for the other,
for when the committee come to 90
home Conky says to Deacon Cooley
well, good-by deacon, says he, "Ro.
mans, 1914"
We had to look It up in the Bible be
fore we knew what he meant.
Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who
labor in the Lord'-that was Conky's
message to the Cooley girls,
lie wrote letter once to Mr.. Carter,
who was one of the selectmen, and he
put this postscript to 1t; Romans,
1866 You see Mr. Carser's wife had
been Conky's Sunday school teacher,
and Conky did not forget to greet
Mary, who bestowed much labor on
u.s."
Down at Elnathan Jones' general
store the other day heard Elnathan
tell how Conky clerked II for him
spell and how one day he says to
Conly' THAT Baker bill has been
runnin' on for more'n six weeks. We
can't do business unless we get our
money. Conhy, wish you'd Just kind
O spur Mr.. BAKER up a little"
SO Conly sat down on the stool at
the desk and dropped Mr., Baker
short epistlc to this effect; Romans
l;l4i Psalm 2s:ll; Psalm l42.0," Next
day who should come In but Mr.
Baker, and The allowed that that
letter had gone straightcr to his con-
science than any sermon would have
gone, and he paid up his bill and
bought kit Of salt mackerel into the
bargain, so Elnathan Jones says.
could keep on tellin' things like
this, day in and night out, for lots Of
Just such stories are told about Conky
all over Hampshire county now; some
Of EN- doubtless are true and some OF
EN- doubtless amt, there's no tcllin';
but 1t can't be denied that most of EN-
have the genuine Conky flavor.
The histories don't say anything
about the skirmish we had with the
rebels at Churchill's bridge along In
May OF "a, but we boys who were
there remember It as the toughest fight
In oil our experience. They were Just
desperate, the rebels were, and-well,
we were mighty glad when night
came for II soldier can retreat In the
dark with fewer chances Of Interrupt
ton. Out of our company Of one hun.
dred and fifty men, only sixty were
left You can Judge from that OF what
the fighting was at Churchills bridge,
When they called the roll in camp
next day, Conl,y Stiles wasn't there.
Had we lett him dead at the bridge,
or was he wounded, dying the more
awful death Of hunger, thirst and neg.
lect?
"By -!' says Lew llassett lets
go back for Conhy"
That was the only time ever heard
an oath without feclin' Of regret.
A detachment Of cavalry went out to
reconnoiter Only the ruin Of the pre-.
ccding day remained where the boys
had stood and stood and stood only to
be repulsed at last. liluecoats and gray.
coats lay side by side and over against
one another In the rcconcling peace Of
death, Occasionally MANNED body
containing just n remnant Of life was
found, and one Of those crippled bodies
was what was left Of Conky.
When the surgeon saw the mlnie hole
here in his thigh, ard the sabcr cash
here in the temple, he shook his bead,
and we knew what that meant,
Lew Eassctt, II man who had mover
been to mcctin' in Ill his life, and who
could swear II new and awful way
every time Lew l,as,ett says; mo,
Conly Stiles amt goin' to die, for |
shan't let him!" and he bent over and
left up Conly's head and held It, Sc,
and wiped away the trlclilcs Of hlio'l.
and his big hard hands bad the tcudcr.
ness Of a gentle, lovin' woman's.
We heard Conky's voice once, aud
only once, again For when, Just at
the last, he opened Ills eyes and saw
that we were there, he smiled feeble
like, and the grace Of the Book tri.
umphed once more within hun, and he
says-it seemed almost like Il whisper.
he spoke so faint and low; "Good-by,
boys; Second Timothy, A."
And then, though his light went out.
the sublime truth Of his last words
shone from his white, peaceful face
II have fought q good fight, | have
finished my course, have kept the
faith. - Eugene Field, in Chicago Rec