The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-05-29

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Then, upon this stiffness, there sud,
denly broke tremendous clangor o1
sounds. A crimson roar came from the
distance.
The youth stopped. He was trans.
fixed by this terrific medley of all
noises 1t was as if worlds were being
rended. There was the rippling sound
of musketry and the creaking crash OF
! the artillery.
His mind flew in all directions. He
conceived the two armies to be at each
other panther-fashion. He listened
for time. Then he began to run in
the direction of the battle. He saw
that it was an ironical thing for him to
be running thus toward that which
he had been at such pans to avoid.
But he said, in substance, to himself
that If the earth and moon were about
to clash, many persons would doubtless
plan to get upon roofs to witness the
collision.
As he ran, he became aware that the
forest had stopped it's music, as If at
last becoming capable of hearing the
foreign sounds. The trees hushed and
stood motionless- Everything seemed
to be listening to the crackle and
clatter and ear-shaking thunder. The
chorus pealed over the still earth.
1t suddenly occurred to the youth
that the fight in which he had been,
was, after all, but perfunctory pop
ping. In the hearing of this present
din, he was doubtful if he had seen
real battle-scenes. This uproar ex-
planned a celestial battle; it was
tumbling hordes a-struggle in the air.
He went rapidly on. He wished to
come to the edge of the forest that he
might peer out
AS he fastened, there passed through
his mind pictures of stupendous con-
ficts. His accumulated thoughts upon
such subjects were used to form scenes.
The noise was as the voice of an elo-
quent being, describing.
Sometimes the brambles formed
chains and tried to hold him back.
Trees, confronting him, stretched out
their arms and forbade him to pass.
After its previous hostility this new re-
sistence of the forest filed him with a
6ne bitterness. It seemed that nature
could not be quite ready to kill him.
But he obstinately took roundabout
ways and presently he was where he
could see Long gray walls of vapor,
where lay battle lines The voices of
cannon shook him. The musketry
sounded in long irregular surges that
played havoc with his ears He stood
for moment. His eyes had
an awe-struck expression. He gawked
In the direction of the fight.
Presently he proceeded again on his
forward way. The battle was like the
grinding of an immense and terrible
to him. Its complexities and
powers, its grim processes, fascinated |
him. He must go close and see it pro-
duce corpses.
he could see in the distance dark and |
agitated bodies of troops, smoke
fringed. In the lane was a blood |
stained crowd streaming to the rear.
The wounded men were cursing, |
groaning and wailing. In the air, al |
ways, was a mighty swell of sound
that it seemed could sway the earth.
With the courageous words of the ar
61lery and the spiteful sentences of the |
were mingled red cheers. And |
from this region of noises came the |
steady current of the manned.
One of the wounded men had a shoe
full of blood. He hoped like school
IN, H.
One was swearing that he had been
shot in the arm through the command
ing generals mismanagement of the
army.
Another had the gray seal of death
already upon his face. His lips were
curled in hard lines and his teeth were
clenched His hands were bloody from
where he had pressed them upon his
wound. He seemed to be awaiting the
when he should pitch head
long. He stalked like the specter of a
soldier, hiseyes burning with the power
Of stare into the unknown.
There were some who proceeded sui
lenly, full of anger at their wounds
and ready to turn upon anything as an
obscure cause.
The youth joined the crowd and
along with it. The torn bodies
the awful machinery in
which the men had been entangled.
Orderlies and couriers occasionally
broke through the throng in the road
way, scattering wounded men right and
left, galloping on, followed by howls.
The melancholy march was continual
ly disturbed by the messengers and
by bustling batteries that
came swinging and humping down
upon them, the officers shouting orders
TO clear the way.
There was tattered man, fouled with
dust, blood and powder stain from hair
TO shoes, who trudged quietly at the
youths side. He was listening with
eagerness and much humility to the
lurid descriptions of a bearded ser
geant- His lean features wore an ex-
preston of awe and admiration. He
was like listener in a country store
to wondrous tales told among the sugar
barrels He eyed the story-teller with
wonder. His mouth was
a-QaD in VOkel fashion