The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-05-22
CHAPTER VI

came gradually back to a position from
which he could regard himself. For
moments he had been scrutinizing his
person in a dazed way, as if he had
never before seen himself. Then He
picked up his cap from the ground. He
wriggled in his jacket to make more
comfortable fit. and. kneeling, relaced
his shoe. He thoughtfully mopped his
reeking features.
So it was all over at last. The su-
preme trial had been passed. The red,
formidable difficulties of war had been
vanquished.
He went into an ecstasy of self-satis-
faction. He had the most delightful
sensations of his life. Standing as if
apart from himself. he viewed the last
scene. He perceived that the man who
had fought thus was magnificent.
But, of a sudden, cries of amazement
broke out along the ranks of the new
regiment. Here they come again!
Here they come again!"
The youth turned quick eyes upon
the field. He discerned forms swelling
in masses out of a distant wood. He
again saw the tilted flag speeding for
ward.
The shells which had ceased to trouble
the regiment for time, came swirliDg
again and exploded in the grass or
among the leaves of the trees. They
looked to be strange war flowers burst
ing into fierce bloom.
The men groaned. The luster faded
from their eyes. Their smudged coun-
tenances now expressed profound de-
lection.
They fretted and complained each to
each. "Oh, say, this is too much of
good thing. Why can't somebody send
rs supports?"
1--WE amt never going to stand this
second banging. didn't come here to
fight the whole damned rebel army"
There was one who raised a doleful
cry. II wish Bill Smithers had trod
on my head instead of me treading on
his" The sore joints.of the regiment
creaked as it painfully foundered into
position to repulse.
The youth stared. Surely, he thought,
this impossible thing was not about to
happen. 1t was all mistake.
But the firing began somewhere on
the regimental line and ripped along in
both directions. The level sheets Of
flame developed great clouds of smoke
that tumbled and tossed in the mild
wind near the ground for a moment and
then rolled through the ranks as
through a CRATE. The clouds were
tinged an earth-like yellow in sun rays,
and, in the shadow, were a sorry blue.
The flag was sometimes eaten and lost
in this mass of vapor, but more often it
projected, sun-touched, pesplendent.
Into the youths eyes there came a
look that one can see in the orbs of a
with nervous weakness and the mus
cles of his arms felt numb and blood
less. His hands, too, seemed large and
awkward as if he were wearing irviSi-
BILE mittens. And there was a great
uncertainty about his knee joints.
He began tc eXaggerate the endur-
ance, the skill and the valOr of those
who were coming. Himself Keeling
from exhaustion, he was astonished be-
yond measure at such persistency. They
must be machines of steel.
He slowly lifted his rife and catch
ing glimpse of the thick-spread field
he blazed at cantering cluster. He
stopped then and began to peer as best
he could through the smoke. He caught
changing views of the ground covered
with men who were all running like
,Ds,rc,1aJ iror1- and 'v-al1ir,r
To the youth it was an onslaught of
redoubtable dragons. He became like
the man who lost his legs at the APP
proach of the red and green monster.
He waited in a sort of Mortified, listen
ing attitude. He seemed to shut his
eyes and wait to be gobbled
Men began to scamper away through
the smoke. The youth turned his head,
shaken from his trance, by his move
ment as if the regiment were leaving
him behind. He saw the few feeting
forms.
He yelled then with fright and swung
about. For a moment, in the great
clamor, he was like a proverbial
chicken. He lost the direction of safe
ty. Destruction threatened him from
all points.
Directly he began to speed toward
the rear in great leaps His rifle and
VI. cap were gone.
T. HE unbutfopa6