The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1896-03-20

something in them that made him sink
wailing to the ground He raised his
voice in a last supreme call:
Jim! jim! Jim~
The tall soldier opened his lips and
spoke. He made gesture. Leave
me be-don't tech me-leave me be-
There was another silence, while he
waited.
Suddenly his form stifbened and
Strengthened. Then it was shaken by
a prolonged ague- he stared into
space To the two watchers there was
q curious and profound dignity in the
firm lines of his awful face.
He was invaded by a creeping strange
ness that slowly enveloped him For .
moment the tremor of his legs caused
him to dance a sort of hideous horn
pipe. His arms beat wildly about his
head in expression of imp-Iike enthu-
siasm-
His tall figure stretched itself to its
full height There wasa slight rending
sound. Then it began to swing for
ward, slow and straight, in the manner
of falling tree. A swift muscular
contortion made the left shoulder strike
the ground first
The body seemed to bounce little
way from the earth ''God," said the
tattered soldier.
this ceremony at the place of meeting.
His face had been twisted into an ex-
preston Of every agony he had
imagined for his friend.
He now sprang to his feet and, going
closer. gazed upon the paste-like face.
The mouth was open and the teeth
showed in laugh.
As the flap of the blue jacket fel
away from the body he could see that
the side looked as if it had been chewed
by wolves.
The youth turned. with sudden, livid
rage, toward the battlefield. He shook
his fist He seemed about to delive.
a philippe
Hell"
The red sun was pasted IN the sky
like fierce wafer.
The tattered man stood musinp.
'"Well, he was regular jim-dandy TO,
nerve, want he," said he finally in q
little awe-struck voice. A regular jim
dandy He thoughtfully poked one
OF the docile hands with his foot 81
wonner where he got is stren'th fromi
l never seen man do like that before.
1t was a funny thing. Well, he was
a regular jim-dandy."
The youth desired to screech out his
grief. He was stabbed But hi.
tongue lag dead in the tomb of his
mouth He threw himself again upon
the ground and began to brood
The tattered man stood musing.
| Look here, pardner," he said
after time. He regarded the corpse
as he spoke Hes up an gone, aint
e, an we might as well begin t looh
out fer oil number one
The youth, awakened by the tat
tered soldiers tone, looked quickly up
He saw that he was swinging uncer
tainly on his legs and that his face had
turned to shade of blue.
Good Lord" he cried, in fear, "you
amt going to-not you too
The tattered man waved his hand
Mary die" he said. ''All I want i,
some pea-soup an good bed. Some
pea-soup," he repeated drcamfully.
The youth arose from the ground
Il wonder where he came from lef,
him over there!" He pointed. land
now find i'm here. And he was com
ing from over there, too" He indi
Gated a. new direction. They both
turned toward the body as if to in
terrogate it.
Well" at length spoke the tattere6
man, there amt no use In our stayin
here an tryin' t ask him anything"
The youth nodded an assent, YEARLY
They both turned to gaze for moment
at the corpse.
The youth nurmured something.
We'll, he was a jim-dandy, want
'e?7 said the tattered man as if In re
sponse.
They turned their backs upon it and
started away. For time, they stole
softly, treading with their toes It re-
NAMED laughing there in the grass.
I'm commeucin' t feel pretty bad,
said the tattered man suddenly break.
ing one of his little silencea I'm
commencin' t feel pretty damn bad"
The youth groaned- ''Oh, Lord y
Was he to be the witness of another
encounter?
But his companion waved his hand
reassuringly. ''Oh, I'm not goin' t die
yit"
AS they plodded on the tattered SOL
der continued to talk. Besides, If
died, wouldn't die tn way that felle,
did That was tn funniest thing. I'd
jest flop down, would I never seen
teller die tn way that Teller did"
Then he made a calm announcement
There's two of 'em, little ones, but
they're beginnin' to have fun with me
now. 1 don't believe I kin walk much
| furder."
They went slowly on in silence
"Yeh look pretty peeked yerseH," said
the tattered man, at last II bet yeh've
got worser one than yeh think.
Where is 1t located?" But he continued
to harangue vaguely without waiting
for reply.
The youth had been wriggling since
the other had begun to speak Cd
wounds He now gave q cry Of exas
peration and made a furious motion
with his hand. ''Oh. don't bother me, :
he said Now, don't bother me- be
repeated, with desperate menace.
well, Lord knows don't wanta
bother anybody" said the tattered
man. There was little accent of de.
spair in his voice as he replied Lord
knows I've gotta 'nough M own t tend
! to-
/. The youth, who had been holding q
bitter deb Ite with himself and casting
glances of hate and contempt at the