The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1896-04-03

-<9ZES al glimpses of
"fEH'vE BEEN GRAzED doomed pallid
By A BALL" and ghostlv, lit
with phosphorescent glow. These
faces expressed in their lines the deep
stupor of the tired soldiers They
made them appear like men drunk
with wine. This bit of forest might
have appeared to an ethereal wanderer
as scene Of the result of some fright
full debauch.
The fire cracked musically. From
1t swelled light smoke. Overhead the
foliage moved softly. The leaves with
their faces turned toward the blaze,
were colored shifting hues of silver,
often edged with red. Far off to the
right, through a window in the forest,
could be seen handful Of stars lying,
like glittering pebbles, on the black
level Of the night.
The youth sat in q forlorn heap until
his friend, the loud young soldier,
came swinging two canteens by their
light strings. "Well, now, Fleming,
oil boy" said the latter, well have
yeh fixed up in just about minnit"
He had the bustling ways of an anna
teur nurse. He fused around the fire
and stirred the sticks to brilliant ex-
ertions. He made his patient drink
largely from the canteen that con-
tanned the coffee. 1t was to the youth
a delicious draught. He tilted his
head afar back and held the canteen
long to his lips The cool mixture
went caressingly down his blistered
throat. Having finished, he sighed
with comfortable delight.
The loud young soldier watched his
comrade with an air Of satisfaction.
He later produced an extensive hand
kerchief from his pocket. He folded it
into a manner of bandage and soused
water from the other canteen upon the
middle of it. This crude arrangement
he bound over the youths head, tying
the ends in a queer knot at the back of
the neck.
There" he said, moving off and sur
veying the deed, 'syeh look like the
devil, but bet yeh feel better"
The youth looked at his friend with
grateful eyes. Upon his aching and
swelling head the cool cloth was like
q tender woman's hand.
well, come now" continued his
friend, ''come on. l must put ych Z
bed an see that yeh get a good nights
rest"
The other got carefully erect and
the loud young soldier led him among
the sleeping forms lying in groups and
rows. Presently he stopped and picked
up his blankets. He spread the rub
Der one upon the ground and placed
the wooden one about the youths
shoulders.
''There now" he said, lie down an
git some sleep"
The youth with his manner Of dog
like obedience got carefully down like
crone STOPPING. He stretched out
with o murmur Of relief and comfort
The ground felt like the softest couch.
An exquisite drowsiness spread
through him. The warm comfort of
the blanket enveloped him and made 9
gentle languor. His head fell forward
on his crooked arm and his weighted
lids went down softly over his eyes.
Hearing splatter Of musketry from
the distance. he wondered indiferently
if those men ever slept he gave q
long sigh, Struggled down into his blan-
ket and In q moment was like his COM
rades.
CHAPTER XIII
When the youth awoke, It seemed to
him that he had been asleep for q Nou-
sand years and he felt sure that he
opened his eyes upon an unexpected
world. Gray mists were slowly shift
ing before the first efforts Of the SUM-
rays. An impending splendor could be
seen In the eastern sky. An icy dew
had chilled his face and immediately
upon arousing he curled further down
into his blanket. he stared for awhile
ut the leaves overhead, moving in q
heraldic wind Of the day.
The distance was splintering and
blaring with the voices of fighting.
There was In the sound an expression
of deadly persistency as If it had not
begun and was not to cease.
About him were the rows and groups
of men that he had dimly seen the
previous night. They were getting
last draught of sleep before awaken
ing. The gaunt, careworn faces and
dusty figures were made plain by this
quaint light at the dawning. but It
dressed the skin of the men In corpse
like hues and made the tangled limbs
appear pulseless and dead
2 He heard the noise Of o fire crackling
,brislly In the cold air. and, turning
his head, he saw the loud soldier pot
jtering busily about small blaze A
few other figures moved in the fog. and
lhe heard the hard cracking OF AZ
blows.