The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-11-10
HIS HAfR WAS WHITE.
THE THRILLING STCRY or HOW ii
TUENED.
There Vas Ci,ost T.onbl9 H<X:.s. ,.z Get
tysDueg sud Eoas at 1ha Newly gtade

GTSyS Oh GIiEsAI.
4 big black cloud that seemed &c
pull out at the bottom until !: mad the
shape cf balloon spilled its hocd
upc& the west slore of Marshall Pass.
The food rushed down narrow cuich
and tore awav a2oUt SO :eet OF the
raiir2ad track me New England
excursion iraiu had 70 5a backed d3mu
to Sargenis, at the foct of the hill IN
I'll The road could te repaired. There
vas abSoluieiy no amusement for the
excursicnisfS save what they could
make Tor themselves. aud yet one
nsard 90 com olairt- Nnboiy threat.
ened 10 sue tha company or sand in
q Dill for the extra meal Of mountain
trout that they were compelled tc
take Because OF the weshout.
"Toese Yankee tou'Ists," said the
old engineer, hay mon patience an
less pocket money than aGy clss: OF
people und5h tn suI,.
\ couple Ct gentlemen came over &c
The little roundhouse, walking with
their hands beaiod them, looking at
the locomotives that stood sleaming 10
front CT the house waiting tor orders.
UQon the pilot o. one OF these engines
g white hairsd man IN over2lls sal
smoking cigar.
Good evening" said one OF the
tourists.
Coed evening"" responded the en-
gineec.
! suppose, " said the New England
er, putting clea tan boot upon the
Acss OF the pilot, "tnas ycu have been
Il close place for some time "
We'll, cant say that have" said
the man iu overails.
Il see that your hair IS White, and
yet you are younger man than
am
"O1." said the engineer, a little en-.
barrrassed, = got that in the COS.
long before commenced railrosGin. y
I see, l see, said the excursioniSt,
showing still greater interest. AT
Gettysburg, perhaps;"
1t vas going home from Gettys
burg" said the engine driver, glaze,
ing at his right hand, that had a deep
dirnple in the thick of the thumb.
y went home. also, after Gettys-
burg" ssid the Yankee, AID the two
men looked ct each Other for NO.
meut in silence.
The freman brought q cushion from
the cab, threw it upon the pilot, and
the engineer motioned the men TO q
seat.
We'll, there was good many went
home from Gettysburg" said the en-
gineer, with the hard pedal on
hens"
The Yarkee nodded il silence. OF
course each knew by the others accent
that they had fought there face to face
and not side by side.
"One of your fellows cid me a
mean little trick down there said tbs
excursionist.
well, lit cones to that, a damn,
ed Yankee poked his 5ayonet through
ny hand" said the engineer, for he
had to swear when he talked.
And, seeing that you were unarm-
ed, made you prisoner, when ne
might have killed you.
Yes, I had been hit on the head
rith spent piece Of shell or some
thing heavy enopgh tc knock me out.
When came TO and staggered to my
feet this Yankee made run at ne
an l had to give up"
well, sab, watched my chances
an hit him a crack under the can:
grabbed his gun an when he started
to get up, I laid the barrel across bis
head and LETT him there, when I might
have killed him."
And here" said the excursionist,
removing his travelling cap, lis the
scar you gave him"
An here'sthe max Of 20 bayonet,
said the engineer, wiggling his thumb.
The two men shook hands. The
tourist returned to his sleeper, but
came back again presently with halt
dczsn friends. The Yankee produced
a well-flled cigar case, planted him.
self at the side OF the engineer, and
asked him to tell how his hair hap
pened to &c white.
"Well, sah,n said the engine man,
its that damn silly that have nevah
told it."
But you must-you could not re.
fuse an old comrade," said the Yam
kee, laughing heartily.
After the scrap" said the Virgin
ian. whose accent must now be imag
ined, = went home to rest until my
hand could heal. Our place was 8
long way from the railroad, and when
left the train l hired a saddle horse
and started out to the plantation. Il
was dark, rainy night. The result
of the battle OF Gettysburg had sad
denad me, bat COW the thoughts OF
seeirg the folks and friends st home
gave me pleasure that could not be
marred even By the SAD news Of the
death OF one of our neighbors.
This man-this dead man-sno
had been playmates and fas: friends IL
boyhood days; but, as we grew older,
we fell or rather grew in love with
the same girl. ! can't say that
blamed him for tbat-any man with
eyes would do it-but when I went
away to war and saw him standing
by her side upon the station platform,
ii didn't seem quite an even break.
He was TO stay tnere and listen to the
music of her voice, while l heard the
roar Of cannon. He would sit by her
side in the summer twilight, while
slept out in the rain and helped make
history, and the thought of it put
hardness in my heart that had sctten
ed only at the news Of his death. Il
was pleasant, however, TO reflect thai
I had faced the enemy-had walked
in the shadow OF the Shell, and lived
to come home to her, while ne, poor
devil, had been kicked by a mule and
died.
tomorrow hs would be planted,
and / should be there to see how she
took it and console her IS be had dooe
when I answered my country's call
1T must have been nearly midnight