The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-12-22

Silhly nhuukSTCuleI.
"l'm going TO try tip said Burton,
bis lips set, and resolute CLINT in his
gray eyes.
Burton buttoned up his blouse,
turned up the collar, pulled his black
felt hat close about his ears. then IN
buckled bis sword and let it fail.
"The one by the tree?"
eyes,"
"Hold up, George. The man must be
dead by this time. It's hot as fur
mace over there. Then the enemy's
shells are falling short. They are kill
ing their own men,"
off | don't try it, Gates, I'll never
know another happy hour. Here
goes !"
The captain reached out his hand to
restrain his friend, but with a bound
Burton had cleared the breastwork.
The men saw him dashing down the
lurid slope, understood his purpose and
cheered to give vent to their feelings
rather than by way of encouragement.
The two men, who had been playing
cards, begged the captain to let them
go to the lieutenanL's help, but he re-
fused.
Midway Burton came to sudden
halt. That he was not coming back
beaten was evident. He tied a hand
kerchief over his nose and mouth and
dashed on again.
The branches of the riddled tree, I'M
der which the wounded confederate lay,
had caught fire, and rain of sparks
was poured down. Burton soon had
the man on his back, and was facing
the lines.
Captain Gates waved his hat as
his friend drew near, and the ri.
fles leaped on the breastwork and
cheered as if on charge. Those of
the confederates who could do so
Strengthened themselves up to look,
and, forgetting their sufferings in Bur-
toms splendid effort, they shouted:
"Three cheers for the Yank ~
Two-thirds of the distance was clear
ed, and the rifles began to breathe
easier, when an ominous roar rolled
from over the river. A devilish scream
came down from the sky, whose black
vault was pencilled by curved streak
of sputtering sparks, that all under.
stood.
"Here she comesl"
"She'll fall short"
"Down in front, boysp'
"My God, Burton, drop him and run
for your lifel" This last from the cap
tain, who, with his hands trembling on
the logs, and an awful agony in his
eyes, bent toward his friend. Down,
fifteen feet in Burton's front, the shell
crashed. For fully two seconds it
seemed that it would not explode, but
"a; m N Gra e., 30; h. IL.
ling sparks shot up from the fuse.
The lieutenant stopped, and seemed
about to turn to the right, when there
came flash and crash, and arrows,
black or blazing, shot out in every d.
rection. An instant and the wind
had swept the smoke to the left, but
the man in blue and the man in gray
on his back, had vanished.
"Where are they?" cried the cap
tain.
"Out there to the left, sir" and a
man pointed to dark heap, near the
shell crater.
Without an order the two card play
ers leaped the breastworks. They
were followed by two others, and these
carried in the lieutenant and the man
he had sought to rescue. The young
confederate's brain had been plowed
through by piece of shell, and for
ever out of pain, he lay in the light of
the nearing flames with peaceful look
on his fine face.
"Did l save him, cap?" asked Bur-
ton when consciousness returned, and
a circle of tear-stained faces was about
him.
"You brought him in, old fellow"
sobbed the captain.
"Thank God for thatl"
Glow do you feel, GeorgeP"
at must be the shock. IL have
no pain. I'm just dizzy like, and So
so sleepy. Let me doze bit, and call
me-if there's an attack"
The carnage of Chickamauga was
ended, but George Burton was "called,"
and he answered the mystic angels
summons, and crossed the black river
to the white tents of the silent.-Mc.
Clures's.