The Opelousas courier., 1898-07-09
time; I must get the men out.~ And

time; I must get the men out.~ And
turning back he ran down the hillside
By the time I reached the house
heard his voice shouting hoarsely OF
the parade ground, and O moment at
ter the notes of the bugle rang out
sounding the assembly.
As I passed through the back yart
I stopped for a moment at the hydran'
to dash some water into my smartins
eyes. There was a tub under the fau
Get, half full Of the overflow, and
was just leaning over this, scoopins
the water up in my hands, when I wal
suddenly thrust aside so violently a:
to almost lose my balance.
Recovering myself Indignantly, ]
recognized the Indian woman, Judy
She had a blanket in her hands, anG
with a desperate energy she was
sousing it In the water. Her face was
wonderful to see. She looked like
one about to do battle to the death.
had but a glimpse of her when she was
off and up the hill, her head down and
partially covered with the blanket,
running and leaping from stone tc
stone like a hound on the scent. She
did not stop to look or listen, but
sped on till in q moment she was lost
to sight
Then I hefd the quick tramp Of
the infantry company coming across
nth parade ground at double time, and
as it reachedthe edge of the woods, it
deployed as skirmishers and advanced
into the smoke, but as'I toiled up the
hill once more bythe side of the agon-
lied father, painting and with the
sweat running down my face, I knew
where the only hope of the child's SAL
walton lay.
We had not penetrated far, though
it seemed a great distance, when
among the smoke-wreathed trees in
front of us appeared a spectral thing.
A tall figure, but whether man or
woman it was hard to say, for its gar
ments hung in smoldering rags about
its limbs, while it's face was buried in
a bundle that its sinewy, blackened
arms Rugged tightly to its breast.
otis Judyl" cried. "It's Judy!
She's got the boy"
A great shout went up from the men
in hearing, and was repeated down
the line. And at the sound the poor,
scorched, blinded creature sank slow
ly to her knees and then fell prone
upon the earth. In an instant q dozen
strong hands were lifting her up and,
while the captain relieved her of the
boy, the rest of us carried her as gent
ly as might be down the hill to the
house.
The child was unconscious from
smoke and fright, but the doctor soon
revived him and pronounced him in
no danger from his adventure. But
when he examined poor Judy's in
juries he slowly shook his head. All
that he could do was to make her as
free from pain as possible till the end
came. She knew she was dying, and
we could see how she suffered, but
she endured the ordeal with marvellous
patience and dignity. At the very
last she said, with her quaint Irish
accent: "Cap'en, I been a dacent
Christian woman for nigh on two
year. When I die will I go to
heaven?"
eyes, Judy" said the captain.
Swell, Q here, cap'n," she said.
II been thinking bout thot, an I
kind O. changed my mind. You see,
[ amt sure my husband and babyll
be in Christian heaven, cause they
don't know bout it, an I don't want
to take no chances, dye mind. So I
guess I'll make sur an go wheriver
they are. You can fix it for me,
can't you?" she added rather
anxiously.
Judy" said the captain, in a voice
tull of emotion, you've always been
In honest, faithful woman, and you've
Just given your life to save that of a
little child. I am sure that God will
be good to you. Only ask Him for
what you want"
"Well," said Judy, call I want is to
90 where Tuosilt and Inotlin are,
all. But if I got to ask God, |
maybe I'd better say thot prayer He
likes. Dye think SO, cap'n."
eyes," said the captain, covering
lis eyes with his hand.
And as she began, in a failing voice,
Our Father, who art in heaven,
lallowed be thy name," we all rev.
kneeled and joined in the
petition. And when we said the final
Amen" the captain, who had been
the poor creatures hand,
laid it on her breast, for Judy's
regeneration had been made complete.
Constitution.