The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-03
A Desert Dream.
From the English CornhiH. In two
parts.)
PART TT
PART II.

of the waste as Grammel fed it silently.
The wearying, hollow voice went on
You're looking very pretty this morn
ing. Alice with the sun shining in your
hair. You knew I'd come back. didn't
YOU darIing?" He looked across admir-
ingly into Gammers bearded face. Let
set the rat-trap in the stable-where is it?
I can't find it,
Then from the far distance Of the
marshes came indescribable noises that
sounded like Titans laughing, and balls OF
fen-fre rolled, dimly seen, through the
fog, while Lee-Carson got exceedingly
afraid because he imagined that he was on
board steamer on a thick night, and
that a collision was imminent. and the
skipper not properly certificated
Il tell you, man, I see her lights!
There!" he cried, stung like harp with
excitement, pointing a shaking hand into
the darkness.
shes working round all right" said
Gramrnel, soothingly. Cant you hear
the sailors singing?" adding to himself,
IF I can only get MIN on his songs, that
will quiet him down perhaps"
Lee-C Carson responded to this at once,
his eyes blazing.
Il can hear them! Oh, Lord, it is good"'
he exclaimed, and seemed TO listen; then
added mysteriously, But it's only the
sailors-it's-don't you know their voices?
why, it's Fordison and Chester-and the
restt'
And the high trembling voice was once
more raised to join in the song:
But northward. east, and westward,
And under the tropic sky,
The price that we paid to conquer
Were the men who were proud TO die.
He chanted it over and over, till the
ba fan a1Iy
hausted and lay still for many minutes.
Presently Grammel crept round and COW
cred him up carefully. Lee-Carson's sleep
was the sleep of exhaustion, but it was
better than no sleep at all.
After awhile Grammel, too, lay down
and slept.
When Lee-Carson woke huge red moon
on the horizon seemed very close to his
eyes. and he called out wildly:
"Grammel. Grammel! Curse you, Gram
mel, you're deadr'
And from the other side of the fire
Grammel answered him, his dry lips
bleeding as they parted.
Dead? OF course I'm notr'
Whats death?" began Lee-Carson
again. Don't let that moon dance and
CLEAN in my eyes, it gets into my brain!
Grammel, what's death?"
a sleep and a forgetting, quoted
Grammel, at his wits end.
mo, its not that" said the sick man
more calmly. " Grammel, come here!
Where are you?" he CROPPED about for the
friendly hand that met his. Look! look.
the other side of the fret
When Grammel could get his heavy eyes
open, he looked across and saw nothing
only the snake tongues of the flame leap
ing at intervals into the moonstruck
gloom.
There's nothing" he said shortly
Grammel had no imagination. hence he
was at a loss, not knowing what he was
expected TO see.
"Nothing?" repeated Lee-Carson, peer
ing anxiously forward. NO. I see moth
ing now-perhaps l dreamed. I think I'm
going out. Most people die about the
dawn"
ROT" said Grammel lamely
Lee-Carsons lips parted in the old
whimsical smile. Presently he said: I've
seen things. GramInel, and I'd like to tell
you what 1 saw
Grammel was sitting close by, his hands
clasped round his knees. Being the man
ne was, he said nothing, only waited TO
hear.
Through the night I've seen them gall
mounted men-our fellows you know
Grammel shook his head imperceptibly
Il shouted to them-I shouted who we
were, but they were riding fast eastward"
mo man rides east" said GrammeI
looking up.
You don't understand" said the sick
man gently; you don't know who they
are. They're the Frontier Men of Eng
land! and their recruiting sergeant's
Death. Don't you remember?
They ride forever up and down
To guard the land they won.
Don't you see them-don't you see them
now? They're calling me- and I can't
go, Oh, the morning of life is sweet, but
this is BETTER The end is coming, Gram
mel; it's coming fast!"
He lay down again. moaning, and Gram
mel mixed much brandy with a little mud
and water and gave it to him.
In a little while Lee-Carson moved, his
face distorted in the torchlght of the fire,
as he shouted huskily.
Fordison. Chester. stop! I'm coming! 1
sha'n't be long and then Wen ride to-
gether. Grammel will come too-some
day. He'll never die between sheets, good
old Grammel, I wonder if heIl ride six
teen stone as ghost?"
He laughed out suddenly and Grammel
muttered in his beard:
He's got it bad-very bad"
wen ride past-our graves together and
scare the beasts, Wen gallop into the
sunset Who's with you? lakewood and
Tommy Brown, all of them" and in his
delirious transport he tore the blankets
from him. Il have known many good
things in life-sea-dawns, and ships rush
ing through the arteries Of the world, but
this is better than allt''
Grammel had started up and was listen
ing intently. Still the voice, strained TO
breaking pitch, rang on.
They start with US on our expeditions,
they head our armies. The Frontier Men
OF England. Reinforced in every border
fizzle-bv the bullet-by the shabby the
swamp fever. You at home yon needn't
weep He ceased to peer anxiously
out into the gloom Of the swamp. Are
YOU there you fellows? I can't see you.
That's all right No one dies alone in the
waste of the desert, you're always there
to see him die. 1 wish Ia told Grammel.
he'd tell the rest At every advance
they're with Us. and when we die no man
is left TO die alone. They are always
there-waiting" 1t almost seemed 10
Grammel that he could hear the tramp
ling hoofs Of that shadowy SQUADRON.
A chill wind stirred the vapors of the
mist.
Il smell the dawn Iee-Carson raised
his head. I'm coming with the dawn.
know how II viii rise. like the wet gIis-
tening side of white bull over the sod
den rim Of the marshes. Oh. the glory OF
it," he shrieked. ''AT the men who have
passed away into the unknown and died
on the edge OF the food. All OF them,
'' For ever riding up and down
To guard the land they Won
And when Amageddon comes. they'll be
there. the glory Of the ages! The men
who were planted with a stone on their