Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-11-09


deeds he should do, and the fame he
should achieve. A certainty somewhat
irritating to his experienced comrades,
VINO had found plain, unpraised duty
all that they could attain In hard fight
ing and stern endurance. Yet more ir-
| ritating to his special mates. But he
was kindly as well as vain-glorious,
ready with friendly turn for anyone,
ana possessing an inexhaustible spring
OF laughter, whose bubbling over re-
freshed many hard bits of road to his
weary fellow marchers.
Everyone was sorry when he was
knocked down in the beginning of his
first battle nv splinter from shell.
which struck him on the head, and
every one was pleased When, after a
| short stay in the hospital, he returned
to active service again.
He was, however, so changed that he
seemed another soul interposed within
the robust young body, which bore out
ward evidence of his identity. The boy
who went away had been boastful, the
boy who came back was silent. He
had been joyous and now was sullen.
He had been brisk and now was slow.
Nor did even his body long maintain
the alertness, the erectness, the bright
eyed vigor which had distinguished
him.
Fighting amt what it is talked up
to be, ehY' comrade asked him jeer-
ingly. Hard blows Is more common
than glory, and an 'ungrateful coun-
try don't say thank you,' even when a
chap does his best"
II amt done my best" the lad NUT
tered, glaring at the speaker In way
which brought this and similar felici-
tous remarks to conclusion, For If
there was hopeless confession Of
mental failure in the words, there was
the threat of still more conscious
muscular strength, In the regard which
accompanied them. And the good-hu-
mored among his companions were
smitten with compassion, the mere
DULLES with the need for caution.
Very quickly 1t began to be under
stood that he was one of the victims
of haste and insufficiency In the care
of the wounded The splinter of shell
had done some subtle damage to the
brain, some damage which prompt and
watchful skill might have remedied,
but which, after he had rejoined his
regiment able to march and to obey
| mechanically, won no other notice than
the Multiplying, ha,f-scornful name of
"Goosy," that his brother-soldiers be-
slowed upon him.
Throughout the ensuing weeks, the
regiment, though constantly engaged
with the enemy, in picket attacks and
brief skirmishes, was not involved as a
whole In any decisive battle.
Around the camp fires at night tales
were wont to be told of gallant deeds.
Alike among their friends or among
their foes, whom these rough warriors
respected almost equally, and hearing
these tales ''Goosy" would lift up his
head, squaring his shoulders in his for
mer fashion, while through the dizziness
of his eyes cleaned the eagerness
which once dwelt there.
One evening comrade more obser-
want than the others, struck him q
friendly blow, and cried
That's the ticket for you, and me,
too, 'Goosy,'"
But he flung aside the genial grasp
savagely,
"Quit fooling," he growled. "You
haven't done nothing-nOr +"
With which he got on his feel and
slouched away from O loud chorus of
laughter and fainter murmurs of shut
pp,"
Through those weeks of disaster and
triumph, of heartbreak and heOism,
the regiment, which was fragment of
the mighty whole, and the stricken
soul who was an atom of that frag-
ment, endured to the last weeks of the
gigantic struggle to whose echoing
rumor we of this generation listen
with awe.
The circle of doom was drawing
closer around Richmond. All day long
sounded the roar of battle, and at night
the dead were reckoned by the absence
of those whom their comrades saw no
more. There were days and nights
which the generals knew brought them
ever nearer an end which glorified the
means. But to those exhausted sol
diers they were an ordeal 10 be lived
through by few, and died In by most,
with only comfort as their race instinct
for combat could derive from the
knowledge that thus far they were
unconquered.
This was tangible consolation for
sane men, and they cherished it grim
~, and tired and half-starved though
they were. Only 10 "Goosy" this con-
ISOLATION seemed lacking.
Silently he lay where he was told to
lie. Stolidly he marched where he was
told to march. Mechanically he fired
where he was told to fire.
Two or three times news filtered
through various ranks, down to these
plain fighting men that somebody's
battery had dislodged a division of the
enemy, or that somebody's cavalry had
driven another division within It's lines
and there was waving of battered
caps and shouting of hoarse voices.
But "Goosy's" phlegmatic calm was
undisturbed.
About noon on one of these last days
the regiment was advanced to the sup
port of troops which had suffered Sc
verely. 1t found itself confronting
well-screened and strongly cntrenched
artillery, whose terrible accuracy
threatened to decimate it even under
partial shelter.
To the colonel came ',urried staff
officer on horseback, with an order
which sent a flush into the chiefs bag
gard face. He nodded yehementlyi
and turned TO his command.
Boys he cried. ''Fhe general does
us the honor to say that we must muz-
zle those guns-and we are going TO
show him how quickly we can do it."
There was n cheer-a cheer which
faltered slightly, for the mems threats
were dry with dust and thirst, yet
which meant gallant endeavor. Out
dashed the coloners sword, and away
fhey Eeni
Wide were the fields which stretched
between them and the sweeping. scath-
| ing blaze that sowed death broadcast
for a nations resurrection.
| Blue coats fell at every stride, and
other blue coats rushed forward over
them. The col0neEs flashing sword