The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-12-15

and blouses were laid over the holes to pro-
tect them against the sparks.
They succeeded at last in getting through
the e-boriered road without an explosion,
but they were all SO exhausted that they
could not move another step until they
rested. The poor horse lay down and refused
TO get up
Wat and Abel looked in to see how ST and
Shorty had Jared. The jOlting of the
wagon and the cold night air had at first
revived them so that they could speak
Then they swooned again from the effects Of
the heat and the sitting smoke, and were
speeches. and mOtonleSs when Wat and
Abel Looked in.
We've 'ad all hour trouble for nothink,"
said Wat disconsolately, "a he felt them over,
The eat hand smokes killed 'em.''
Not by -a-durned-Sigit," slowly
gasped Shorty. Observation-Disclosures
-git-well. Nearly ad-for-a-drink
-o'-water-though- Then-Ill-be-all
right"
Abel snatched up a canteen, ran to a
branch q little ways off, filled it, an return
ing. put it to Shortys lips.
| Jeho5epaat, how good that tastes" said
Shorty, speaking still family but far more
freely than at first, after be had drained the
canteen. Sonny, run and git some more;
and mind you fill the canteen full this time.
| feel rs if | could drink up the Mississippi
River. Say, boys, what's happened? APP
pearintly, got a sOckdolocer on my head
from some feller who thought was too fresh
I'm afraid I'll have a spell o. headache But
we got the flag, didn't we?"
| Yo're bloody right we did," said Wat;
'hand we wolloped them bloomin' rebels
till they united their 'oIes hin the woods"
| "That's-go od-enough, said Shorty,
sinking back
The columns movin' agin," said Abel
Waite, turning his attention TO h is team.
| Shortly after daybreak the team limped
painfully up the slope of Mission Ridge,
through Rossville Gap, on either side OF
which stood Ihomas's indomitaDle army in
battle-array. sternly defying the rebel hosts
of Bragg and Lengstreet, which swarmed
over the hills and valleys in front, but with
out much apparent appetite for renewal of
the dreadful Tray.
Where do you men belong? What have
| you got in that wagon? Where are you
going?" demanded the Provost officer In
the road.
Owe belong to the 2OOth Hinjianny.
| We've two badly wounded men and ha lot o.
hammynition in the wagon. We want to
find hour regiment" answered Wat Burn
nam.
Stop your wagon right there. We need
| all the ammunition we can get. Lift your
wounded men into that ambulance, and then
go up to that side OF the gap. Your division
! Is up there somewhere"
1t was late in the afternoon before the
oyerworked Surgeon in the field hospital at
Chattanooga, in which 81 and shorty were
finally deposited, found time to examine
| them
you got pretty stiff whack on your
head, my man." be said to Shorty. as he
, fms sed looking him over; but so far as I
can tell now 1t Aas not fractured your skull.
! You Hoesiers have mighty hard heads
! Reglar clsy-knOb wnite-oak, F." whispered
Shorty; couldn't split it with n maui and
| wedge. Don't mind that a mite, since we
got that flag. But how's my partner. over
tAere?"
- think you'll pull through all right"
continued the Surgeon, if you don't have
conclusion of the brain. You'll have to
| be -
''No danger o. discussion o. the brains"
whispered Shorty. Don't carry 'em up
| there, where they're liable to get slugged.
| Keep EN- in er place, where there's more
around EN-. But hOw's mS pardner? 2"
You'll come through ali right" said the
Surgeon smiling. You're the right kind
to live. You've got grit. I'll LOOK at your
partner now"
| He went to ST and examined him. Shorty
turned on his side and watched him with
eager eyes. His heart 5icSeued as be saw
the Surgeons face grow graver as lie pro-
eesded. The Surgeon probed the bullets
track with his fingers, and drew out a piece
OF folded lsster-paper, stained with blood.
IHstinetively he unlolded it, and read through
the ensans uined smears, written in cramped,
schoolgirl hand:
| deer 81: Though I did not have the
heart to say 1t, line yores till de5h, and lms
sure you feel the same way. ANNABEL."
"Pm much afraid the end has come too
soon to brave as well as loving heart" said
the Surgeon saaly.
| Doctor, he can't die. He mustn't die"
said Shorty in agony. The regiment can't
spare him. He's the best soldier in it, and
he's my pardner.''
''He may live, but it's very slender
chance" SAID the Surgeon. - Men live IN
this war against all science and experience,
and II Is pesSibIe that he may"
Major SAID Lieut.. Bowersox, coming
| in, - / understand that two of my men were
brought III here wounded. The report which
vas sent North this morning gave them as
killed. Ii you have them here want to
correct it, anu save their people serrow."
''One oil them, answered the Surgeon,
has no Ihsusht of dying, and will, I'm in
hopes, pull thToagh ann sorry cannot say
the same for the other. Ii he lives it viii
| be a wonder"
Neither of US is a-going to die till we've
put down this damned rebellion, and got
home and married our girls. - gasped shorty
| with grim effort lyon kin jest Telegraph
that home, and to ole Abe Lincoln, and to all
| whom it may concern"
| And he fell back exhausted on his blanket