The Lambertville record., 1899-05-31

ing troops nothing hut the silence of
an ocean of grass. There was the dead
Cuban lying at his feet-a ehastly
bunch of mortality. How big and black
he was His eyes We're staring at him
like balls Of glass What were they
staring at him for2 The night was com
ing on apace would he have to lie in
the tall grass until the morrow He
could not tell, And then the dark cloud
again settled DER his senses and it was
hours before the light came into his
soul.
Death = door is n mirror and the dy.
Ing have good memories. When CON
seriousness returned the boys mind
went back to his home. He wondered il
all was well ON the old farm where ho
and his mother and brother had lived in
peace until the war with Spain called
him to the front He had letter in his
pocket from home-he would read it
again. But alas he could not reach
his pocket-both arms were disabled
and in the inky darkness he could not
sec.
AANN ibb6 aAlNt HNAl Ht itil Htiiit
Three months only three months And
now he lay dying in his young man
hood. He remembered the morning that
he left his home. The birds were sing
ing and nature was at her best The
iields We're clothed In green and the
brook softly murmured over the pebbles
mt the bottom He had donncd his new
uniform, and he felt little sharp pang
as he left his home He remembered il
all very we'll
"Goodby, Bill, he had said to his
brother. Take good care of mother. E"
Look out for Spanish bullets and
bring back maChete. said Bill
"l'm off, mother. =
"Goodby, my son. BE brave and serve
your country like a man. 3" Then she
embraced and kissed him, and the part
ing was over,
The old honse cat rubbed against him
and purred as if to bid him gedspeed.
His faithful old dog followed him down
the lane, but with stern words his mas
ter drove him back At the edge of the
town blue eyed, fair haired girl stood
at the gate Are you really going to
fight the Spanish John y
"Yes, Helen, and | have come to say
goodby There was then hasty kiss,
warm pressure of hands, and thus he
left home
Everything was SO hushed and dark
now. Was the whole world dcadf Why
was he lying helpless here2 How had it
happened2 Then he remembered the
furious charge across the open field, up
the hill and over the crest III the face of
n rain of Spanish bullets. The air hum
med and whstled. From the trenches
and blockhouses the Mansers spit at
them Then the blew came to him. It
was terrible shock. 1t seemed To lift
him from his feet and double him mp
and pitch him forward then the pain
full journey TO the rear, TIVE more bullet
wounds, and then unconsciuusncss.
Now he was dying in the darkness
How strange ii all wasl That dead Gu
ban-how black he looked, and how his
eyes glnred There was Il tiny hole in
his forehead where life had leapcd
| through Some one waa crying for wa
ter Was it himself2 He could not tell
The night was getting cold, and the
heavy dew made the tall grass soggy.
There were no stars 10 watch him
Would nobody help him2 liark That
was his dog bowling, and how loud it
wasi
How weak and dizzy he felt.
"Goodby, Bill
He could not see. Everything was
growing dim.
Farewell. mother Helen -
And the deep. dank grass waved II
weeping requiem to another brave
young soul Detroit Free Press.