Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-05-05

a
er were they giving their sympathy and
attention to Mr.. Pruitt, who was look
ing the major over as though he were
trying to settle in his own mind wheth-
sr there. was an offensive insinuaxon
Or a compliment in the majors re-
marks. Finally he asked, with smile:
Then you have met man of my name.
( hope the meeting was not an unpleas-
ant one, and that the man himself was
credit to the name.''
''Oh, he was-he was" put in the
major, eagerly and excitedly. ''He
must have been, you know. I met him
that is to say, didn't meet him; as
matter of fact, saw him, you know,
out. wasn't introduced. I had no &C
1uaintance with him at all; in fact, L
never spoke to him, but I remember
him very WE'LL had good reason to
and [ know he was all right, but a lit
tie unfortunate, you know-deyilish I'M
fortunate, I may say. Circumstances
were against him and he didn't do as
we'll as he expected, but quite as well
as he ought to have done under the
circumstances. He was fine man, too;
but for your sake hope he wasn't a
relative of yours"
The major ended with another help
less appealing look at the doctor, who
asked in some heat what in the name
of the old scratch he was driving at.
But look of intelligence came into
the colonels eyes as he said: ST be-
lieve I understand. Yes, it is clear as a
tableau under strong light. I haven't
thought of the scene or the name for
80 years, but the major is right. We
all have good cause to remember it. It
breaks on my vision now like name
written in blood or in f1ame-stands
out like the name of one of those Jesuit
priests who penetrated the American
wilderness to die at almost the culmina-
ton of their hopes and leave as matter
of human interest for all time grave
with cross over it and a name rudely
cut or scratched in the stone. The ma
jor is right; that man was a credit to
any family, but circumstances were
against him.
The major smiled in relief, but so far
as the others were concerned the
colonel had added to rather than re-
lieved the bewi1derment. But the ma
jor was himself again, and seeing the
DOCTORS rising wrath and the puzzled,
annoyed look in the others eyes he
taught step with the doctor, and as
the group turned north on Ashland
boulevard, took a fresh start, and told
his story.
1T was at Resaca, you know, in the
campaign against Atlanta. There was
aard fighting on that field, and some
!ery striking departures from the or
binary procedure in battle. For eX-
ample, in our part of the field. when the
union troops captured a confederate
inc of rife pits they dug ditch on their
own side, threw the dirt over into the
hitch in which the Johnnies had been
Standing, and used the reversed rife
pits against the stubborn retiring con-
| iederates. There were times when the
dirt was thrown over before the con-
| federates were fairly out of the ditch
on the other side.
"At one time in the hottest part of
the engagement our men were busy
changing captured rife pits into de-
fensive line, when a detachment of con-
federates charged back to reclaim their
lost position. They came with sud-
den fury and caught half our men with
shovels in hand. and there was terrific
struggle. Finally the confederates
were driven off, but they left dead and
wounded on the breastworks or in the
hitch they had dug themselves. This
was discovered as our boys threw dirt
over. and some of the fellows cliuabe7