Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1899-09-14

typical veteran OF the time which tried
mems souls"
Come over here, boy, and sit down, -
said he, in voice wheezy with asthma.
81 would like to talk to YOU
The young man hesitated and then
walked over and sat down beside the
old soldier. ''What is it, captain?" he
said.
mo; don't call me cappen, boy, cause
amt nothing but a private soldier,
and never was. [ saw you a-looBing at
that MONUMENT there, and I wondered
il you lnowed much about the ginral.
Did you know him? Course you didn't,
though, cause you're too young. I
knowed him, boy-God bless him-and
that's the reason you see me here to-
night. 1 wouldn't miss being here to-
night for all my pension, and I've been
a-coming on the ED of July for the past
six year, bOy-every year"
The old fellow stopped speaking and
gazed at the towering figure on the
horse above his head. Suddenly he laid
his withered hand on the sleeve Of the
younger man and said:
Here, boy; don't mind me a-ca1ling
you boy, but you are boy to me; take
this and put it up there on the mony-
ment. I brought it for the gin raj" and
he handed the stranger a red rose.
Wonderingly, the young man took
the rose, and, stepping over to the ped
estal, tossed it lightly up between the
feet of the war horse. Turning again,
by sudden impulse, he seated himself
once more beside the veteran and said,
gently: Tell me about your general,
won't you, pIease?"
''There amt much to tell, boy. Every
body knows he was the finest officer we
had when we started through Georgy
with Sherman. I loved him like all the
boys did, and J. love his memry yet.
saw him a-riding along cheering the
boys up that day at Atlanta, and there
never was a fner-looking soldier on a
horse. It want more'n hour after that
till L saw him lying on the ground
wounded to death. It was a bad day
for his boys, and we all felt like it was
a brother or some near kin when we
heard he was dead. There want no
jokes around the fire that night.
''WeL, it's been a long time ago now,
but the old man amt forgot it. Seven
year ago [ got into the soldiers home
out here, and I've been there ever since.
I don't trouble them out there much,
and I only ask for leave once a year.
That's on the 22d of July, and 1 just
come over here where they have put up
the MONUMENT and sit down where [
can see the gin'ral and think about the
last time I saw him cheering up the
boys at Atlanta. [ won't be here next
year, cause I'm about ready for taps
I wonder who will remember the gin'raI
then?
Somehow lady that lives close by
the home found out where I went every
year, and to-day when L passed by her
house she came out to the fence and
told me to come in and get some flowers
from her garden. They was mighty
pretty, and I thought I'd take a big
bunch at first. but then told her was
beholden to her and would take one of
them pretty red roses over in the cor
ner. That's the rose you jest put up
there. [ wish I thought somebody
would put one there next year. and
there were tears in the old mans voice
''Now, that's al1,'' he continued. az
must be going. Good-by, boy. You
will never see the old man again, but
I'm thankful to you for putting the
rose up there. Washington Star