Arizona republican., 1899-08-13

a SLOUGH hat and an old army blouse.
Gray haired and bearded. clad in army
blue. crutch beside him. the Old
man was typical veteran of the time
(which tried mems souls. :"
Come over here and sit down. said
he. in Il voice wheezy with asthma. Il
would like 10 talk 10 YOU
The young man h sitated and then
walked over and sat down beside the
old soldier What is it, Captain:" he
said.
mo, don't call me capen, boy, cause
l amt nothing but a private sOldir, and
never was. l saw you a-lookin' at that
MONUMENT there, and [ wondered if
You knowed much about the gin'ral.
Did YOU know him? Course YOU did
Mt though. cause you're too young. L
l1nowed him. boy-God bless him-and
that's the reason you see me here to-
night | wouldn't miss bein' here to-
night for all my pension and I've been
a-comin ON the 22d of July for the past
six year boy,-every yenr.
The old fellow stopped speaking and
gazed at he covering 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 minde me a-callin
you boy but you are n boy to me;
take this ard put it up there on the
MONUMENT. l brought it fo~ the gin
raj" and he handed the stranger Il
red rose.
Wonderinsly the young man took the
rose and STEPPING over TO the pedestal.
tossed it lighfly up between the feet Of
the war horse. Turning again by
sudden impulse he seated himself once
more beside the veteran and said
gently: Tel me about your general.
won't you, plshse:
There amt much to iell, boy
Everybody knows he was the finest of
ficer we had when we Started through
Georgy with sherman. 1 loved him
like all the boys did. and ! love his
mem'ry vet l saw him a-ridin' along
cheerin' the boys up that day at At
tanta. ard there was never a finer
looking soldier ON a horse. 1t waren't
more'n an hour after that till [ saw
him lying on the ground wounded to
death. 1t was bad day for his boys.
and We all felt like it was brother or
some near kin when we found he was
dead. There want no jokes around
the fire that night.
well. its been Il long time ago,
now. but the old man amt forgot It,
Seven year ago 1 got into the Soldiers
honre out here. and I've been there ev-
er since. 1 don't trouble them out there
much. and l only ask for leave once
=. year. That's on the 22nd of July.and
| Just come over here where they have
nut up the MONUMENT ard sit down
where | can see the gin raj and think
about the last time l saw him cheer
ing the boys at Atlanta. / won't be
here next wear. cause I'm about ready
for staps.' wonder who will remember
the gin'ral then
somehow a lady that lives close by
thp home found out where | went eV-
erv year. and today when | 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 | thought I'd take
a big bunch al first. but then | told her
that / was behOlden to her,and would
take one of those pretty red roses over
in the corner That's the rose You just
put it up there. ] wish 1 thought some
body would PIT one there next year.
and there was a break in the old mans
voice. Now. that's all" he continued.
Il must b. 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 Evening
Star.