The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-02-01


was making Jocks porridge stirring
it on the fire. Tom, the cat, squirmed
in and out and around his legs, his
tail in air, as though he was drunk.
Oh, Godl
Rover followed him mp the brae.
Rover was his collie, his dog. They
had worked together many morning
up on the hills. He had shared his
breakfast manya time. That nigger's
eyes-how they stared. Rover stared
at him like that. "Hamer" he cried.
''Hame wi ye, Roverr' The dog looked
at him with surprised eyes, but did
not bulge. ''Hame, Rover!' The
dog whined, but did not move. He
took up stone and flung it at the
dog. 1t struck it. He covered under
the blow. "Hame, Roverl' he cried
sternly, and the tears ran down his
cheeks. The dog ran back little
way, faced about. pumped down on
the heather and watched him. When
he turned at the top of the brae and
looked back it was watching him still.
A brown fly was standing on the
black rock about foot from his face.
1t stood very STILL II might have
been painted. HI watched il intently.
Its wings were like glistening armor.
Its feet and legs were bright red. II
had been wading in blood. Would it
never go? He could not raise his hand
to brush il away He blew it with
his breath-gasping-but it did not
bulge. Suddenly il started away.
Was the world dead that everything
was so hushed? Something howled
very far away-a dog, perhaps. How
beautiful the desert was-like a great
beach with the ocean rolled away out
of sight. A golden floor, like the floor
of heaven. But one did not die in
heaven. A star glimmered very far
away, like shimmering jewel in n
deep blue evening robe. The moon
rose up to the roof of the world like a
yellow Chinese lantern.
Why was he lying here? How had
il happened? Then lie remembered
the regiment standing in the sandy
desert waiting for the rush.
How strange it all was. The silence
was terrible. A man behind him be-
gan to laugh. Another swore oaths
in low voice. Another eaid: "Got
bite o. baccy, mate?" Then, from be-
hind the rocks, long row of white
smoke puffs curled up, like smoke
from gigantic pipes. Red tongues
spit at them. The air hummed and
whistled. A mans hat went off A
bayonet fell with jingle, and man
sat down upon the sand with a scared
white face, fiddling with the buttons
of his coat. Somebody began to
moan. The captain said: "Steady,
men. Take the beg5ars low down"
Then the great dark wave, white
crested, came racing across the yellow
beach. Ii broke upon the red rock
fierce, angry faces, blazing eyes, white
teeth, big Tapping feet. He set his
teeth and drove his bayonet in big
black body. How soft it was. 1t
squirmed on the end of it like fly on
the end of pin.
Then the blow came-a terrible
shock. 1t seemed to lift him into the
air and fling him backward. Some.
thing stopped his ears. The reeline
black and red figures flashed down.
ward.
Now he was lying beside the rock.
How strange he felt! That dead sol.
dier-how white his face wasl A little
hole in his forehead--a little red pea.
Life had leaped through that. What a
small thing it wasl Who was moan
ing for water? Was it he, or some
one behind him? He could got tell.
II was getting cold. The stars were
all watching him. The beautiful de.
sert. That was Rover howling. He
was very near. How loud the bowling
was Deaths watchdogs. He was
near deaths house.
''S'long, Jock" How dizzy he felt.
He could not see very well.
''S'long, mother" A black mist
rushed over the sand
His head tumbled backward as
though prop had been suddenly re-
moved. The diamond eyes turned
into glass of pale blue and green
color.
Extract from the newspapers the
soldiers epitaph. ''Killed in the
Soudan. Richard Mcdonald, aged
D."