The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-04-06

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Srlh$| MINK There was Gu
Y XVI w \ rious red and
| ) A0kJ ~ black combina-
e ~ \ blood and old
here yeh
been, Flem?" he
"GAwD! JIM CoNK- asked. He con-
LINZ tinued in mo-
notonous voice II thought maybe
you got keeled over. There's been
thunder to pay to-day. I was worry
ing about it a good deal"
| The youth still lamented "Oh, Jim
oh, Jim-oh, Jim"
''Yeh KNOW" said the tall soldier. II
was out there" He made a careful
gesture. s:An', Lord, what circus
And, b. jiminy,>1 got shot got shot.
Yes, b. JIMMY got shot," He reiter-
ated this fact in a bewildered way as
If ne did not know how it came about.
The youth put forth anxious arms to
assist him, but the tall soldier went
firmly on as if propelled. Since the
youths arrival as a guardian for his
friend, the other wounded men had
ceased to display much interest. They
occupied themselves again in dragging
their tragedies toward the rear.
Suddenly, as the two friends marched
on, the tall soldier seemed to be over
come by terror. His face turned to q
semblance Of gray paste. He clutched
| the youths arm and looked all about
him, as if dreading to be overheard.
Then he hogan to speak in a shaking
whisper:
II tell yeh what I'm 'fraid of, Elem
-pll tell yeh what I'm 'fraid of. I'm
| 'fraid I'll fall down-an' then yeh know
them damned artillery wagons-they
| like as not III run over me- That's what
I'm 'fraid off,
! Ike youth cried out to him hvster-
ically: "pn take care Of yeh, Jim. I'll
take care of yeh. swear to Gawd /
will
''Sure-will yeh, Flem?" the tall SOL
der beseeched.
Eyes, yes, tell yeh-I'l take care
OF yeh, Jim,'' protested the youth. He
could not speak accurately because of
the gulping in his throat.
But the tall soldier continued to
plead in a lowly way. He now hung
babe-like to the youths arm. His eyes
rolled in the wildness of his terror. II
was allus good friend t. yeh, want l,
Elem? I've allus been pretty good
Teller, amt I? An it aint much t. ask,
is it? Jestt' pull me along outer tn
road? Ia do it fer you, wouldn't I,
Flem?"
He paused in piteous anxiety to await
his friends reply.
The youth had reached an anguish
where the sobs scorched him. He
strove to express his loyalty, but he
could only make fantastic gestures.
However, the tall soldier seemed sud-
denly to forget all those fears. He be-
came again the grim, stalking specter
of a soldier. He went stonily forward.
The youth wished his friend to lean
upon him, but the other always shook
his head and strangely protested: s'No
-no-leave me behave me be-"
His look was fixed again upon the
unknown. He moved>with mysterious
purpose. And all of the youths offers
he brushed aside. s'No-no-leave me
behave me be-"
The youth had to follow.
Presently the latter heard a voice
talking softly near his shoulder. Turn
ing, he saw that it belonged to the
battered soldier. eyed better take i'm
outa tn road, pardner. There's a
bat'try comm helitywhoop down tn
road an he'll git ruined over He's a
goner anyhow in about five minutes
yeh kin see that. Ye'd better take i'm
outa tn road. Where tn blazes does
he git his stren'th from?"
lord knows" cried the youth. He
was shaking his hands helplessly.
He ran forward, presently, and
grasped the tall soldier by the arm.
Jim, Jim," he coaxed, 'come with
me-"
The tall soldier weakly tried to
wrench himself free. Huh" he said,
vacantly. He stared at the youth for
a moment. At last he spoke as if dimly
compromising:
sob, inteh tn fields? Oh"
He started blindly through the grass.
The youth turned once to look at the
flashing riders and bouncing guns of
the battery. He was startled from his
view by shr;ll cutlery from the tat
tered man.
"Gawd. He's runnin'."
Turning his head swiftly, the youth
saw his friend running in staggering
and stumbling way toward q little
clump Of bushes. His heart seemed to
wrench itself almost free from his
body at this sight. He made noise of
pain. He and the tattered man began
pursuit. There was singular race.
When he overlook the tall soldier, he
began to plead with all the words he
could find. "Jim--Jim-wha are you
doing--what makes you do this way
you'll hurt yourself. +.~...
The same purpose was in the tall
soldiers face. He protested in a dulled
way, keeping his eyes fastened on the
mystic place Of his intentions. "No,
no-don't tech me-leave me behave
me be-"
The youth, aghast and filled with
Of al 4