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

GnaG y seemed could sway the earth.
With the courageous words Of the ar
tillery and the spiteful sentences Of the
muslietry were mingled red cheers. And
from this region of noises came the
steady current Of the MANNED. i
One of the wounded men had a shoe
full OF blood. He hoped like a school,
boy IN q game. He was laughing hys-
terically.
One was swearing that he had been
shot in the arm through the command
ing generals mismanagement OF the
army.
Another had the gray seal of death
already upon his face. His lips were
curled in hard lines and his teeth were
clenched. His hands were bloody from
where ne had pressed them upon his
wound. He seemed to be awaiting the
moment when he should pitch head
long. He stalked like the specter of a
soldier, his eyes. burning with, the power
of stare into the unknown.
There We're some who proceeded sui
lenly, full CT anger at their wounds
and ready to turn upon anything as an
obscure cause. -.
The youth joined the crowd and
marched along with it. The torn bodies
expressed the awful machinery in
which the men had been entangled.
Orderlies and couriers occasionally
broke through the throng in the read
way, scattering wounded men right and
left, galloping on, followed by bowls.
The melancholy march was continual
~ disturbed by the messengers and
sometimes by busting batteries that
came swinging and humping down
upon them, the officers shouting orders
to clear the way. 49,
There was battered man, fouled with
dust, blood and powder stain from hair
to shoes, who trudged quietly at the
youths side. He was listening with
eagerness and much humility to the
lurid descriptions Of bearded SER
.geant. His lean features wore an ex-
preston OF awe and admiration. He
was like a listener in country store
to wondrous tales told among the sugar
barrels. BE eyed the story-teller with
unspeaksble wonder. His mouth was
a-gap in yol<el fashion
The sergeant taking note of this gave
pause to his elaborate history while he
administered a sardonic comment. ssBe
careful, honey, you'll be catching lies,' ~
he said.
The battered man shrank back
abashed.
After time he. began to sidle near
to the youth and in diff1dent way
tried to make him q friend. His voice
was gentle as a girls voice and his
eyes were pleading. The youth saw
with surprise that the soldier had two
wounds, one in the head, bound
with blood-soaked rag and the other
In the arm, making that member
bangle like broken bough
After they had walked together for
some time, the battered man mustered
sufficient courage to speak ':Was
pretty good fight, wasn't it?'' he timidly
said. The youth, deep in thought,
glanced UP at the bloody and grim
figure with its lamb like eyes. ::What?"
Was pretty good fight, wasn't iSy?? ' y
Yes said the youth, shortly. He
quickened his pace.
But the other hob5led industriouslv
after him.
''Was pretty good fight, wasn't it?''
he persisted, in a small voice. And
then he achieved the fortitude to con-
tinue: "Dern me, II ever see fellers
fight SO. Laws, how they did fight. I
knew the boys would lick when they
once got square at it. The boys amt
had no fair chance up to now, but, this
time, they showed what they was I
knew It would turn out this way. You
can't lick them boys. No sir They're
fighters, they be-
He breathed deep breath of humble
admiration
His homely face was suffused with a
light OF love for the army which was
to him all things beautiful and power
full.
After time, he turned to the youth.
"Where you hit, old boy?" he asked in
a brotherly tone.
The youth felt instant panic at this
question, although at first its full i'm
port was not borne in upon him.
WHAT" he asked.
NAACA0 oIA AAAu' ICpCdICu tllC JdL.
tered man.
WHY" began the youth OIL
that is--why-I-"
He turned away suddenly and slid
through the crowd. His brow was heav-
lily flushed, and his fingers were pick
ing snervously at one of his buttons.
He Bonded his head and fastened his
eyes studiously upon the button as if
it were a little problem. ..
The tattered man locked after him
in establishment.
.1~ CHAPTER TX.
The youth fell back in the procession
until the tattered soldier was not in
sight. Then he started to walk on
with others.
But he was amid wounds. The mob
Of men was bleeding. Because of the
battered soldiers question, he now felt
that his shame could be viewed. He
was continually casting .side-long
glances to see if the men were contem-
plating the letters of guilt he felt
burned into his brow. '.A
At times he regarded the wounded
soldiers in an envious way. He con-