The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-06-02

the ranks where Harold and Gerard
Bement marched. Some who had been
inuuisitive had learned that the gray
haired sire was John Bement, father Of
Captain Gerard and Lieutenant Harold
Bement of the Second Massachusetts
volunteers and that the day was TO see
the parting of father and sons, the lat
ter setting out to Join their regiment
for service in Cuba.
Again the solemn and impressive cere-
monies at the soldiers plot, the
planting of the sprig Of evergreen a
white rose and the laurel branch as
symbols of remembrance of virtue and
of victory, and the firing salute to the
dead There was less chatter among the
children, for many were learning now
the meaning of war, with their brothers
and even fathers about TO march away |
TO battle John Bement no longer bent |
and weighed down by age, led the way |
TO the lonely graves in the out of the |
way vale moving with sprightly step |
between his soldier sons. A crowd fol- |
lowed some out Of idle curiosity and
others older ones--to learn more of the
story of the Virginian' grave and its
mate. The latter were not disappointed,
but they saw no wild flowers on the
grave of Gerard Iselin of Pegram's
Virginia battery instead beautifully
wrought coat Of arms of the nation in
rare flowers Of red, white and blue. On
the other grave, deity wrought with
white blossoms, were pair of hands
folded over the breast and a dove.
John Bement had placed these tokens
Of friendship at the dawning of the day,
so bright for him. In simple words he
told hie story for the ears of Harold and
Gerard. bat there were many listeners
besides
Father, " said Harold, ~ have a CON
fessiou to make was an eavesdropper
many years age, when You told the chill
dren how you shot this man in gray.
" 'Tis nothing my boy, to what you
shall hear today. Gerard Iselin, your
| father. lies buried here, and killed him;
also your -
His voice was stilled by the emotion
of Gerard, who grasped his hand vio-
lently, hut could not speak. "Go on,
he said, after "A struggle, and the story
was told without further interruption.
Gerard Isein was my classmate and
friend at Harvard, as you boys have
been. and as like brothers He was a
southerner, wild as we used 10 say, and
as even | boosted at times Of being He
loved the sister Of another friend and
classmate, Katharine Mason, and it was
said that his love for her alone kept
him from running the lines in 1861 to
d, fight for the south, boy that he was, for
he was only II then. Well the war
went on, and, although we disputed of
ten, there was no rupture At last /
volunteered in Harvard 5 own regiment
the Second Massachusetts, and Gerard
bid me godspeed in his wild, hearty
way. saying he'd meet me and whip
me some day on the battlefield.
"And you never told u that Won
were n Second Massachusetts man,
too, said Harold, his thoughts on the
regiment and its proud name.
mo, | sought to forget, 10 bury the
war, since it forced me 10 kill friend,
II brother In time learned that Gerard
had disappeared and with him Katha-
rine Mason. IL was blow TO Oliver,
her brother and our friend. And he
vowed that he would shoot him down
like a dog, if he ever found him alive.
He paused, overcome with emotion.
"But those were stirring days, he
continued after awhile. 1--WE fought
almost every day Of that year, 1864,
and at last came TO the field Of Five
Forks. Our regiment charged there
upon the flank of the Confederate
trenches Al. went well until we reach
ed Peeram Virginia battery. Then we
lost many, but my company pushed for
ward and shot down many TO clear the
way for advance Suddenly | saw a
Confederate rise mp from the field and
handle the lanyard Of piece aimed
straight at our advance line. A second,
and a hundred Of my brave men would
he blown 10 pieces and, although | saw