Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-08-04
FROsTBURG, MD, SATURDAY, AUGUST f. 1900


ness by his fatl cr. She admitted that
she had adorcd soldiers and that she
had caused him to enter the army for
her sake. But SnC had omitted to state
that the soldiers She adOrrd were sol
dicrS who possessed til" uuCCn'S com-
mission and who wore stars instead of
worStcd stripe.
If poor Whilc Feather was Il physical
coward he was moral hero. There is
no chance of a display of feeling in il
barrack room: so. like the Spartan hoy
of old, he hu"gCd his trouble to him,
slipping the cheap little engagement
ring with which he bad sealed his
troth into his pocket without Il sign be
yond the twitching of his white lips.
Then he lit his pipe with the letter, not
ont of contempt. but because there Is
little privacy accorded in the CORE
SpondCncc that comes to the harraCk
room. and Il private soldier is not pro
vidcd with Il desk wherein to keep his
faded flowers and other sentimental to-
kcns of the past.
The blow was Il very heavy one, for
ly knowledge that should have told
him long since that he had fixed his af-
fcctiOnS upon Il vulgar. selfish and
brainlcss firt and lie still believed in
her.
For her sake he had learned to over
come his physical cowardicc. He had
dreamed of Il possible commission in
thn dim "a Il MI h11 rninifnl in thn
recently acquired promotion as Il step
toward her.
For her sake, too. he received the
news chccrfully when the word passed
through the barracks that the regiment
was ordered to South Africa to meet
the Beers. He knew that he was by
nature coward. but for the memory
of her he SWOrc an oath to himself to
do his duty without sparing himself i'll
the coming fight.
Look ere, old chap, we amt going
to call you White Feather no morc"'
said TrumpCtCr Pipes as they lay to-
gethcr behind TIE shelter of large
bowldrr against the face of which the
Bocr bullets were pattcring like a
heavy rain.
In full sight of the whole army their
squadron had crossed the Bocr front
amid hail of bullets which had
brought 20 men to earth.
White Feathers horse had been shot
under him. and, at the risk of his life
he had carried the wounded trumpctcI
into the shelter of the powders. He
was unhurt, but trcmbled in every
limb from fear and great cXcrtion.
From between two powders he peep,
ed out and saw, amid the bodies of men
and horses that Uttered the plain, Il
wounded man crawling on his hands
that were Kicking pufis of dust from
the dry earth all around him.
1t was his captain.
White Feather watched him for Il
moment; then he saw him stop and lie
down on his side dcspairingly He
could crawl no more.
Il will. for her Sakc"' he murmured
between his clinchcd teeth, and. rising
from the shelter of the rock, he faced
the hail of death that battered to tho
earth around him.
AS he walked into the open Il faint
cheer reached his ears from the Brit
ish troops half n mile behind him. The
Royal artillery backed him with 4
shricking flight of shrapnel, which
whStlcd for Il moment overhead, thcl
burst over the Bocr lines Il quarter OF
mile away in a shower of bullets thai
for moment QUcllcd the storm arOunt
him.
He reached the wounded man, lifted
him ON his back and returned step hl
step to where Trumpeter Pipes lay hid
den.
The trumpetcr gave him Il faint
"BravOr' as he staggered and fell witt
his burden into the kindly shelter OF
the rock.
That was White Feathers reward.
On a distant hill the British com
mander shut his tieldglasses with 6
snap.
Tell the general to keep down the
fire on the right there and to get those
men in from behind those powders,
he said to his ald, anu bring me tha
mans name. If he is alive, tell hin
that | saw it all and that I'm going It
recommend him for the cross.
"Ncver saw Il finer show of fire disci
pline in my lifer added the command
er to himself as his aid Salloped off.
White Feathers eyes glistencd as he
received the message and heard the
cheer that swept along the lines as ht
was carried in.
perhaps | shall get that commission
after ALL" lie said to himself; "theI
she will think more of mel"
Perhaps it was just as well that HI
died five minutes later-this faithful
worshipcr of Il goddess of clay.-Penn!
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