The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-05-09
KILLING HIS MAN.
BY M. QUAD.
Copyright, 1900, by C. B. Lewis.


"Haye I ever killed a manT
OF sudden, as he lay doing on his
bed In camp one day, Private Hollins
asked this question of himself. He
had been in battle and skirmish. He
had fred away his 40 rounds and fred
to kill, but as he began to recall all
his battles he could not remember that
he had ever had an enemy SO near and
so fairly before him that his bullet had
surely done the work. There were few
soldiers who boosted Of taking life.
There were sharpshooters who had
brought down dozen men, but they
never talked about 1t. Men were pro-
noted for desperate fighting, which
sometimes meant killing single handed,
but they were proud only of the pro-
motion. 1t was curious question
Private Hollins asked Of himself, and
1t led to strange results. He was not
bloodthirsty man, and yet as he lay
thinking the idea came to him that he
had not done himself Justice as sol
der. He had not killed a man. When
the war was over and he had returned
home, he would be asked the question.
His friends and neighbors wouldn't be
satisfied with his record Of battles, but
would sweep 1t aside and say:
Eyes; we know you were in five or
six battles and that you fired hundreds
of bullets at the enemy, but can you
truthfully say you ever brought man
DOWN.
He couldn't say 1t, and he felt that
brought sudden resolve. 1t was a
resolve that startled him at first, but
the more he thought of 1t the more de-
termlned he was to carry 1t out. He
would kill a man; he would do 1t next
time he went on picket. There were
no orders against firing. 1t was by
tacit agreement among the pickets that
they refrained. II he brought one Of
the enemy down, he would not be re-
proved even if not praised. He would
not boast Of the kill to his comrades,
but when be reached home and farm
ers and their wives and sons sat lis
tening to his stories of war he could
answer the question they would be
sure to put, and answer in the affirm
alive. 1t was fortnight before Prl-
vate Hollins was detailed for picket
duty. He was not impatient. He was
willing that time should pass, but
when the opportunity came he would
kill a man. He never wayered in this
resolution.
"Thls Is your post, Hollins," said the
corporal as he left him one afternoon
at the edge of wood under large
oak. 1--WE don't know exactly where
the enemy's picket is, but it's some
where around that log house. How
ever, If you don't get too fresh and go
to walking around in the open he won't
bother you. There hasn't been a shot
fired along here for two weeks. If you
go In for roasted acorns, don't make
much Of a fire."
"Today I shall kill a man." said
Private Hollins as he was left alone,
and he began his preparations at once.
At long rifle shot, away across an old
cottonaeld, was log house with a
few fruit trees standing about it. One
might be sure the farmer was off to
war and that wife and children, If they
had not abandoned the place, were
having miserable existence. Hollins
crept down to the fringe Of bushes on
his side Of the field and peered and
watched and waited like an Apache in
ambush. For an hour he saw nothing.
Then a gaunt, Ill used dog came among
the trees and trotted about In the open
In a sneaking, furtive way. If the dog
was there, the house must be inhabit-
ed. He had just come to this conclu.
sion when he caught sight Of figure
among the trees. 1t was between the
house and the bushes, where he be-
lieved the enemy's picket was lying.
1t must be the picket on his way to
and from the well. Perhaps he had
gone to the house to light his pipe or
boil his coffee. There was glimpse
and 1t was gone. Another glimpse, an.
other hiding, and then the figure was
fair to view. 1t was a long shot, but
a pretty fair target, and without an
instant's hesitation he drew up his gun
and fred. When he looked over the
smoke, the figure was gone.
"But l know / hit him, and he's ~
ing dead on the grass" said the soldier
as he reloaded his gun. Now can
tell them at home that l killed man.
Mighty long shot, but l dropped him
for sure"
The dog was still IN the open. As