The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-22

old stab AMI twist Missouri manhood said
Jack. - ". went IL sleep under the shadow
II olI Glory. Forty thuu>anJ children III
=. il= ia ole vast array
Two weeks later brother Jack and I
watri'.. thu. ambulance Of the General Hos
Iit.I ~ IN iyst or parade ana We saze'l
80 .s-n ,.,h-r with >ad foreb1iis.g~ when
;Lv t.l..ly said. sllutins. Somebody Is
wy .s.-k viii! The fever over i: The Twelfth
Mis-, All I'm afraid. s.r. is the old
Major
without i special order. our horses were
brought OIL the Kun. and We rode hastily
through III. clingirs twilight damp. the
:a;al pgl-":,-,! chill! al the infected >avan-
ra-. To- whrIe tie rcd cross "miuou>ly
ri"aui.J out before. Major NhIrtoH's tent.
\ ST. 81 ,ieam told me Of his wcakeaed
ooafiiilH. The van face. drawn and thin.
.n, s!I,Sy. variable ,yr. IN, shrunke:' farm,
ir med Tut Il cir!cature Of the stern sol
der. th.; Sh:unk.u. helpless bundle
Amt yet. he knew Us both,
j. ihoGe:., You would find me out. boys"
lr W.!- Irg,d. come over there to morrow
and see me
Ny E,-ri sank IS they carried him out.
{ - TO-. Most. o. q strrjch-r. with the gray
campaign ha; covering his grlzzlei face.
There were scores "f his warm hearted
comrades gathered around and aimc>; i
chorus II srru,Ac.,,I creams went UP the
amIu!lu,r moved slowly away b. the Cen
crtI Hospital
= sacred guard -: honor was set over the
lciuyr.! COMMANDERS poor belongings in
:hIt >ciauccIy empty headquarters tent.
The CHASTITY Cuban yultGT-S few Between
- and the fading sunset. their dagh.
Tapping wings beating heavily on the
..ui~uEcd air
H. all hour We rode sadly back 20 our
own camp. side by side. brother Jack ard
/ There was an unbrok-n silence. for the
veteran surgeon had drawn NE aside and
whispered. He will get the iorg leave
now. poor fellow. Has. he family
lie is an old bachelor. answered. sus-
pvciing the true reason why Bob Whar-
ton had given w al: III savings 81 his
lie tn tear Colonel JiIu's boy up to u high
station. and 10 save all for that sweet
faced woman. sttl clad in black. who
shuiJered always when men spoke of the
Confederate charge ON Battery Robinett.
The old Major had rallied Bit when we
left him
'Eoys let them bring nay sword over.
he faltereJ Il don't wan, it 10 80 astray-
And when You come tomorrow bring me-
that little silk flag that you showed me
the one your wife gave you to hoist in
cuba
II was on the third day after. when the
srave-faced surgeon told me how fast the
old soldiers life Was now ebbinS away.
His fac. Was blue and Thin. and his bOny
hands were busleu phicking aimlessly 1T
the linen sheets.
can | write anything for you, Major?
said. leaning over him.
Just word or two-to Helen" he
grasped. There's no business lett to ar
range. That's alt s,ttIed. long ago"
whispered the Missouri veteran. I've left
all my money 10 IIeIea's son. wisl, him
To remain In the army. She knows Helen
kuows-rve tried to stand between her
and the world. And-Jims boy knows the
whole story
/ was hastily summoned in the dark aud
silent night two days later. to see the last
of my gallant old friend. The word WAS
passed along the lines that the old Major
was dying. The sentinels stopped their
halfhour calls. and the fias at the general
hospital flew at the masthead all that
dr-ary night.
Don't haul the dag down. said Major
Bob. Its my last tour OF duty under it,
We could hear the low roar of the surf
beating ON the cruel fanged coral reef
down at La Playa when the old man slowly
opened his eyes. He had been lying in a
trance and brother Jack and had silently
watched his painful breathing in this last
gallant struggle with Azraei.
Promise me one thing. boys" the old SOL
der prayed. as>we leaned over him. holding
his wasted yellow hands. Don't leave me
here IN this God-forsaken island, Send me
home to old Missouri, where Jim waits for
me, There. under the apple trees, let me
lie. where I've often seen that curly headed
boy playin' by his fathers graye.''
We bowed our heads. and he knew that
the silent compact would be kept
Brother Jack taught The old rebels wan
dering eye He sprang to the table where
Colonel linn Whartop's sword lar.