El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-08-08
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Marriage IN HEAVEN.

SO2OROROAOfAO& OAOAOaOSOO
He was as fine a fellow as ever drew
sword, within half an inch of six feet
broad shouldered and as sound as a bell
Under the tan the bloom of health and
youth flushed in his cheeks. Through his
calm, clear eyes he looked the whole
world in the face and owed no man-ex-
cept his tailor. A fearless fellow this
gentleman in khaki, straight as a shaft,
true as steel, too good a man to become
food for powder.
A whole shipload of his kin and kind
were with him, bound for the war. Splen-
did fellows all. The marvel was that we
could count such gallants by the thou
sand. This little isle set in the, silver
sea" was full of such heroes, and we
never knew it till the touch of shame had
fired our spirits and the martial ardor
had spread through the land with quick
ening energy, bringing forth the bloom of
| our manhood as the sunshine of spring
| summons to sudden radiance whole regi-
mentS of flowers.
| The farewell came, the sad adieu, and
every heart was full of loves goodby.
| He stopped to kiss the one woman of
his life. Her arms were about his neck
as she chung to him, faint and weeping.
| His brow was stern and his jaws set, for
| his English honor compelled him to shed
| never tear. So he raised her from the
| ground to his lips and set her down with
| a parting that was almost chill, though
| his full heart was pulsing like a fire
CINE. Then her people took her and set
her some balks of timber, wrapped
another shawl about her-for they knew
all too well how frail she waS-and let
her weep. as they, too. were weeping.
Every one who knew her, except her
soldier lover himself, knew well that they
days were numbered by the angels.
Her great eyes were like lamps in
which the spirit of her life was fast con-
Stunning. Her beauty was not of earth.
The pallor and the pink alike proclaimed
her the bride of death. In her and in
him only reposed the blissful ignorance of
this sorrow. Well is it that love is blind.
The quay was lined with groups of peo-
pie waving their fearful farewells. Steam
whistles and angry snorts from impatient
engines rent the air. The great hawsers
strained taut and were let go as the dock
men shouted to the pilot. Then from the
crowding soldiers on the ship, swarming
bareheaded at the bulwarkS and cluster
ing on the rigging and the shroudS. came
hoarsely long. loud. reverberating cheers
The screw churned the harbor waters,
and out to sea, out into the mist, passed
the troopship.
Wide eyed, with wet rose blossoms on
her cheeks. still sat she there gazing
gaZing-gazing. seeing one soldier only,
till the ship was little speck at sea, and
they led her away. Poor, stricken soul!
Not for her would ever come the joy of
wedding bells.
The South African sun blazed on high.
The men in khaki were stretched upon
the burning sand, athirst on the waterless
plain. Ahead of them, beyond the ant
heaps amid which they sought some triv-
sa1 ..ln IL -, call Nf
the Boer enemy. And there water was
or death.
All day those brave English boys lay
under the burning sun. Little wreaths
of sand curled up and eddied and swept
away into the distance like beautiful
cloud. Particles of silica and speeks of
impalpable dust hung like a mist over
the torrid earth, and the sun played with
these glittering particles, gliding and
painting the iridescent beauty. But it
was an agony and horror to endure.
Eyes and ears and noStrils were full of
sand. Every mans water bottle was
empty, every tongue was swollen; the
mems lips were too parched even to
curse.
Suddenly the enemy's Mauser fire re-
opened at close quarters, and many a
man fell. Volley after volley was given
back. until out ran the stirring cry, Fix
bayonetSV
There was a ring of merry steel and a
loud hurrah. But the crack of the Maui
ser ratified yet from bush and bowlder.
Many a Briton fell before the Beers We're
met, and then-then there were carnage
and fierce bayonet work, grim fighting
and deeds of rage and battle and blood.
But the kopje was soon cleared, and the
Beers had vanished in the darkness.
Ere this the thirsty soldiers, with their
hands in the mud and their lips in the
foul smelling water, had been drinking
deep drafts of the muddy stream. Now
that the fight was over, they were again
on hands and knees cooling their parched
and swollen tongues.
Then one who had slaked his thirst
brought his bottle to their lieutenant, for
he-our hero-was wounded. One wiped
the foam from his mouth and put a cup
to his lips, and he drank greedily.
But his head fell one side, SO they
laid him to sleep under the stars.
And when the morning broke it was
seen that this hero among a band of he
roes where all are heroes was dead. All
his manlineSs and courage had passed
away. Two bullets had gone through
his body. the sands had drunk OF his
blood and his soul had gone forth to Him
who gave 1t.
The lady whom he loved-she who lived
far away across the seas? All, how
should this grief be told to her?
1t never was. There was no need of
so great sorrow, for she, too, was eman-
cipated from her clay.
At the gates heaven the hri5e and