The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1900-06-14

sympathy from us could have made his
case better. or be would have "chum.
! med up and been one of us
BY and by. after two or three bat
ties. strange whispers were circulated
about regarding Private Haskins. He
courted death. He had gone down into
the fray with shut teeth and flashing
eyes and taken such cnauces that he
was called devil on one hand and a
fool on . other.
Men VIC watched him closely denied
that he was. looking for promotion or a
record. He was seeking to end II all
on the battlefield. There was nothing
more In life for him, and 1t would be
better TO die with saber in hand than
TO snuff out his own life like a coward
Our respect for the man increased, but
yet he was still outlawed and we still
carried a feeling of resentment against
him.
One day. In the depths of the forest,
while winter still held Its grip on the
land. | came across him lying at full
length on the ground. He was moan
ing and weeping For ten minutes he
sobbed as man does only when some
great sorrow has wasted his strength,
turned back his years and taken him
back to childhood. Awed and fright
ened and wondering, | crept silently
away and left him with his grief Two
hours later ! met him to find that he
had conquered himself. 1t seemed as
If there was new line of care In his
face aud that there was new touch Of
silver In his hair, but he was not to be-
tray his secret He did not know that
his struggle had been witnessed. and !
was dumb as to what had seen.
A week later Troop G was sent out
on q scout and rode into a tight place.
1t was reported that all of US did our
duty In the half hours hot fighting, but
there was only one hero. Even with
the pistols flashing and the sabers
whirling | watched Private Haskins as
be waved his saber on high and thun.
dered into the thick of the melee. He
| fought to kill and be killed. but death
passed him by.
We whispered to each other that be
was hero. deserving of medal Of
| gold. and we esteemed and exalted
| him, but the circle did not open to let
him In. He was not of us-he had not
| been for year-and no act of his in
battle could make him so. He knew it
as well as we did and he made no ad-
vance. He had our respect and admi
ration In the fullest but he did not
| bo nd yx,ich
radeship and sympathy. We knew that
there are things which must lie buried
| IN the human bosom forever and ever,
no matter what the cost. but yet we re.
! scented 1t WHEN our sympathy was re-
| fused
1t was two weeks after our fight
| when | was detailed on vedette duty
with Private Haskins. We were to
| take the post together, In the winter
camp behind us there was the hum Of
preparation for the spring campaign.
| In the quarters of the enemy, dozen
miles away. there was the same excite
ment We rode to a post on the high
way and dismounted under a tree. /
remember that the sun shone warm,
the buds were starting. and here and
there robin was raising his glad song
Little was said between us. and by
and by Private Haskns fell into one
of his moods.
| From the corner of my eye watched
his pipe puff at longer intervals until 1t
finally died out. He looked straight
ahead of him across the field or the
wall as his ears drank In the notes Of
the birds He forgot that was near.
| His thoughts went back to the old
| grief. and saw the changes in his soul
| written on his face. There were Joy
| and gadnesS: there were grief and
pain; there were wavering and deter
mnation Al the end of a quarter of
an hour he suddenly sobbed in his
throat Then he rose up and started
across the field toward the wall.
What is IT, Haskins? What do you
see? Hold on" called to him. but he
never halted or turned his head
Come back" | called "A sharp.
shooter may he hiding behind the wall!
| Come back
| heard him gaspng and sobbing as
he pushed forward would have run
| after him and caught him. as one might
4 somnambulist who was approaching
| the edge of preciplce but Just then
| our horses reared and snorted and re-
quirpd my strongest efforts to prevent
them from breaking away When |
could look around. the man was nearly
at the wall | was about to shout at
! him again. when he stopped. threw up
| his arms and sank down. and he was
| lying on his back on the frostbitten
grass before heard the report of the
| life which had slain him. Then a
squad of cavalry dashed out and tried
to capture me. and went numbering
| up the road toward the reserve picket
with bullets singing louder than the
| robins
Half an hour later was back with a
squadron We charged past the dead
man on the grass and up to the stone
wall. but no one was In sight All that
we saw was the peaceful farmhouse
beyond; all that we heard were the
voices of the birds
The enemy had been TO view the man
they had slain From one of his pock
cts. In searching for what might be
worth carrying away they had taken
an old letter letter dated years be-
| fore and in woman's hand They had
read 1t, or at least few lines OF 1t.
| Then they Ind spread ii out on his