The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-28
The Making of a Hero.

tent on the grim work before them, SD
| in the hail of lead. when Private Cory
| dropped 20 the ground. 1t was generally
understood that q bullet had knocked
him over. such, however, was not the
case. as the ambulance corps following
in the rear soon discovered. He had
merely tainted from fright
The doctor turned over the shivering
! bit Of humanity to look for the wound.
| found none and smiled. Cases OF this
kind were not unknown to him. Poor
! fellow" he rnurmured- Let him remain
with the rest"
NO. ne is not hurt at ALL he said to
one of his assistants His wound wih
come afterwards. when he RECEIVERS from
that faint, and God help him then. There
| is no bullet wound that win give him
the agony that is before him"
Shall l throw a bucket OF water over
him, sir?" asked man with blood
stained bandage around his head, but
sufficient of his face uncovered TO show
his intense disgust at his comrade.
mo, you must not disturb him." was
the curt answer, and he turned to give
his attention TO the burdens which the
stretchers were now quickly deposltlng
in the in1proylsed hospital
Poor lad" he unused, as he bent over
his work. Il must give him a word
of encoura cement when ne comes round. "
But when, later on, Private Cory stag
gered to his feet, the kindly dostor was
too busy to notice him. He looked won
deringly around the tent. Then the re-
membrance of what he had done SEEM
ed to rise up and strike him full IN the
face. He sank down again with chok-
ing sob. He clutched the earth with his
hands, as men do when struck down in
battle with a mortal wound. It was a
hot dar--fha VVOlTn1o I'D Gtlf-
fering terribly from the intense heat
but he shivered with cold. Outside, the
shells were screaming, while now and
again came the subdued but harsh growl
Of the smaller arms. 1t seemed as II
thousand voices were shouting at him
and reproachng him for his cowardice.
Then a human voice Joined in the wild
orchestra.
You bloomin' cur. Call yourself a
MANI"
1t was the stern sergeant of his COM
pany, who had been brought in wounded
in three places before he had given up.
His face was gray with the pain he was
enduring. but he must needs give vent TO
his disgust at such pusillanimity. A con-
temptuous smile played about his blood
less lips.
II call it gettin' money under false pre-
lenses. You're clothed and stuffed with
the best O. everything the country can
send out, includin a briar pipe and
baccy, and then yer go and-Pah." and
he broke off, Il couldn't hev believed
it O. any man in the whole bloomin' COM
pany''
He stopped because the pain of his
wounds became too great, and he bit
hard the piece of Cavendish he had in
his mouth to stif1e a groan, but other
men took up the cue.
No agony Of the battlefield could equal
what Private Cory was now enduring.
He quivered as If acted upon by some
powerful electric current, but he made
no answer to their taunts, and continued
to lie with his face turned to the ground
He tried to reconstruct the wreck Of his
manhood, but his brain was still in
whirl, and those shrieking shells outside
still seemed to be telling the world that
he was miserable coward.
A man was handing round some broth.
He had been hours without food, and the
saYory odor caused craving hunger to
take possession of him. A pannikin full
was being passed, from which men took
a drink, their eXpectant comrades looking
on with eager, wistful eyes. Cory raised
his head, hoping his turn had come, but
he was Immediately greeted with storm
of curses that caused him to drop it
again. Fool that he was to expect it.
He might have known.
At that moment the doctor came up
GIVE Cory some of that soup. Hold
up, my lad" he said, not unkindly; you
may make a soldier yet. Drink this
and he handed him a tin vessel.
He is broth of a boy shouted a
man, and this poor joke was greeted
with laughter even by those who knew
that they had but few hours to live.
Cory sat up. The soup seemed to put
life into him, and he ceased to shiver.
He was barely out of his teens, but his
face, in its ashy grayness, looked more
like that of a man who had passed his
prime.
''Feelin' a bit better now?" began the
Hell run for it as soon as he's able"
remarked another "Whewl listenw he
broke off. as a shell exploded just out
side They seem to have got the range
Of US now. Nice Christians, these Beers,
firing on the Red Cross
For few seconds there was silence
az the men realized their danger. The
angry growl Of the quick-fires was every
now and then punctuated by the long,
leep-mouthed baying of the Beers Long
Tom.
They are aiming at us, by Cod!
shouted a man, running into the tent
with his right arm hanging helpless by
MS side.
Immediately there was a violent con-
,ussion: the air was filed with dust,
smoke and a .pungent smell. and the
md of the tent lit up with a tongue Of
lame. In an instant three or four men
;prang forward, and the fire was extin-
suished.
THE devils are firing at US" crie,l TIE
sergeant. The next shot will count a
Dit il / am not mistaken"
Scarcely were the words out Of his
mouth when a huge rent suddenly OPEN
"a in the canvas, and shell drop BED !
light into the middle Of the tent. The /
ducked under their covering,
IS if they would bury themselves be- |
heath the ground. The doctor. with sn- /
)ther. rushed forward: but Private Cory |
vas before them.
mot you. doctors" he shouted, as he |
seized the bomb.
Quick, M man. Into the bucket IA /
t. said the doctor. NO! There's 70 /
water Ny God"
But Cory had dashed through the open |
ng and was running ike hare They /
we're al dumbfounded for moment (
Then a cheer broke from thsm when /
hey realized what he was doing-a cheer /
I which dying men Joined.
Throw Il away Nowi Th-ow it," (
-elled the doctor. after him
still he ran. The music OF what - /
Knew was their applause rang IN his /
.ars. Nothing had ever sounded 50 4
weet TO him as this. He smiled. u +
eminded him family OF his achievements /
\ the football field. when the Gro I'd /
Dared their approval The bail he car
led now was heavier, but the applause /
only n knew what Il meant 10 him. 1
md he clutched the destructive missile
Ike q child hugging q doll lie fest in
lined 10 Kiss IT. If ne lived he would be
man ard a comrade again II not-out
u ran on.