Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-09-30


every hsltins-place Al was IS II not
merely Greece and Turkey, but every
land IN Europe were living on the verge
Of war
To realize more closely what he was
about to do, Vaughan had brought with
him in the railway carriage book
which had just then come out, and cre-
ated not little sensation among the
reviewers.
THE Scarlet Stain Of Battle" was its
name, and the delighted critics pro-
nouneed it to be not mere romance, but
profound and analytic description, by
man of surprising genius, who knew
what war was to it's inmost core.
Vaughan opened the book. 1t had not
any particular beginning, but it pres
entity became an account of battle,
presumably in the American Civil War,
! judging from the ainlless way in which
armed troops were made to wander over
/ tiAO SOulrClJ GILL IOAO AIt0 SOlllSlOA
with each other when they least ex-
pected It, The hero of the story, if he
were entitled to this technical designa-
tfon, appeared to be remarkably unfit
| for a military career. His sensations,
| which were described with agnoizing
minuteness, might have been summed
UP in the brief and vulgar syllable
| funk.
Reading the eloquent chapters of Mr..
Silas P. Winch, indeed, it appeared that
something of the kind was the normal
state of mind Of most men on entering
battle for the first time.
Vaughan, who was, as has been said,
man of quiet habits, who had never
| won the smallest distinction on the
football field, began to feel seriously
| uneasy as he perused the lurid descrip-
tons of THE Scarlet Stain of Battle"
and began to ask himself whether he
was destined to pass through the same
shameful experiences as the hero of the
book. Apparently it was to be so; ap-
parently the first sound Of a gun going
off on the open field, would cast him
| into fever, and the first sight of an
enemy within striking distance, would
be the signal for a panic in which he
would bolt to the rear, like frightened
rabbit.
| Suggestions like these were by no
means encouraging, and he began to
| wish that he had selected some other
literary work for perusal on his way to
J the field.
| He closed the volume, and offered it
| to William Smith.
The result was pitiable.
Poor young Smith commenced to read
with bright and cheerful air; as he
went On, his face became longer and
| longer, and the bright light of happi-
| ness forsook his eyes, till at last he sat
| shrinking down upon his seat, his eyes
! starting out of his head in an utter
state of collapse. Finally he closed the
| book with bang
Il say, Vaughan, l wish you hadn't
! lent me this book to read l don't like
| it at all. did not know it was like
that Do you suppose we shall be in
hot work like the fellows in this book?
On my word | believe the old man was
right after all l had better have stay
ed at home and taken up farming"
Vaughan smiled, not SO much at Mr..
Smiths evident discontinue as at the
! utter horror which appeared upon the
face of their Greek companion.
1T is too late to think of that now"
he said to theayoung man. "Remem-
ber you are now a public character.
You have started off as hero to make
name for yourself upon the battle
field and you must not draw back; be-
sides, there is always this to think of,
that, however frightened you may feel,
the man on the other side is pretty sure
to be just little more frightened than
yourself"
Kalarakis interposed.
Surely you are joking" he said, in
tone Of severe rebuke. There is no
question of fear. The Turks have the
most formidable infantry In the world,
and are as brave as wolves. Neyerthe-
less, we are going to face them in the
cause Of our country. You do not real
ly mean that you are repenting OF your
offer of service?"
For answer, Vaughan thought it best
to take 'The Scarlet Stain of Battle"
from William Smith, and hand it to the
Greek, who showed considerable relue-
lance to accept it.
What is this about?' he asked.
TT is a magnificent description of
real warfare by man who evidently
knows all about it." replied Vaughan,
gravely. 1T analyses the terror which
overwhelms even the bravest at the APP
proach of the first engagement, and ex-