The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1900-05-10

this onleer's cries for water increased.
He was evidently dying hard, and his
appeals were Of the most piteous na-
ture. The red-headed boy found IL
hard to bear them. He had Just Joined
the regiment and was not yet callous
to suffering. At last, with tears food
ing his grimy face, he cried out:
4 can't stand it no longer, boysl
I'm goin' to take that poor feller my
canteen.'
For answer to this fo0ihardy speech
one Of us stuck a cap on a ramrod and
hOisted 1t above the pit. Instantly Il
was pierced by q dozen bullets. To
venture outside a step was the maddest
suicide. And all the while we could
hear the officers means:
Water! Water, Just one drop, for
Gods sake, somebody! Only one
dropr
The tender-hearted boy could stand
the appeal no longer. Once. twice,
three times, in spite Of our utmost rem
Onstrance, he tried unsuccessfully to
clear the pit. At last he gave q des-
perate leap over the embankment, and
once on the other side threw himself
fat upon the ground and crawled to-
ward his dying foe. He could not get
close to him because Of the terrible fire,
but he broke a sumac bush, tied to the
stick his precious canteen and landed
IL In ho h.
You never heard such gratitude In
your life. Perhaps there was never any
like 1t before. The officer was for tying
bis gold watch on the stick and sending
1t back as a slight return for the disin-
terested act. But this the boy would
not allow. He only smiled happily and
returned as he had gone, crawling amid
q hailst0rm Of bullets. When he reach
ed the edge Of the pit he called out to
his comrades to clear the way for him.
and with a mighty leap he was among
US once more. He was not even
scratched.
He took our congratulations calmly.
We said 1t was the bravest deed Wa
had seen during the war. He did not
answer. His eyes had q soft musing
look.
"'How could you do itY asked In Q
whisper later. when the crack Of the
rifles ceased for q moment
"sIt was something I thought of,' h
said, simply. Something my mother
used to say to me. II was thirsty ana
ye gave me drink" she said. She read
1t to me out Of the Bible, and she Taught
1t to me until I never could forget II.
When I heard that man crying for
water I remembered It. The words stll
stood in my head I couldn't get I'D of
'em. So thought they meant me-and
I went. That's all
This was the reason why tie boy
was ready to sacrifice his life for an
enemy. And 1t was reason enough"
added the soldier. with . quavering
voice.
Bullet in Poker Gane.
There was one game In which
played" said the old poker nend. that
beat anything In my life for excite
ment 1t was played when we were
before vicksburg with Grants army.
Beside myself there were Joe Anthea,
Jack Tucker and Bill Dasey. We
would sooner play q game Of draw than
eat. Do you know what the dead
mans hand IL?
well, an old story has 1t that long
ago in a Western town there was .
man who had been losing his money
steadily at poker for several days. He
was getting down to close quarters.
and one night. he said In q disgusted
sort Of way. I believe II I did get q
winning hand, I'd drop dead The next
hand was q winner for him and he
pitched over the table. dead. The hand
was aces and eights, and since then It
has always been known ~ the dead
mans hand. Some poker players have
q superstition that It can't lose. Now,
Jack Tucker. one Of our poker-playing
quartet, was one Of those players.
"On this particular day Of which
speak. the bullets were flying pretty
thick and we had been fighting like
thunder. when suddenly an order came
for US to cease firing and to get some
thing to eat. Out came the icevitable
pack OF cards. After several hands. I
got q pair Of flves. I drew three cards
and caught q four, q nine and ten
Tucker stood pat and so did Joe, but
the fourth man dropped out. I deter
mined to try to win the pot by blufnng.
for Tucker. the only man Of whosehand
I was afraid, had q habit Of making q
swell play, and II you would come back
at him hard. he would drop without
calling you. But this time, to my dis
may. Tucker played 'em good and hard
and finally Joe called the pair Of M.
I've got q pair Of aces said Joe.
and believe that you're all blufnng
and that it's the best hand out at that
1--WE got the dead mans hand, =
Tucker, triumphantly, as he
for the pot. Il would bet ON
that hand till the cows come home You
can't beat that hand, Johnson
Il was lying there ON the ground
with my cards spread out in front Of
my face like fan. Just as was about
to throw my hand on the ground . bull
let came along, and crashing through
the center Of one Of the cards. went
through my cap. was about to yell at
my narrow escape, when noticed with
my characteristic perception and pres
ence Of mind, that the bullet hole was
In the four spot, and In whirling
through. the ball had torn a ragged
edge that made the four spot look ex-
actly like the five Of clubs. l saw that
the others had not noticed the circum-
and 50 cOolly laid down my
hand and said 10 Tucker, Don't be In q
hurry and burn your fingers with that
pot I've got Is"
Say! Tuck looked at the three fives,
as he thought. as II he could not be-
lieve his eyes Before he could detect
the fraud. the order came to renew
firing and I scOOped in the pot In the
confusion.
Finding Tar River.