The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-05-29
KILLING HIS MAN.
BY M. QUAD.
Copyright. 1900. by c. B. Lewis.
aHaye l ever killed a man 2,

9 Copyright. 1900. by C. B. Lewis. 9
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
"Have l ever killed a manY
OF sudden, as he lay doing on his
bed in camp one day, Private Hollins
had been in battle and skirmish. He
had fired away his 40 rounds and fired
to kill, but as he began to recall all
his battles he could not remember that
he had ever had an enemy so near and
so fairly before him that his bullet had
surely done the work. There were few
soldiers who boosted of taking life.
There were sharpshooters who had
brought down a dozen men, but they
never talked about it. Men were pro-
noted for desperate fighting, which
sometimes meant killing single handed,
but they were proud only Of the pro-
motion. 1t was a curious question
Private Hollins asked of himself, and
it led to strange results. He was not
a bloodthirsty man, and yet as he lay
thinking the idea came to him that he
had not done himself justice as sol
der. He had not killed a man. When
the war was over and he had returned
home, he would be asked the question.
His friends and neighbors wouldn't be
satisfied with his record of battles, but
would sweep it aside and say:
Eyes; we know you were in five or
six battles and that you fred hundreds
of bullets at the enemy, but can you
truthfully say you ever brought MAI
DOWN.
He couldn't say it, and he felt that
he would lose caste. This feeling
brought a sudden resolve. 1t was a
resolve that startled him at first, but
the more he thought of it the more de-
termined he was to carry it out. He
would kill a man; he would do it next
time he went on picket. There were
no orders against firing. 1t was by
tacit agreement among the pickets that
they refrained. If he brought one of
the enemy down, he would not be re-
proved even if not praised. He would
not boast of the kill to his comrades,
but when he reached home and farm
ers and their wives and sons sat lis
tening to his stories Of war he could
answer the question they would be
sure to put, and answer in the affirm
alive. 1t was a fortnight before Pri-
vate Hollins was detailed for picket
duty. He was not impatient. He was
willing that time should pass, but
when the opportunity came he would
kill man. He never wavered in this
resolution.
This is your post, Hollins," said the
corporal as he left him one afternoon
at the edge of a wood under large
oak. Eve don't know exactly where
where around that log house. How
ever, if you don't get too fresh and go
to walking around in the open he won't
bother you. There hasn't been a shot
fired along here for two weeks. If you
go in for roasted acorns, don't make
much of a fire."
To-day l shall kill man." said
Private Hollins as he was left alone,
and he began his preparations at once.
At long rife shot, away across an old
cottonfeld, was a log house with
few fruit trees standing about it, One
might be sure the farmer was off to
war and that wife and children, If they
had not abandoned the place, were
having a miserable existence. Hollins
crept down to the fringe of bushes on
his side of the field and peered and
watched and waited like an Apache in
ambush. For an hour he saw nothing.
Then gaunt, i'll used dog came among
In sneaking, furtive way. If the dog
was there the house must be inhabit-
ed. He had just come to this conclu-
sion when he caught sight of figure
among the trees. 1t was between the
house and the bushes, where he be-
lieved the enemy's picket was lying.
1t must be the picket on his way to
and from the well. Perhaps he had
gone to the house to light his pipe or
boil his coffee There was a glimpse
and it was gone. Another glimpse, an
other hiding, and then the figure was
fair to view. 1t was long shot, but
a pretty fair target, and without an
instant's hesitation he drew up his gun
and fired When he looked over the
smoke, the figure was gone.
"But know | hit him, and he's ~
ing dead on the grass" said the soldier
as he reloaded his gun. "Now | can
tell them at home that killed man.
Mighty long shot. but l dropped him
for sure"
The dog was still in the open. AS
the shot rang out he looked back
among the trees AS the echoes died
away he turned his head toward Hol-
Inns and howled dismally. A moment
later and the figure of a young girl
appeared beside the dog. She was
bareheaded, barefooted and not over
8 years old Hestating for only mo-
ment, she began advancing across the
field The smoke from the soldiers
musket had located him. The dog fol-
lowed at her heels, head and tail down,
and with surprise Hollins watched the
girls approach. 1t took her five min
utes to cross the field. She came
straight at him as he stood up among
the bushes and when she reached him
she extended her hand and clasped his
and said
"Come along, you"
He rested his musket against a log
and permitted her to lead him out into
the open and across the field. He did
not inquire why she had come. He did
not ask where she was leading him.
Not a question passed his lips, nor did
she speak further. Straight across the
field to the trees among which his vic
tim had stood, but long before he got
there he saw form on the grass. By
and by they were close up to it, and
the girl let go of his hand and pointed
and said:
''You shot mann"
1t wasn't a man lying dead on the
grass, soldier or farmer, but woman.
The soldier rubbed his eyes and looked
around in a dazed way. A boy of 10
and a girl of came out of the house
and stood there and looked from the
soldier to the dead woman and back.
They spoke no word; they shed no
tears. twas true that the enemy's pick
ct post was In the bushes a few rods
away. The man on post came out of
his hiding He came walking slowly
down, and when he had reached the
body there was a gasp In his throat.