Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-09-06


record. He was seeking to end 1t 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 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, l 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 and 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 l
was dumb as to what had seen.
A week later Troop G was sent out
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
he 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 he
was hero, deserving of a 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 1t
as we'll as we did, and he made no ad-
vance. He had our respect and admi-
ration in the fullest, but he did not
have and did not wish for our com.
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 it 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 dsmounted under a tree. ]
remember that the sun shone warm,
the buds We're starting, and here and
there robin was raising his glad song.
Little was said between us, and by
and by Private Haskins fell into one
of his moods.
From the corner of my eye l watched
his pipe puff at longer intervals until it
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 gladness; there were grief and
pain; there were waverng and deter
mlnation. At the end of 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" l called to him, but he
never halted or turned his head
Come backw called. "A sharp.
shooter may be hiding behind the wall!
Come back"
heard him gasping and sobbing as
he pushed forward. l would have run
after him and caught him, as one might
somnambulist who was approaching
the edge of a precipice, but just then
our horses reared and snorted and re.
quired 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
his arms and sank down, and he was
lying on his back on the frostbitten
grass before | heard the report Of the
rifle which had slain him. Then a
squad of cavalry dashed out and tried
to capture me, and went laundering
up the road toward the reserve picket
with bullets singing louder than the
robins.
Half an hour later was back with
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 peck.
cts, in searching for what might be
worth carrying away, they had taken
an old letter-a letter dated years be-
fore and in a woman's hand. They had
read it, or at least a few lines Of it.
Then they had spread it out on his
breast and left him with body I'm.
searched, perhaps lifting their hats in
reverence as they turned to ride away.
We saw the letter and lifted 1t up
and realized that therein was the troop
er's secret.
Let no man read it,! commanded
the captain. 1T belonged to him. He
is dead" And. holding 1t aloft in his
hand. he touched the letter with
lighted match, and as the paper shriv.
eled and curled and became ashes, to
be carried away by the breeze, we un.
covered our heads and said:
at was his secret-his and Gou's!'-