The Opelousas courier., 1900-01-13

ali Os&Q! CulQ luey search lof uiIu
He was alive, but he knew that death
would come in a few short hours. How
he. the sun beat down! How still
everything seemed to him-no whizz.
ing of bullets in the air, nor shrek Of
screaming shell, nor the yell of charg.
ing troops-nothing but the silence o:
an ocean Of 6 ass. There was q.
dead Cuban lying at his feet-a ghast.
~ bunch of mortality. How big ano
black he was! His eyes were staring
at him like balls of glass! What were
they staring at him for? The aight
was coming on apace-would he have
to lie in the tall grass until the
morrow? He could not tell. An6
then the dark cloud again settled o'el
his sense and it was hours before the
light came into his soul.
Deaths door is o mirror and the
dying have good memories. Wher
consciousness returned the boys mind
went back to his home. He wondered
if all was we'll on the old farm, where
he and his mother and brother ha0
lived in peace until the war with Spain
called him to the front. He had q
letter in his pocket from home-he
would read it again. But, alas! he
could not reach his pocket--both arms
were disabled and in the inky dark
ness he could not see.
How long since had he left home:
Three monthsi only three monthsl
And now he lay dying in his young
manhood. He remembered the morn
ing that he left his home. The birds
were singing and nature was at he,
best. The fields we're clothed in green
and the brooks softly murmured oven
the pebbles at the bottom. He hao
donped his new uniform, and he felt
q little sharp pang as he left his home.
He remembered it all very we'll.
Goodbye, Bill" he had said tc
his brother. "Take good care Of
mother"
'cLook out for Spanish bullets and
bring back a machete," said Bill.
'I'm off, mother"
Goodbye, my son. Be brave and
serve your country like a man." Then
she embraced and kissed him and the
parting was over.
The old house cat rubbed against
him and purred as if to bid him God.
speed. His faithful old dog followed
him down the lane, but with stern
words his master drove him back. AT
the edge of the town a blue-eyed, fair.
haired girl stood at the gate. care
you really going to fight the Spanish,
John?"
Eyes, Helen, and I have come tc
say good-by." There was a hasty
kiss, q warm pressure of hands, and
thus he left his home.
Everything was SO hushed and dark
now. Was the whole world dead:
Why was he lying helpless here? How
had it happened? Then he remem-
bered-the furious charge across the
open field, up the hill and over the
crest in the face of a rain Of Spanish
bullets. The air hummed and
whistled. From the trenches and
blockhouses the mausers spit at them.
Then the blow came to him. 1t was
a terrible shock. It seemed to lift him
from his feet and double him up and
pitch him forward. Then Che painful
journey to the rear, two more bullet
wounds, and then Inconsistencies.
Now he was dying in the darkness.
How strange it all was. That dead
Cuban how black he looked, and how
his eyes glared! There was a tiny
hole in his forehead where life had
leaped through. Someone was crying
for water. Was it himself? He could
not tell. The night was getting cold
and the heavy dew made the tall grass
soggy. There were no stars to watch
him. Would nobody help him? Hark!
That was his dog bowling, and how
loud it was!
How weak and dizzy he felt.
Goodbye, Bill"
He could not see. Everything was
growing dim.
Farewell, motherp' "Helen-"
And the deep, dark grass waved a
weeping requiem to another brave
xynrrr soul no&,o;I E,.oo D.oo,