The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-06-06
VOL. XLVIII. NO. 81.
A TOUCH
OF NATURE.
Memorial Day Story.
BY JOSEPH a. ALTsHELER-
A TOUCH
By JOSEPH A. ALrsHELER-

IL was the SUN OF May. and the sun
was shining ss it shines now But the
s enc was far different No one was
dreaming then of Memorial Day: we
were merely doing the deeds that
made this day possible.
The battle shifted to the right and
presently died to a muiser. 1 had been
lying in a kind of stupOr. but the
su ideu decrease in the crash Of the
cannon and rides-the change, sup
p 'se il was-served me as siimulant,
and | revived. ] managed to shove
the dead southerner Off lne with my
shoulder and sit up. Then ] under
took to raise my arm ana pull my cap
brim down over my eyes, as the sun
was hot and pitiless. Bot the arm
would not move, nor would the other
when tried il, too. Now | remember
ed. The same bullet had broken both
| just as was in the act Of firing my
own rifle. 1t was the shock that had
/ thrown me into the dsze OF stnpor from
which vast recovering. I sat quite
still fer a little while and felt my
strength returning. And yet / look
ed at myself in a bewildered way.
was strong man, but I was helpless.
What can one do without arms, or
what can he do even if he has arms
and cannot use thenl2
AS meditaied looked again at the
dead Confederate, lying just at my
feet, where l had pushed him when l
rose. He had pitched through the
smoke directly against me at the very
moment the bullet had broken my
arms, and We had fallen together.
gazed at him, having nothing else to
to do. He was young SIS l, a handsome,
fair-faced fellow, with hair as yellow
as straw.
II dare say that this Johnny was
quite decent fellow in life, said to
myself
He was lying on his side, and could
see no wound on his face or the upper
part Of his body. Perhaps he was shot
on the other side of the head,
thought, and mechanically l under
| took to turn him over and see. But
the twinge in my arms warned me
again that / could not raise them.
Then l put out my foot and gently
pushed him until he lay upon his back.
But, to my great surprise, he did not
remain there. Instead be opened his
eyes, rose to sitting posture and look
ed at me. Then l noticed how fine
and frank his eountenanee was, de
spite its pallor.
he seemed to be as much surprised
a. was.
''What were you trying TO do, you
Tommy Yank ?" he said.
II was merely seeking to find out
where the bullet that killed you en-.
tered, you Johnny Reb," L replied
"I'm not dead" he said, "but l
thought sure you were. 1 saw you go
down just before fell" 4"
"It's true went down." / replied
loftily, "but got up again. Im not
dead, either"
"No, you are not," he replied,
thcugbtfully, land as we are both alive,
we are still at war, are We not ?n
"UndoubtedlyF' said /, with en-
phasis.
He unused a moment or two, and his
face bore the appearance of great
thought, out presently he frightened
up.
Then, if we are still at war, /" he said,
''you are my prisoner"
"Oh, no." replied; "you have made
mistake"
How so?''
at is you who are my prisoner"
He looked at me in surprise, but in
a moment or two relapsed again into
deep thought. Then he said:
''I do not see how you can take me
prisoner. 1 notice that you have been
shot through both your arms and can
not move tnem-
THAT is quite true" replied, "but
l fail to see how you can get away from
me. l observe that you have been shot
in both legs, and you cannot move
them, either
told the exact truth. His wound
was through the legs. He had just
discovered it himself, and was making
painful efforts to rise, but failed utterly.
He uttered groan of pain.
"Don't try it again." l said, symps-
tbetically; "you only hurt yourself"
81 shall not" he replied. "But will
you reach me my canteen over there ?i
thrust out my arm, and pain shot
through my shoulder and then through
my body thrilling every nerve. Itwas
so sharp that / cried out.
''Forgive me, Yank," said the Con-
federste. al forgot that you couldn't
use your arms"
Il forgot, too,'' 1 said, ruefully.
Then we sat still and looked at each
other sympathetlcally.
Perhaps both of US viii soon fall
into the hands of somebody else," he
said presently.
"Non / replied; "the battle has pass
ed on and left us"
1t was true. We heard only the
sound of few distant shots, like faint
echoes. He said nothing, but looked
at me in the manner of one both puz-
zled and troubled. Then | noticed
again how young he was / gnawed
my mustache, which had begun to de-
velop the year before.
These wounds make one very thirs-
ty,n he said a minute or two later,
looking longiDgly at the canteen which
lay in the short grass, its polished tin
sides shining in the sun like silver. /
knew the truth of his words. My own
throat was growing hot and dry. Then
a happy thought occurred to me.
"If I cannot move my sF;ns, at
least have legs to walk with and kick
WITH" | said.
rose, walked over to the canteen,
and, with three judiciOus kicks, drove
it to the side of the Johnny.
''Good for you, Yank," - sad, his