The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-05-30

can't reach, and they are firing q,
every man who shows head along
the street"
Peering through the murky veil,
the young officer could dimly see
other crouching forms of bue.shirted
soldiers firing upward ut the tower
window-wasted shots that only flat.
tened harmless on the nrchway above
the hidden heads of the daring occu.
pants, who poured through narrow
slits deadly fire on the roadway.
Over at Battery Knoll Captain Dyer
had trained one of his guns to bear
on that lofty little fortress, and now
and then sholl came screeching over
the roofs, and burst with crash and
crackle ut the tower; and still any at
tempt on part of officer or man TO run
the gauntlet along that road was met
with the instant crack Of n Mauser
and the zip of bullet. IL was a
lane OF death-but duty beckoned on.
Despite vigorous balk and protest,
tho little beast wac urged into q trot.
and the brave lad with his eyes on
those precious wires, rode sturdily on.
Another second and he was seen
from the tower, barely two hundred
yards away, and then down came the
kissing bullets. Like angry wasps
they bu2zed past his cars, and the
brave young heart beat hard and fast,
but duty-duty always led him on; and
just block away, under sharp hre
every inch of of it, he came suddenly
upon soldier of his corps crouching
in the shelter of the stone wall Mt the
roadside, and pointing helplessly TO
where the severed wire hung, limp
and useless, from n tall pole close to
the abutment of that perilous bridge.
One way and one way only con Id it
be repaired. Some one must climb
that pole in the very face of those
lurking rebels in the tower.
Ii the smoke hung low il might spoil
their aim. Ii it lifted, and it was lift
ing now, he could not hope TO escape.
Yet that wire must be restored, and
duty bade him make the thrilling,
hazardous effort.
Springing from saddle and crouch.
ing at the wall, he made his hurried
preparations. From the nervous hand
of his subordinate he took the clamps
and the few tools necessary, slowed
them in the pocket of his blouse, and
then, with who knows what thought Of
home and mother, with who knows
what murmured prayer upon his lips,
with the eyes of admiring and applau l.
ing comrades gazing at him from the
safe,rofuge of the walls, he sprang sud
denly to the swaying pole, and 1.-the
and agile, climbed swiftly to the top.
Madly now the Mausers cracked
from the belfry. Fiercely the SPRING
fields barked their answer as the cheer
ing lads in blue sprang ont into the
open, and poured rapid volleys to keep
down the rebel fire. Clamping the
pole with his sinewy legs and using
both hands deity, quickly, he drew
together and firmly fastened the sew
cred ends.
Then, Just as he was about to slide
to the ground and out of harms way,
zip! tore bullet through the other
wire, and down, dangling, it fell to the
ground.
Inspired by the heroism of his young
chief, the soldier below leaped for the
wire, and clambering part way up,
passed it to the lad, who, with ciinched
teeth and firm-set lips, clung to his at
the top.
Another minute of desperate peril,
and the work was done.
Cheered to the echo by the few sol
diers-an officer and perhaps dozen
men-who saw the gallant deed, the
brave lad slid unharmed to the shelter
of the wall; and at last the wire
hummed with life again, and bore tc
division headquarters and to an eager
nation thousands of miles across the
sea the brief, stirring story of sweep
ing victory from the distant front.
And that was the exploit that led moi
long after to the recommendation that
the coveted medal Of honor be awarded
Lieutenant Charles Il. Kilbourne, OF
the Volunteer Signal Corps, ON duty al
anila-Youth's Companion.