The Winslow mail., 1900-06-28
| THE MAKING OF A HERO
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nERHAPS it would never have hap
reneI had comrade given him a
word of encouragement. But the men
were tc5 intent on the grim work be-
fore them, so, in the hail of lead,
when Private Cory dropped to the
ground it was generally understood
that bullet had knocked him over.
Such, however, was not the case, as
the ambulance corps following in the
rear soon discovered. He had merely
tainted from fright.
The doctor turned over the shiver
ing bit of humanity to look for the
wound, found none and smiled. Cases
of this kind were not unknown to
him. "Poor fellow" he murmured.
''Let him remain with the rest
mo, he is not hurt at all" he said
to one of his assistants. 'His wound
will come afterwards, when he recov-
ers from that faint, and God help him
then. There is no bullet wound that
will give him the agony that is before
him.
"Shall / throw a bucket of water
over him, sir?" asked a man with a
blood-stained bandage around his head,
but sufficient of his face left uncov-
cred to show his intense disgust at
his comrade.
mo, you must not disturb him."
was the curt answer, and he turned to
give his attention to the burdens
which the stretcners were now quick
ly depositing in the improvised hos
pital.
Poor lad," he unused, as he bent
over his work, Il must give him
word of encoura cement when he
comes round"
But when, later on, Private Cory
staggered to his feet, the kindly doc
tor was too busy to notice him. He
looked wonderingly round the tent.
Then the remembrance OF what he
had done seemed to rise up and strike
him full in the face. He sank down
again with choking sob. He clutched
the earth with his hands, as men do
when struck down in battle with
mortal wound. 1t was a burning hot
day-the wounded were suffering ter
ribly from the intense heat-but he
shivered with cold. Outside the shells
were screaming, while now and again
came the subdued but harsh growl of
the smaller arms. 1t seemed as if a
thousand voices were shouting at him
and reproaching him for his coward
ice. Then a human voice joined in
the wild orchestra.
You bIoomin' cur. Call yourself a
man?"
1t was the stern sergeant of his
company, who had been brought in
wounded in three places before he had
given up. His face was gray with the
pain he was enduring, but he must
needs give vent to his disgust at such
pusillanimity. A contemptuous smile
played about his bloodless lips.
81 call it gettin' money under false
pretesses. You're clcthel and stuffed
with the best O. everything tie coun-
try can send out, includin' a briar
pipe and baccy, and then yer 60 and
PAIL" and he broke off 81 couldn't
hev believed it o any man in the
whole lhloomin' company
He stopped because the pain of his
wounds became too great. and he bit
hard the piece of Cavendish he had
in his mouth to stifle a groan, but
other men took up the cue.
No agony of the battlefield could
equal what Private Cory was now en-
during. II quivered as if acted upon
by some powerful electric current. hut
he made no answer to their taunts,
and continued to lie with his face
turned to the ground He tried to
reconstruct the wreck of his man.
hood, but his brain was still in
whirl and those shrieking shells out
side still seemed to be tell;rg the
world that he was a miserable cow
ard.
y man was handing round some
broth. He had been hours without
1oou, ana the savory odOr caused q
craving munger to take possession of
him. y pannillin full was being
passed, from which men took a drink
their expectant comrades looking on
with eager, wistful eyes, Cory raised
his head, hoping his turn had come
but he was Immediately greeted with
storm of curses that caused him to
drop it again. Fool that he was to
expect it. He might have known.
At that moment the doctor came
up.
"Give Cory some of that soup. Hold
up. my lad" he said, not unkindly;
you may make a soldier yet. Drink
this" and he handed him the tin yes
sell
'"He is a broth of a boy" shouted
man. and this poor joke was greeted
with laughter even by those who
knew that they had but a few hours
TO live
Cory sat up. The soup seei1cd to
put life. into him. and he ceased TO
shiver- de was barely out of his