The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-08-13


falling comrades. II was the night be-
fore the onslaught of FL Caney. Many
Of our messmates had fallen. Allan was
in command of battalion. We had a
poncho and blanket between us. ]
lay down. but Allan walked slowly back
and forth near me. his hands clasped be-
hind, his face turned upward toward
those glittering stars that shine with
such brilliancy in the southern sky.
Then be turned and looked toward his
sleeping men. Finally he sat beside
me and peered into my face.
you're not asleep?" he whispered.
j stretched forth my hand and he
clasped ii for a minute. ANDY" he
said. and his voice, usually so calm and
matter-of-fact, quivered. Il have re-
ceived my summons from Heaven. /
shall be shot tomorrow"
! lifted myself on my elbow.
DON'T" | exclaimed.
"There is one thing that ! wish 10
speak of TO you tonight" He FUN
bled inside the breast Of his blouse.
gazed at him wondering and with slow
horror creeping through my veins. How
received NOTICE the night beforel He
brought forth a small package wrapped
in tissue paper and unfolded it. 1t con-
tanned photograph. four letters and
a tiny Testament. He silently banded
me the first. and. leaning forward,
struck a match so that could see il the
better. The Pickering light disclosed
the face of beautiful woman-a wom-
an whom l knew.
1--WE are engaged" he said. simply.
looked at him, astonished. Despite
our intimacy, this was the first time he
had spoken of it. lie read my glance.
v"It has been too sacred to speak of,
even to you. | have not been able &c
realize this voice faltered-''but
now want you TO send them TO her
If | fall
lie replaced the packet within his
blouse.
at only happened the night before !
left" he explained. Il had not dared
to dream OF il before. ! hope-I hope
that she will not remain unmarried
she was born TO be happy. This must
not mar her life-tell her So"
! grasped his hand in mine, and then
he lay down beside me and turned his
boyish face once more to the twinkling
stars. Though we neither of us slept
we lay silent on that Cuban hillside till
the dawn of day.
How calm he was, and forgetful of all
save duty, as he received his orders and
formed his men for that bloody charged
We found him at night after the guns
were still and the rattle of the mus
kerry had ceased, lying on his back
where he had fallen, the cold starlight
bathing his still. upturned face He
clutched his breast with his left hand,
his right, grasping his sword. was out
stretched. straight | removed the
package. 1t was blood-staned-a bull
let had passed through it.
The fever took hold of me, and. heart
sick and fooisore, / crawled down &c
Siboney and boarded the first return
ing transport. At the post office or
shore-composed of tent and attend
ed by a government official, who, poor
fellow, died soon of the yellow fever
. ] found some letters and carried then
ON board ship with me to enjoy III,
; treat of reading them at leisure. anC
then ! noticed that one was addressed
: in the same handwriting as that of thu
letters to Allan Clave. written by thu
woman 10 whom he was engaged. sale
that knew her-that explains it. TIL
letter had been forwarded to me iron
Tampa, and this is what it said:
. New York. June 10, lS9s-Dear Cousi
Andrew: AS usual. | have gotten mysel
into horrible mess and turn TO you TO hel
out. You remember last spring l Wis
l tied an army post. where the til infar
: try were stationed? ! had desperate fir
tation with an awfully dear fellow name
Lieut. Allan CIave. The regiment was oil
dered TO the front. He was fearfully /
E earnest. and ] suppose was carried ava
= by the excitement and glory-at any rat,
/ you know that am mpressionabie. Bu
you know. too. that cannot keep that sol
of thing up long-don't blame me, | can
help it. it's the way I'm made have trie
: 10 write him regularly at Tampa. and h
letters swell, it's got TO be stopped. for h
sake. Now. | thought you might be alb
:, 10 see him, and perhaps you could explai
/. ] simply can't write. Paint me jet black
IL will do any good. only do it, and shall |
- ever,astingly grateful. Tell him that it WI
all a foolish mistake. l."
j dropped the letter as if it had stun
5 me. ! was almost alone on the aftt
deck of the transport. We were slowI
S working our way along the Cuba
coast. | took Allan's blood-staine
I. packet from the inner pocket of N
coat and slowly unrolled it. ! locke
u n the photograph a minute, then struc
4 match and lit il and the letters. ii
$ GLIDING the one that l had just bee
i reading-one by one, and let them co.
sumo in my hand till but fragment r
manned, when | threw them outinto II
swirling wake of the ship. where for
II moment they made a fiery trail wit
5 which the copper rays of the settir
y sun mingled, and then they disappears
q forever.
y "She was born TO be happy, this mu
$ not mar her lfe-tell her sol" | viii
pered to myself. And then, Thank &c
e he is deadl"
The little Testament with the cles
e hole bored through il still have.-Le
/ lies Popular Monthly.
He Feared to Presume.