Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-06-14
PRIVATE CORY.
BY ATHOL FORBES.

ed had q comrade given him word o
encouragement. But the men were to1
intent on the grim work before them
30. in the hail of lead, when private
Cory dropped to the ground, 1t wa!
generally understood that bullet haf
knocked him over. Such. however, wa!
not the case, as the ambulance corp!
following in the rear soon discovered
He had merely tainted from fright.
The doctor turned over the shiverine
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"
No. he Is not hurt at all, he said tC
one of his assistants "His wound VIII
come afterwards when he RECEIVERS
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 bucket of water over
him. sir?' asked a man with blood
stained bandage round his head, bu'
sufficient of his face left uncovered to
show his intense disgust at his CON-
rade.
"No you must not disturb him." was
the curt answer and he turned to give
his attentions to the burdens which the
stretchers were now quickly depositine
in the improvised J spital.
poor lad!" he mused as he bent
over his work 81 must give him a
word of encouragement when he comes
around"
But when, later on, Private Cory
staggered to his feet, the kindly doctor
was too busy to notice him. He looked
wonderngly around 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
a choking sob. He clutched the earth
with his hands, as men do when struck
down in battle with a mortal wound.
It was burning hot day-the wounded
we're suffering terribly from the intense
h. but e ; iv-' with cold. Out
side. the shells were screaming, while
now and again there came the subdued
but harsh growl of the smaller arms.
II seemed as il thousand voices were
shouting at him and reproaching him
for his cowardce. Then human
voice Joined in the wild orchestra.
"You bloomin' cur. Call yourself a
MANI"
It was the stern sergeant of his COM
pany who had been brought in wound
ed 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 pusil-
la-'-''~. oorto" rtuous smile played
about his bloodless lips.
II call It gettin money under false
pretences. You're clothed and stuffed
with the best O. everything the country
can send out, includin' briar pipe and
baccy, and then yer 60 and Pah!
md he broke off. 81 couldn't hev be-
lieved it O. any man in the whole
bloomin' 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 stife groan, but other
men took up the cue.
No agony of the battlefield could
sdual what Private Cory was now en-
d. culver d as If acted upon
BIZ some powerful electric current, but
he made no answer to their taunts, ana
continued to lie with face turned to the
ground. He tried to reconstruct the
wreck of his manhood, but his brain
was still in whirl, and those shrek
ling shells outside still seemed to be tell
in gthe world that he was miserable
coward.
A man was handing round some
broth. He had been hours without food.
and the savory odor caused craving
hunger to take possession OF him. "A
pannikin full was being passed, from
which men took drink, their expect
ant comrades looking on with eager
| w.,llul eyes. Cory raised his head,
hoping his turn had come, but he was
Immediately greeted with a storm OF
curses that caused him to drop 1t 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
iup. my lad," he said, not unkindly;
I"you may make soldier yet. Drink
"He is broth of boy" shouted a
man, and this poor joke was greeted
| with Laughter even by those who knew
! that they had but few hours to live.
| Cry sat up. ,he soup seemed to put
1! life into him, and he ceased to shver.
IA. as barely out Of his teens, but his
face, in its ashy grayness, looked more
like that of a man who had passed his
prime.
"Feelin' bit better now?" began the
sergeant.
Hell run for it as soon as he's
able" remark another "Whew! listen!
he broke off, as shell expoded Just
outside. "They seem to have got the
range of us now. Nice Christians,
these Beers, firing on the Red Cross
For a few seconds there was silence
as the men realized their danger The
angry growl. of the quick-firers was
every now and then punctured by the
long, deep-mouthed baying OF the
Beers Long Tom.
They are aiming at us. by God! :
shouted a man, running into the tent
with his right arm hanging helpless by
his side.
Immediately there was a violent con-
cussion: the air was filled with dust,
smoke, and pungent smell, and the
end of the tent lit up with tongue OF
flame. In an instant three or four men
sprang forward, and the fire was ex-
tinguished.
"The devils are firing at us" cried
the sergeant. "The next shot will count
hit ~ I am mt mistaken