Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-04-19

cett Company. All rights reserved.
Silksn ourIs Bespoke pasrleian par
outage, but whose trail figure AID in
!eHAaint cough gave evidence Of .
iatSl ws.ka5ss.
sF IA 10 done dead, sah," said tie
,alA wensp, respectfully, WHOM Col.
|eomsss hutriedly questisasA her Gen.
ISifaass the family. "an' b,r pa Ian
~ yeu.s4l come; dsne ooJks yistiddy
lsq' % ritht back to town. Re done
SHY hyar anyhow"
but that child must net r%paia
Aees; she 10 In danger evsry nyAsnt.
Yeu must n>vs outl"
Z "whsy we goiH' msve. sab? Don't
knew nobody &ny better oR'n we are
ssun' hyah. Marstsr tell me to stay
right hyah, an goin' ter stay hyah.
Better tex 20 folks an move o., sab,
whey you stsrted." somers had other
tAiags 70 think about, and turned
away. Very likely the movement next
day would carry them beyond the cot
tafe, and the danger was not press
tH1 a. the moment. In the morning
We child might Be sent to the rear
~ nsosssssy, sA6 ts-aight he rather
twslcsMed the adjuncts OF refined H1s.
He had use fer the old woman, for
he was but recently cut Of hospital
and somewhat spoiled by nursiag. He
made himself and officers comfort
able in the best rooms after the man
nsr Of old campaigners and prepared
for the short rest which he 70 much
needed.
somsrs had made the necessary dis
positions and, left alone upon the porch
for moment, his thoughts reverted to
the cherished memento in his lockst,
the worldlsss message OF, love which
had SO mysteriously reached him. II
was just one slender curl-the curl
thathad touched his che eek, he was sure.
and with it name. They were enough;
no words could have summoned up
moro wildly the scenes Of that dark
ened wing-room, nor have told him
more eloquently that within the sx-
cited city there was one heart which
held no hatred for him. It was no hour
for dreaming, and he reused himself
to the present. Around him were oon-
tending hosts Of doomed men, the spir-
1t OF war lowered over the rude camps,
and death lurked in the adows, eager
for his harvest. From the distance, the
echoes OF dropping shots came family
to the ear, and presently what seemed
to be small volley. This volley
claimed his attention and that of the
junior officers, and he had ordered .
sergeant up to inquire as to tho cause,
when the sound of rapid hoof-beats ap-
preached upon the road, and in the dim
light as he waited . frightened horse,
pursued by half dozen troopers, sped
by. Presently the men returned lead
Ing the captured animal and carrying
it, late rider. The latter was youthful
and Glad in confederate gray, which
was drsnohed with blood and covered
with dust; for the wounded rider,
olinging desperately to the name Of
the horse as he lay extended upon its
neck, had finally fallen and been
dragged until the weight stopped the
runaway, The face of the unfortunate
fellow had escaped, and so young and
30 fair was it, even the hardened SOL
disrs were touched.
He insists upon seeing an officer"
said one of them. "Claims to have Sc
orets to tell"
place him upon the porch and call a
targeon. Where did he come from? 2"
Somers was strangely affected.
Don't know, sir. He came riding
headlong through the rebel pickets.
think, and they shot him. We didn't
shoot at all, for at first the horse
seemed to be loose, and when we did
see the young fellow on him, we knew
he was too near gone to escape. We
had orders against unnecessary alarms,
and so we ran him down." The surgeon
Dame and laid open the jacket of the
now unconscious sufferer. He waved
back the curious group and motiened
for Somers to approach.
IA woman!" he whispered.
us 1t possible! To my room-to my
room!" The rough soldiers again lift
ed the frail form tenderly and placed
1t upon the bed inside. A hurried ex-
animation disclosed the wound; shot
from behind had passed entirely
through the body.
"shs cannot i've" said the surgeon,
gently, as he arose and covered up the
white form. There 10 not the slight
est chance for her" The sentence Of
death seemed to inspire her with sud-
den consciousness. She opened her
eyes widely, and they rested in wonder
upon the blue uniforms and strange
facss.
What has hsppensd9" she asked,
weakly. Where am II"
"You have been wounded, madam"
said the surgeon, badly wounded; but
you are in friendly hands"
"Ahle-Aayusad-tsl5 ms-thst he