Smyrna times., 1901-07-10
How Joe Lost
His Arm.
BY PAUL GRANT.


~ roved her about in my gumtree canoe,
s.-;no n-1 Roe away, row Ger the waters so blue;
1:te a feather we'll float in my gumtree canoe
Tho clerk of the Pretty Jane had a
n,ellow voice, and blended sweetly
with it was little Jennie's childish
treble.
un sat upon the deck of the little
steamboat, gazing around on the bright
waters of the TOmbigbee as the sun |
danced on them, gazing intently and |
smiling absently to himself.
He was man of about 80, and his |
right coat sleeve was empty and pin
ned upon his heart.
Little Jennie leaned upon his knee, |
staring him intently in the face in a
vay that children have. She pushed |
her broad brimmed hat back from her |
ewes so that she might stare the bet
Ter. The hat was a queerly shaped pal
mettO structure, for this was in 1863,
and clothes were at a premium. She
was the child of one of the passengers,
and between her and the clerk quite a
friendship had sprung up.
"And did you sure enough meet your
Julia here on the Tombigbee?" asked
the child s'rOking the empty sleeve
with plying touch.
"Yes," said the clerk, reused from his
reverie and smiling down on the eager
little face; Il have often taken her
rowing on the Tombigbee before the
war, when | mad my other arm"
How nce." said Jennie. How nice!
And in gumtree canOe%
We'll | wasn't particular as to the
kind of canoe, 50 it was canoe" said
he, smiling.
"And your Julia amt named Julia,
hut Mary Jane. after ALL" said the
child
Yes" said he, but she's just as
sweet as if her name was Julia, though
'twouldn't fit in the song so we'll"
NO, you couldn't say, 4 rowed my
Mary Jane so true 'Twould make the
song too long legged"
True" said he, laughing. "but that
makes no difference. think of her
while sing it, so that it seems as if it
was her name"
well. Mr.. Perkins," said Jennie,
"tell me why haven't you married your
Julia, if you've been rowing her around
in your gumtree canoe these ever so
many years"
You see" said the mate, smiling.
''my Julia couldn't make up her mind
that she loved me till the war broke
out and volunteered; then she said
directly she'd marry me, but twas too
late them had to go off to fight"
you had both of your arms Them
Interrupted Jennie; you was born
with 'em?"
"Of course, child. Did you ever hear
of any one born with one arm? Nature
don't ever make no such cobbled, lop
sided work as that"
We'll, if you had both of your arms
then, | don't see why she wOuldn'
have you"
BLESS you. child, everybody ha(
plenty of arms then; that was no in
ducement to take a fellow. But, as
was saying, when she found l was go
Ing off to the war and might get killeC
then she found that she loved me-"
shed rather marry you than tina
you should get killed." said Jennie
Yes, l think she ought, after you row
ed her around in the canoe"
fou are right" said Perkins, laugh
ing; but twas too late to marry he
then. We agreed that if ever l &c
back safely, when the war was ovel
we'd marry"
1ell me, now. how you came to los
your arm" said Jennie.
Twas in one of the great battle
around Richmond that year. ha
Deen In many fights before, but tn
was about the hottest. The enem
was bound to get the hill on which "
stood, and we were holding on de
perately. But at last the boys bega
10 wayer and give way. Then ol
colonel came out to the front, and Il
rest Of our officers followed him, al
they ran up and down the lines chee
Ing up the men.
STEADY, my boys said the old col
mel; keep pouring it into thel
steady! Re-enforcements will soon
mere! Never let it be said that tse Iii
DroAe where the Alabamians stoodr
The whole air seemed black wi
ahot and she'll. A piece of one graz
the colonePs cheek, and the blood Ike
U'cKllng down his face, but he did
seem to feel 1t. The firing grew so /
.uat the men seemed fairly NOW
uo"n' and the line began to waver a
Dreak. SuddeL :. clear on our rig
,uere arose tremendous yell. 1t gr,
Ouder and louder and ran down [
une toward us. Then, at last, we 81
a courier galloplng down the line.
s,all never forget how he looked. I
OiacK horse was all white with foa
anu Its tianks were bloody from
spur He rode bareheaded down I
,ihe as If he bore a charmed life, q
ue Kept waving his cap around
au and shouting something to
nen, and as they heard him the wav
aug line rallied and sent up deafen
EA