Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-11-22

hill and we're charged and almost an
initiated 10y Hoods brigade. They
were moved down like rlpened grain
and fell SO thickly that their corpses
literally carpeted the earth. / dare
say il was as awful q slaughter, con-
siderng the number engaged, as oc-
Cured anywhere in the course of the
war. Well, we hadn't gone very far
when we came 90 this hill and began
10 get among he dead men, The poor
fellows had been mustered into serv-
ice less than a week before, and they
we're said to be the most gorgeously
uniformed military troop ever organ
lied. They wore scarlet Turkish
trousers, bike jackets embroidered
with gold bullion braid, and purple
fezes with long, pendant tassels. Be-
ing just from the outfitters, all this
fine regalia was perfectly fresh and
new. and somehow or other il added
to the ghastiinesS Of the spectacle on
the hillside. The corpseS were in all
sorts Of strange postures, and their
fantastic costumes gave them an aiEv
of horrible grotesqueness that II
couldn'; begin TO describe in words.
However, to come to my point, |
had picked up a fez to carry away as
a relic, and was about to leave the
spot, when | happened TO notice a
much handsomer specimen on the head
of a little Zouave stretched out, stiff
and stark, a few rouS away, with
handkerchief over his face. | stepped
up 10 make "A swap but had barely :
touched the tassel when low, swe
toned voice under the handkerch
said: Please DON'T
For moment" continued the
eran, that unpleasant protest, co.
ing from what | had supposed to be
corpse. made my hair bristle on N
head. Then | lifted the handkerchiI
and was shocked to see the delicate,
refined features of a boy not over Is.
He was pale as death and evidently
desperately wounded. but he looked at
me calmly. My Cod l exclaimed.
what a lad you are to be here!' I'm
afraid I'm dying unless | have help
he replied. Do you think the surgeons
will bc around pretty soon?' The
Lord knows | groaned, for the boys
Your surgeons have all run away, and
we only have few, with more wound
ed than they can attend to- Then |
guess all / can DO is to lie here quietly
and die. he said, i'm the same gentle
voice. Can you get me a little water
before You go|
Il took his canteen and hurried down
10 "a branch at the foot of the hill,
where the first thing saw, 10y the way,
was the corpse of "a zouave floating in
a pool. | went up the stream far
enough 10 get out Of the horrible
death zone, filled the canteen with
pure water and was soon back al the
boy, side. / gave him drink and he
thanked me. Is there nothing else I
can do" ! asked. awkwardly. because
knew our company was under early
marching orders that morning and
that 10 would be Impossible for me to
linyer much longer. Nothing at all,
thank YOU. he replied. no message
TO anybody 'No-nothing. thanks
IL turned away most reluctantly,
and had gone only few yard, when
heard his thin voice calling me back.
Excuse me- he said, but | want YOU
to- accept this as a present. and he
handed me h.s fine purple fez. No!
no. | exclaimed, greatly embar-
rassed; 4 couldn't think of taking il.
When ] started to. little while ago.
thought you--you-' You thought n
was dead, of course he interrupted.S
We'll, ! soon will be, and that other fez
will do me just as well. Please put IL
ON my head and take mine saw that
he would be hurt unless did as he de-
sired so | took the fez and went away.
In less than half an hour our company
was on the march, and, needless 10
say, | never heard anything more Of
the little child zouave. He was badly
wounded and undoubtedly died where
| left him. | kept it for long time"
added the veteran, but it was finally
lost, with other odds and ends. I'm The
general confusion following the war.
I'd give some money for 10 to-day"
when Not 10 Complain.