Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-06-08
How Joe Lost
His Arm.
BY PAUL GRANT.

DI FAOL NHAN !.
On the Tombigbee river so bright 7 was born,
In a hut made Of husks OF the bright yellow corn.
And twas there that met my Julia true.
And rOwcd her about in my gumtree canoe,
Singing. Roe away, row DER the waters SO blue;
Like a feather we'll float in my gumtree canoe.
The clerk of the Pretty Jane had a
mellow voice, and blended swectly
with it was little Jennie's childish
treble.
He sat upon the deck of the little
steamboat, gazing around on the bright
waters of the TOmbigbee as the sun
danced on them, gazing intcntly and
smiling absently to himself
He was a man of about 30 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 n
way that children have. She pushed
her broad brimmed hat back from her
eyes so that she might stare the bet
ter. The hat was Qucerly shaped pal
metto structure. for this was in 1868.
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 TOmbigbce|' asked
the child. stroking the empty sleeve
with pitying touch.
yes" said the clerk. reused from his
revcrie and smiling down on the eager
little face; Il have often taken her
rowing on the Tombigbee before the
war when had my other arm
How nice" said Jennie. How nice!
And in gumtree canoe?"
"Well. | wasn't particular as to the
kind of canoe. so il was a 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"
mo. you couldn't say, I 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 1t 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 then; 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
"Well. if you had both of your arms
then, don't see why she wouldn't
have you"
"Bless you, child, everybody had
plenty of arms then; that was no in
ducement to take fellow. But, as
was saying, when she found was go
ing off to the war and might get killed
then she found that she loved me-
"She'd rather marry you than that
You should get killed." said Jennie
"Yes, | think she ought, after you row.
ed her around in the canoe"
"YOu are right" said Perkins, laugh
ing: but twas too late to marry her
then. We agreed that if ever got
back safely, when the war was over.
we'd marry"
'Tell me, now. how you came to lose
your arm" said Jennie.
"'Twas in one of the great battles
around Richmond that year. l had
been in many fights before, but this
was about the hottest. The enemy
was bound to get the hill on which we
stood, and we were holding on des-
perately. But at last the boys began
to waver and give way. Then our
rest of our officers followed him, and
they ran up and down the lines cheer
ing up the men.
Steady. my boys said the old colo
mel: keep pouring it into them.
Steady! Re-enforcements will soon be
here! Never let 1t be said that the line
broke where the Alabamians stoodr
"The whole air seemed black with
Ihot and shell. A piece Of one grazed
the colone's cheek, and the blood kept
trickling down his face, but he didn't
seem to feel 1t. The firing grew so hot
that the men seemed fairly moved
down, and the line began to waver and
break. Suddenly, clear on our right,
there arose tremendous yell. 1t grew
louder and louder and ran down the
line toward us. Then, at last, we saw
a courier galloping down the line.
shall never forget how he looked. His
black horse was all white with foam,
and its fianks were bloody from his
spur. He rode barehcaded down the
line as if he bore a charmed life and
he kept waving his cap around his
head and shouting something to the
men, and as they heard him the wavcr-
ing line rallied and sent IN deafeninS