Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1901-04-25
How Joe Lost
His Arm.
BY PAUL GRANT.

In O nut MADE OF husks OF the bright yellow corn,
And twas there that | met my Julia 80 true,
And l rowcd her about in my gumtree canoe,
Singing, Roe away, row Ger 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 sweetly
with 1t 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 intently and
smiling absently to himself.
He was a 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 q
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 a Queerly 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.
dAu ulu SOu SURE euOuSu lu6Gl SOuT
Julia here on the TombigbeeW asked
the child, stroking the empty sleeve
with a plying touch.
Eyes," said the clerk, reused from his
reverie and smiling down on the eager
little face; II have often taken her
rowing on the Tombigbee before the
war, when l had my other arm"
How nice" said Jennie. How nice!
And in a gumtree canoe?"
"Well l wasn't particular as to the
kind of canoe, so it was a canoe,' said
he, smiling. -sss z"
And y56r Julia amt named Julia,
but 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, L rowed my
Mary Jane so true 'Twould make the
song too long legged"
"True," said he, laughing, but that
makes no difference. 1 think of her
while l sing it, so that it seems as if it
was her name"
"yvell, 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 l volunteered; then she said
directly she'd marry me, but twas too
late then: l 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, 1 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 a fellow. But, as ]
was saying, when she found l was go.
ing off to the war and might get killed
then she found that she loved me-"
Shed rather marry you than that
WV sAAosi1NA SSl lllS So1u JCAll0
Eyes. I 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 hel
then. We agreed that if ever l 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 hat
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 We're holding on DIES
perately. But at last the boys bega1
to waver and give way. Then oul
colonel came out to the front, and the
rest Of our officers followed him, ant
} 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! Requirements will soon b,
here! Never let it be said that the lin,
/. broke where the Alabamians stood!
THE whole air seemed black Will
shot and shell. A piece Of II grazet
the %colonel's cheek, and the blood KEEP
trickling down his face, but he didn'
seem to feel it. The firing grew so no
that the men seemed fairly moved
down. and the line began to waver ant
. break. Suddenly, clear on our right
there arose a tremendous yell. 1t grew
louder and louder and ran down til,
line toward us. Then, at last, we say
Il courier galloping down the line.
shall V forget how he looked. His
o black horse was all white with foam
and its TANKS We're bloody from hi:
J. spur. He rode b%areheaded down til,
4 line as If he bore a charmed life. an(
he kept waving his cap around hi.
head and shouting something to the
men. and as they heard him the wave
inS line rallied and sent up d~eafenine