Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1901-04-25
cheers. Then he galloped by where

cheers. Then he galloped by where
we were and yelled:
orally, men! Rally! Stonewall
Jackson Is In their rear and giving 'em
sut!'
Then we cheered, too, until we were
hoarse. The courier galloped on, and
presently our officer shouted:
"'Forward, men! Charged!
And away we went, down the hill
and across q field, right toward the
Yankee lines, yelling like Indians.
II held the colors in my hand, and l
ran a little ahead. I didn't seem to
have any feet; I seemed to fly, and the
men followed me. Right toward the
blazing line we ran.
"All at once l saw the colonel, who
was riding by me, grasp the colors. for
they We're falling. l looked and saw
that my hand, my whole arm, was
gone, and l hadn't felt it! 1 grabbed
the flag in my left hand.
~ can carry the colors yet, colonel
l said. L don't feel any pain
81 ran On some so steps, when the
blood began spouting from my Shout
der. 1 dropped. Joe Ashe, one Of the
color guards, snatched the flag, and
they all rushed on.
81 fell senseless. 1 never knew an
other thing till weeks after, when 1
woke up II day in Chimborazo hos
pital and found some funny looking Ia
dies in black bonnets that the boys call
ed the sisters bending over me. If it
should have died."
Perkins ceased. He had been so car
ried away by the interest he felt in his
W narrative that he had gone quite
beyond his auditor.
But tell me, joe" Jennie eagerly
asked-she had been impatiently wait
ing for an opportunity for some min
utes-"tell me, did you ever find your
arm that you dropped?"
mo; to be sure not. 1 never went to
look for it,"
you couldn't fasten it on again,
then?"
"Of course not, child. 1 am not a
jointed doll"
"What a pity you couldn't" said the
child. What a pity! And how do you
manage to dress yourself and tie your
cravat and shoes" she asked, for she
had been burning to make these in
quiries ever since she had seen the one
armed Confederate.
"'TwaS awkward at first, but 1 learn
ed at last to do it with the help Of my
teeth"
But how when you get old and lose
emp said Jennie, who was of an in
vestigating mind.
providence will raise me up some
other way" he said, with a pathetic
smile. I'll have my wife to wait on
me-"
"To be sure. 1 forgot; Miss Mary
Jane will. What did she say?"
Il got one of the sisters to write her
for me, and l set her free. l said l
wouldn't bind her to a poor cripple like
me-"
"And she said no, STREE! l s'pose,"
cried Jennie. full of fiery zeal for her
new friend.
- SOIiclullS W tlldI Sl1cCl, Sdlu OOe,
smiling.
"She wrote me that she loved me
more with one arm than she ever had
done with two: that whenever 1 could
get home she was ready" Here Joe's
eyes filed, and he gazed steadily in
the water.
well, now, joe" said Jennie, who
yDaS S1lInn1y Str,,rl- with q hr.irht
idea, maybe if you would lose both
arms she'd love you betterer and bet
terer.'
II believe I'm satisfied with what
she feels now" said Joe. laughing.
But why hain't you married?' con.
tinued Jennie. pursuing her investiga-
lions.
Because l first had to get we'll, and
then had to get something to do. !
had been a mechanic, and l couldn't
work at my trade with my left hand.
So Captain Ramsey gave me a place on
his boat, and I've been trying to learn
how to write, so hat l can keep his
books. l think I'm doing pretty we'll
See?'
He drew from his pocket a little
blank book in which were scrawled
divers hicroglyphics. at which he gazed
complacently.
why, yes" said Jennie %approvingly
There's a t. with the cross mark, and
there is * with his broken back, and
that's an H. l know him by his eye.
brow. You see, l can read a little
she said proudly.
80 l see" said he, laughing and put.
ting up his book. "Now, | must go
The sun has set. 1t is time for me to
see after things for the night
He stroked Jennie's curly head with
his left hand and walked away. softly
singing in his mellow voice. MY Own
Mary Ann
He Knew the Fact.
A small boy had a dog that was
rough, as most small boys dogs are