The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1901-10-10

mercy. Her woman's instinct ~
cerned his thought; her lips moved |
without sound. but her soul wss In the |
appealing look riveted upon him.
~ think--not," he said. reluctantly, |
at last. I'm fact, I know that he's
wounded"
"Dead!--you meant" she gasped in
the struggle TO conceal her anguish.
mo, miss--not exactly that; but bad.
ly wounded--very badly, am afraid"
where Is hep" She made no effort
then to conceal the truth. She wss on
her knees, her eyes close to HE. "ln
Gods name, my friend. tell me-tell
me all! Can't you see? emit you seer
She covered her face. unable 10 con-
ticue.
III can only tell you what I know,
miss. He was not dead when saw him
last. Our guns were In the line when
the charge came. The line was broken
ut both tanks, aud the yelling confed-
crates were swarming about ms. Every
horse we had was down, whes word
came for us to look out for ourselves,
and back we went TO escape capture
what was left Of us. Yell. miss, some
body said then that No. 3 had been
left loaded-doublc-sh -shotted with can
lister; the man at the lanyard had fall
en- dead just as he lifted his hand 10
pull. And SO the gun stood, ready TO
be turned upon US. Then Capt. somers
halted and looked about for some one
to send back; but I think. miss, he
n ust have seen that the chance was
.sperate. II was only an instant, and
hi wouldn't order any man to GO; he
r nhsd forward over the so yards.
reached the gun and seized the cord.
He was my captain. and couldn't leave
him there, you know, SO I had followed
him, too. Then up in front an army Of
gray seemed TO rise rs from the ground,
and they fired n volley as he pulled on
the lanyard. I threw myself on my
face and escaped. When looked up
the crowd ahead was disordered and
torn. but still coming on; and the cap
tain lay by his gun. crawled over
and laid my hand upon him.
".Tom,' he said. cool as I am right
now. I'm gone, but II you get out take
the papers In my pocket and my watch
TO my mother! took them as he. told
me. He tainted, / think, and I was
afraid he was dead, but he breathed
again. And then, miss--I hadn't tried
II since was boy-he was ly!ag upon
his face. and rolling over, I lay upon
him. back TO back, locking my arms
through his. Turning over suddenly
had him on me dead weight. and then,
somehow, l got up. The whole thing
was not a minute long. The confed-
crates gave me a cheer instead Of VOL
ley till the boys rushed back to meet US.
got II in both legs then and this shoul-
der, and down we went. The boys took
him and left me. which was right; for
four men had died there to save him
and ! looked like the fifth" Frances
was kneeling by the wounded man
when he finished. stroking his cheek
and brow, her frame trembling.
"Oh. brave! brave!" she cried. .'God
bless you and keep you-and KEEP
you!" she sank her face beside him
sobbing for JOY. '''rhc watch-the pa
pers!" she cried. exci,edly. remember
, ing his commission. "Oh. sir. I am hi,
, II am his nearest relative, south
/ "In my coat" Said the strange,
; gently, n wan smile upon his pale face
Don't worry, miss; I guess the cap
tamil pull through all right" Tn,
watch was there. and there too wer,
the letters sealed for his mother read,
for delivery II he were picked up dea'
by friend OF foe. No line for her. tn,
woman who loved him once---loved hin
as she had known him. Upon the innel
case of his watch was his own nam
! and address; and still no lire for her
n the woman who held him so dear. Blu
in the locket dangling from the chail
there were two lines cut into the vir
gin gold:
Frances, my wife
Richmond, April 18th. 1851"
How roseate then grew life for n
girl. He remembe bered! He had KEEP
; her words with him night and day
J He loved her; he had told no false
hood for the value of her father
wealth. As she stood by the wounde
soldier, his eyes resting in sympathy o
her, her own seeing nothing but th
face in that half-lit room where he
:, shrine was raised, all that was lei
OF resentment vanished out Of he
, heart. When afterward she realize
this she was amazed and troubled.
!. One federal soldier at least In all III
hosts that fell into confederate hand
had no cause to complain Of his nuri
= ing. A hospital stretcher bore him I
the home Of Frances Brookin and int
- her room. II was her wh;m, and th
.s stepmother was indulging her whin
70 in those days. There Frances an
= nanny, with william as a helper an
a Brodnar as an occasional adviser, la'
- ished on him such care and attention q
- he had never dreamed was possible, "a
=, he was one of those homeless waits
whom war had promised nothing bl
excitement and change. II was all
|. mystery to him, but he questioned no
. He accepted the girls simple state mel
y as to Somer, and was content to ],
- the sun OF his prosperity shine on.
y One day when the soldier was abl
a to limp about the garden upon h
:. crutches and sit in the shade by III
= plashing fountain TO read in the Di
p" patch OF the great battles being fougl
a, around the endangered capital OF II
:, confederacy, Frances, bearing II
"A highest testimonials from surgeons an
a hospital officials as to the conspicuo,
. and devoted service she had rendere,
i. went TO the executive mansion and 81
cured admission TO the presence Of II
=