Smyrna times., 1901-07-10

sut?
'Then we cheered, too, until we were
hoarse. The courier galloped on, and
presently our officer shouted:
Forward, men! Charger
"And away we went, down the hill
and across a field, right toward the
Yankee lines, yelling like Indians.
Il held the cOlors in my hand, and
ran little ahead. 1 didn't seem to
have any feet; 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 were falling. l looked and saw
that my hand, my whole arm, was
gone, and l hadn't felt it! l grabbed
the flag in my left hand.
L can carry the colors yet, colonel
said. Il don't feel any pain
81 ran on some so steps, when the
blood began spOuting from my shoul-
der. l dropped. Joe Ashe, one of the
color guards, snatched' the flag, and |
they all rushed on.
Il fell senseless. l never knew an
other thing till weeks after, when |
woke up one day in Chimborazo hos |
pital and found some funny looking la |
dies in black bonnets that the boys call
ed the sisters bending over me. If it
hadn't been for their good nursing,
should have died"
Perkins ceased. He had been so car
ried away by the interest he felt in his
hok I,,, ho1 70
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?"
"No; to be sure not. l never went to
look for it,
you couldn't fasten it on again,
them?
"Of course not child. am not a
| jointed doll"
"What a pity you couldn't said the
child. "What 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 learn
ed at last TO do it with the help of my
teeth"
But how when you get old and lose
'em?" 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, l forgot; Miss Mary
Jane will. What did she say?"
II got one of the sisters to write her
for me, and | set her free. l said
wouldn't bind her to poor cripple like
me-"
"And she said no, Stree! l s'pose,'
cried Jennie. full of fiery zeal for her
new friend.
Something to that effect" said Joe
smiling.
"She wrote me that she loved me
more with one arm than she ever had
done with two; that whenever l could
get home she was ready" Here JOe's
eyes filled, and he gazed steadily il
the water.
/, "Well, now, Joe," said Jennie, whC
was suddenly struck with a brigh
idea, maybe If you would lose boil
/ arms she'd love you betterer and bet
D terer."
81 believe I'm satisfied with wha
she feels now," said Joe, laughing.
"But why hain't you marriedT con
4ipr,o6 Tounfo rOt1rSitinor bar fnvpctioa
tions.
e Because | first had to get well, AM
} then l had to get something to do.
had been a mechanic, and l couldn'
$ work at my trade with my left han(
So Captain Ramsey gave me place o
his boat, and I've been trying to lear
u how to write, so that l can keep hi
l. books. l think Pm doing pretty vel
See?"
= He drew from his pocket a Ittl
u blank book in which were scrawle
divers hieroglyphics, at which he gaze
- complacently.
& "Why, yes," said Jennie approvingl
v There's a It with the cross mark, an
there is * with his broken back, an
u that's an 81 l know him by his ey
el brow. You see, can read little
~ she said proudly.
H. 80 see," said he, laughing and pu
ting up his book. ''NOw, l must g
sc The sun has set. 1t is time for me
see after things for the night"
eS He strOked Jennie's curly head wi
au his left hand and walked away, soft
lis singing in his mellow voice, MY OV
~ Mary Ann"
es- Ee Knew the Fact.