The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-09-10
How Joe Lost
His Arm.
BY PAUL GRANT.

"
On the Tombigbee river 50 bright was born
In a hut made of husks CT the bright yellow corn,
And twas there that met my Julia DO true,
And rowed her about in my gumtree canoe
Singing, Roe away, DER the waters SO blue;
Like q feather we'll float in my gumtree canoe.
The clerk of the Pretty Jane had a
mellow voice, and blended sweetly
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 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 i'm a
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 queerly shaped pal
metto structure, for this was in 1863,
and clothes were at premium. She
was the child of one of the passengers,
and between her and the clerk quite a
friendship bad sprung up.
"And did you sure enough meet your
Julia here on the Tombigbee" asked
the child, stroking the empty sleeve
with a plying touch.
yes" said the clerk, reused from his
reverie 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 nicer said Jennie. How nice.
And in gumtree canoe?"
well, | wasn't particular as to the
kind of canoe, so it was a canoe" said
he, smiling.
"And your 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. l think of her
!
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
10 alo
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-"
Shed rather marry you than thai
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 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 los,
| your arm." said Jennie.
Twas in one Of the great battles
around Richmond that year. l ha,
been in many fights before. but thi
| was about the hottest. The enem,
was bound to get the hill on which W,
stood, and we were holding on des
perately. But at last the boys begal
| to waver and give way. Then on
colonel came out to the front, and th
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! Re-enforcements will soon b.
herei Never let it be said that the lin
| broke where the Alabamians stood!
THE whole air seemed black witt
shot and shell. A piece Of one Craze,
the coloners cheek. and the blood KEEP
tricklng down his face, but he didn'
seem to feel it. The firing grew so ho
that the men seemed fairly move,
down. and the line began to waver an,
break Suddenly, clear on our right
there arose tremendous yell. 1t grew
! louder and louder and ran down th
line toward us. Then, at last, we say
a courier galloping down the line.
shall never forget how he looked. Hi
black herse was all white with foam
and its flanks We're bloody from hi
spur. He rode bareheaded down tn
line as if he bore charmed life, an
he kept waving his cap around hi
head and shouting something to tn
men. and as they heard him the wavel
ing liue rallied and sent up deafenin