Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-12-13
HOW TINY HELPED A SOLDIER.
A wounded Wanderers Escape
Through the Enemy's Lines
Aided by n Little Girl.


One day Tiny was sitting on little
bridge eating a seed cake. 1t was dur
ing the war, and she heard so much
about it that she wished she might
help in some way. She wasn't very
hungry, so she began to throw crumbs
in the water, relates the Pittsburg
Press.
"Oh, say, little girl, don't do that! l
can't stand it. Give it to mel"
1t was a really voice coming out of
the grass at the streams edge, and a
hand cautiously followed.
One does not fall off bridge when
the unexpected happens if one has
never learned self-consciousness or
fear, but it was impossible to prevent
her eyes from growing big and starey,
because delightful thoughtD really
soldier lay in the long grass, well hid
den, and the war must surely be APP
proaching rapidly, albeit cowbells and
crows were the only sounds at the mo-
ment.
"Child, give it to me-I'm starving!"
Instantly they were facing, she lean
ing from the end of the bridge to push
the cake into his thin hand, thrust
ciaw-like from its army Sleeve.
"Ill get you some more, sir! Wait!
| I'll get you some supper"
"Starving!" he painted, devouring the
cake ravenously. "Starving-wait!"
One must wait when told to in that
manner. The end of the bridge was on
land, and he lay in the grass with his
head upon his arm, not the command
ing soldier of the distracting cere-
mony, it is true, but an emaciated fig
ure with light hair and a fair face
remembered long afterward as boyish,
hopeless, pitiful. His cap and musket
lay beside him, and his eyes looked up
into hers with the hope born of desper-
alton in them, as he said
Little girl, can you keep secret?"
Now when one has done nothing else
all ones life one might as well own up
to it. albeit with quickened breath, and
twisting the strings of the blue sunbon-
net.
you don't look like it-sit down so
that no one can see that you are talk.
ing to someone-glorious!" She sal
upon the end of the bridge.
I'm sick" he went on; "I mean
was shot in the leg last night me an
suddenly he flung In arm between his
eyes and the clear ones bent upon them
and groaned beneath his breath in
words wholly unintelligible TO dis.i
pie of Aunt Srene. Then he raised up
on his elbow with an effort.
"See here, child, what mean is this:
I've come this far, and no one mus
know I'm here; but I'm too weak o gel
on without food. Maybe you can helI
me-but no one must know, not soul
mark you!"
~ know" she said, gravely. 81 knew
about somebody else. You've got a fur
Augh, but if the sllir-mish-er fint
you they'll take you prisoner"
Exactly" he said. "You stick t.
that, especially about the furloughi
but I've got to have strength-food-
something"
81 'spect you'd better come up ant
go to bed. sir. Aunt knows about wal
secrets and she won't mind, or tel
about your fur-lough."
Look here, baby, keep still!
thought You could keep a secret?"
$50 can" she said; "I've got. some.
'Well, if you will keep mine and man
age to get me somethixg to eat with
out anybody knowing, I'll give you
He looked about him at faded cal
and a battered musket.
what would you rather have?"
This did not seem the time to equivo