Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1901-05-29
How Joe Lost
His Arm.
BY PAUL GRANT.

On the Tombigbee river so bright was born,
In nut made OF husks of the bright yellow cor,
And twas there that l met my Julia SO true
And i rowed her about In my gumtree canoe.
, singing, Roe away, row DER the waters so blue:
Like feather Wen float in my gumtree canoe
The clerk of the Pretty Jane had
mellow voice, and blended sweet
with 1t was little Jennie's childish
treble.
He sat upon the deck of the littl
steamboat, gazing around on the brigh
waters Of the Tombigbee as the SUI
danced on them, gazing intently ant
smiling absently to himself.
He was a man Of about 80, and hi.
right coat sleeve was empty and pin
ned upon his heart.
Little Jennie leaned upon his knee
staring him intently in the face in q
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 had sprung up
And did you sure enough meet your
Julia here on the TombigbeeY' asked
the child, stroking the empty sleeve
with plying touch.
YES" said the clerk, reused from his
reverie and smiling down on the eager
little face; II have often taken her
rowing on the Tombigbee before the
war. when ! had my other arm"
How nice" said Jennie. "How nice!
And In gumtree canoe?"
well, ! wasn't particular as to the
Kind of canoe, so 1t 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, 4 rowed my
Mary Jane so true 'Twould make the
song too long legged"
True" said he. laughing, "but that
makes no difference. think of her
while sing it. so that 1t seems as If 1t
was her name"
swell. 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 yearsY'
You see," said the mate, smiling.
my Julia couldn't make up her mind
that she loved me till the war broke
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 thenp'
Interrupted Jennie; you was born
with 'em?"
"Of course, child. Did you ever hear
)f any one born with one arm? Nature
1on't ever make no such cobbled. lop-
sided work as that"
"Well. If you had both of your arms
hen, don't see why she wouldn't
nave you"
BLESS you. child, everybody had
'lenty OF arms then; that was no in
lucement to take fellow. But, as /
vas saying, when she found I was 60
ng off to the war and might get killed
hen she found that she loved me-"
shed rather marry you than that
ou should get killed." said Jennie.
Yes, think she ought, after you row.
d her around in the canoe"
You are right" said Perkins, laugh.
ne; but twas too late to marry her
hon MO n ha& |
ack safely. when the war was over.
red marry"
TELL me, now, how you came to lose
our arm" said Jennie.
Twas In one of the great battles s
round Richmond that year. had
cen In many fights before. but this |
as about the hottest. The enemy 9
as bound to get the hill on which we .
ood. and we were holding on des-
erately. But at last the boys began
waver and give way. Then our
lionel came out to the front, and the r
st or our officers followed him, and a
icy ran up and down the lines cheer. b
6 up the men. d
:" Steady. my boys said the old colo. II
u: keep pouring it into them. q
eady! Re-enforcements will soon be
re! Never let it be said that the line c.
oke where the Alabamians stoodr
The whole air seemed black with
OF and shell. A piece of one grazed a
e coloners cheek, and the blood kept II
ckling down his face. but he didn't
em to feel 1t. The firing grew so hot g.
ut the men seemed fairly moved d'
wn. and the line began to waver and II
eak. Suddenly, clear on our right.
ere arose tremendous yell. 1t grew W
lder and louder and ran down the In
e toward us. Then. at last, we saw "
courier galloping down the line.
Ill never forget how he looked. His
lck horse was all white with foam,
Its tanks We're bloody from his ed
II. He rode bareheaded down the "
as II he bore charmed life, and In
kept waving his cap around his To-
ID and shouting something to the M
q. and as they heard him the waver. az
line ralliod and sont nm Haa ear,r~ | -