Rocky Ford enterprise., 1902-05-23

ffes and drums noated to his ears with
a strangely familiar sound. 1t took
him back to the front again. back to
| the days OF '63! Once more he was
youth-strong. vigorous. In arms!
And could this. then, be Thomas bril-
gade?-and yonder-yonder hill-Mis-
sionary Ridge where. proudly drawn
In battle array. the Confederate
legions awaited them calmly with a
welcome OF leaden death?
And whence all this rub-a-dub-dub.
rub-a-dub-dub. that fired the very
blood within the veins? All! Foolish
question:! Why ask when there was
Soffels. the drummer boy? Nobody
but Soffels could drum like that! Sof-
fels was the only one who could make
his drum talk" In accents So clear
and true-now gay. gay as the morn
Ing sunlight: now sad-sad as the
hour of death. as he turned the tide OF
battle into victory or defeat!
"Take the riae-pits at the base. then
halt and reform!" weak-Eyed Jones
heard the order rs clear as on the
day It fired the souls OF thousands OF
Union soldiers to battle and to VIC
tory. The march OF many feet was
heard: the CLINT OF polished bayonets
seen. The stars and stripes stood
straight to the breeze as like clock
work that human phalanx moved to
obey.
Was that the foo there. entrenched
at the base of the hill. calmly waiting
with muskets primod and ready? 5Gt
psyer n man did he see faiter. On
ward they pressed. with music soaring
and flags flying. into the fray and into
the face of death. Then. when the
first yoiley had been met and passed.
they Were over the breastworks and
upon the foe. lie felt an absence about
him then. lie looked for Billy. Billy
down at the first onslaught. he con-
cluded. Then he saw the men In the
trenches waycr for n moment. club
their muSkets for n las; feeble stand.
That was all: then they iicd. The Fed
erai troops. forgetting their orders In
the enthusiasm OF the moment. were
as quickly over the ramrarts and
after them-,hroash woods. over logs.
past guiehcs. and into the face of
murdcrous muskctry from above!
Presently weak-Eyed reeied and
fell from the marching column. strik-
ins his head rs he fell. Grasping a
shad. tree by the side of tho thor
oushtare he slowly raised himself TO
his knees. Had he. too. been struck
by a nyins buil~t- Ha put his hand
to his head. Yes. there was blood!
and the bridge OF his nose was sonc'
Hut he forgot the pain momcntariiy
as he heard tho order: Charge the
crest OF tho hiil." pass from mouth TO
mouth as IL came from Grant His
pulses ieapt. His blood fairly bounded
at the words. Ito tried To rise and
obey. bu, he could neither SEQ nor
~aik.
''Hurrah fer th'-siaFs an'-siripes:-
he shouted in tho rsuiiation OF tho
moment. but the effort cost him thross
OF pain.
A vehicle full Of beiatcd er'cbsa-
tionisss. husryins after the procession.
heard his shout. "a drunken soldier
they said. weak-Eyea thought an
ammunition wagon was hurryias TO
tho front.
His sight cleared little after the
frss aase from his fall. In the dis
tanec he saw clouds OF dust arising.
The smoke o. the battle" he thought.
The music vas still playing. clearer
and louder than ever. Indicating the
enthusiasm Of battle. Someone ap'
preached his siae.
'oniy a-scrape-eomfadc' he said.
''Ncvcs-mind mc-t'li bc-aIi right
soon. There's vosk-scr yoa-up
,hrre.- lie Indicated the hill with
wave of his hand.
Il tell you he's not drunk: he's
sick The man at his side addressed
some one near at hand
In pity they tried TO raise him 10
III. frrx His lc<a vould mot aupboft