The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-08-21


burning heat and the bullets
of the enemy. They did not
know which they dreaded the more.
MY, how hot it isr' said Helm, TAX
ing off his cap and wiping his forehead.
Eyes, but if you were to stick your
head up above the earthwork there
you'd find it a good deal hotter" said
Willard.
1.-THE Yankee sharpshooters you
mean" replied Helm. There's fell
low over there a little bit to our right
who never misses. He clipped off my
finest lock of hair, the one my sweet
heart at home used to say became me
so well, and made a red streak right
across the top of my head. Say, how
that fellow can shootp'
Helm puckered up his lips and emit
ted low whistle of admiration. Then
his eyes wandered to the dismantled
gun lying midway between the lines,
its wheels shot off, its caisson smashed
to pieces, but its mighty bronze barrel
intact and ready again for death and
destruction if mounted once more.
"Its a pity we can't get that gun"
said Helm. put new wheels on it,
give it a caisson, and it would be
wonder"
There's no doubt of it," said Will
lard, "but how to get it, that's the rub,
and it's bothering us Johnnies just as
much as it is the Yankees over there"
These two divisions of the hostile
armies had been face to face for days,
neither able to advance and both refus-
ing to retreat. Three days before one
side had run forward great gun in
bold attempt to break through the line
of the enemy, but the guns squad was
annihilated almost instantly by the
rife fire, and the gun itself was dis
mounted by the shells of a sheltered
battery. The victors did not dare go
forth to secure the splendid gun, know
ing that they In their turn would be
swept out of existence by hostile fire.
So there it lay midway between them,
neither side able to secure it and both
coveting it with all the ardor of vet
Grams.
Helm DOTTED his cap and wiped his
hot face once more. GLOW the sun
burns" he repeated.
80 it does" said Willard, but be-
lieve they've gone to sleep over there
in the Yankee lines"
Gone to sleep! Gone to sleepI' ex-
claimed Helm scornfully you just
stick your head above the earthwork
and the sharpshooter down there a lit
tie to the right will show you whether
or not they've gone to sleep"
1--WE a good notion to DO it," said
Willard.
See here now, Willard" exclaimed
Helm. Don't you be a fool! l know
it's silly of me, but value your worth
less life. l don't want to lose a friend.
How would you know, anyway, wheth-
er they are asleep or not if you got
killed? If you are bent on it, why
don't you put your cap on your ram
rod and stick it just above the parapet?
Then you'll see if our friend the sharp
shooter isn't awake"
Willard lifted the cap on the ram
rod few inches above the earthwork,
where it would look from the hostile
line like a human head thrust up care
lessly. Not a sound came from the
northern earthwork. No rife cracked;
there was no flicker of smoke.
They're asleep" repeated Willard.
"and I'll prove it. Here goes my real
head"
He thrust his face above the earth
work and stood there staring at the
northern lines. He was in plain view
brow, eyes, every feature Usually
at such a sight the whole northern
eaYthwork would have famed into fire
Now the dead silence of the morning
was unbro&en. Not rifle muzzle was
thrust into view.
Helm was amazed. what does it
mean, Billy?" he said to Willard.
The low, mellow note of a trumpet
came from the northern lines. It was
a signal, a musical note breathing of
peace, and its soft echoes foated far
away, repeating themselves among the
sunny hills.
''They want to talk to usw exclaimed
Helm. 81 wonder what's up"
The soft note of the trumpet came
Egain, and then an officer in the uni
form of a colonel appeared on the
northern earthwork, waving a small
white flag. A southern colonel rose up
near Helm and Willard to respond and
lifted a signal to advance.
The northerner leaped down boldly
and came across the open space be-
tween the two lines that had been apt
ly named 'The Plain of Death" AS
he advanced he passed the fallen gun,
halted there moment, stroked the pol
ished barrel and then walked on.
After the first signal both earthworks
were lined with hundreds of heads.
They popped up suddenly, and every
pair Of eyes gazed curiously at the
northern colonel who walked so lightly
across "The Plain of DEATH" and on all
their heads the sun blazed down.
"a fine fellow" said Helm to Willard,
nodding toward the northern colonel
who had crossed "The Plain of Death
the southern colonel advancing to meet
him. They saluted politely, and the
southern colonel stood waiting and IN