Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-03-06

klOOk himself. lie iucu vi my pNi"o
scared by such noises as that! One
would think I'd never been out Of the
house after dark"
Private Smith braced up and looked
about him apd,smlled at his nervous.
ness. There was nothing to be afraid
Of. Over there was a rebel picket, and
he fell to wondering II the man was
old or standing under tree OK
out In the Open-a veteran or recruit.
Thus another fifteen minutes passed.
when of a sudden the soldier sprang
back and cried out.
whats that! Who Is it-whO is it?"
Some prowling animal--perhaps a
farmers dOg-had trOtted ever the
grass between the tree and the house
that was all. The recruit stood with
leveled musket and humping heart for
a minute, and then he fell to cursing
himself \
"Am a chlld-a woman--a coward,
to be afraid of shadowsg" he whisper
ed, "There Is the wind again, and that
sound of groanng Is the branches
grinding together. There may be rab.
bits about. but am going to play the
fool on that account! Come, now, be
q man" n
Private Smith sat down on stone
at the base OF the tree. They had told
him that standing picket was worse
than a battle Why! 1t was little
lonesome, to be sure, but there was,
nothing to fear-no one to harm. As
for the uncanny noises, they could all
be explained away, He was little
nervous, because 1t was his first time
on picket, but that he would admit
only to himself. lie would think of
home as he waited and watched and
pretty soon his two hours would be ups
Long ere this hour the folks at home,
were sound asleep and he could al;
most hear the bark of the old dog
which kept guard around the house at
night. There was the path leading
from the kitchen door to the barnyard
the smokehouse on the right, the pig.
pen on the left--there was
Private Smith knew that he was
awake. He knew that his eyes were
wide open but, Of a sudden. he found
himself helpless. He choked for
breath-he looked straight before him
his heart pounded away until he
shrank from the blows. Some one was
approaching. He heard the step! step!
step! and presently & human form ap-
peared out of the gloom. The man
sought to break the spell which chain.
I'd him, but he could neither move nor
cry out The chill of fear had par.
alyzed him. For long minute that
figure stood before him in silence and
then a voice said: Al
II want my child-my Maryw M
ut is a woman" whispered the SOL
dier to himself. perhaps it is the
woman who lived in the house there"
Il thought she was here but don't
see her. When the battle began | took
her in my arms to run away, but fell
down and all was dark and she must
have left me-" 4
ut is woman hunting for her
childw said the soldier. 1T would be
awful II the child was killed In the
battle"
ut was Mary you know continued
the woman in wheedling tones as she
knelt on the ground before him. "You
wouldn't hurt n little girl 3 years old,
would you? You'll give her up to me,
won't you? We live here, but the big
cannon balls tore the house down. Is
this blood on my cheek-on my hand?"
The soldier tried to answer, but his
tongue refused to move. He wanted to
tell her that he had not seen her child,
but the words would not come.
"If you took her home with you,
then I'll 90 with you to get her. said
the woman. as she looked full into the
soldiers eyes. "Did she sing for you?
Did she have her dolly along? Why
don't you speak to me?"
$3.50 you ran away when the big
guns boomed?' asked Private Smith,
with laugh. u
is it funnyT y
"Of course. it is-ha. ha. ha"
81 didn't know it-te-he-he!"
ats very funny. So you were afraid
Of the guns"
yes"
"TIa. ha! ha" \
"Te-he-hew
"But the guns don't hurt anybody. It
was so funny that You ran away.
thought you was rabbit when | first
saw y0u-ha! ha. ha"
IF laugh will l find Nary"
"Of course. That's the reason she
ran away-because you didn't laugh"
"Te-he-hew 81
"Ha! ha! ha" ~
ADO you know what they told me
today about being on pickett" queried
the soldier as he rested a hand on the
woman's head "rhey said I'd shake
and SILVER and scare like a child. They
were only guying, though. They al.
ways guy fresh fish,"
That's flnny-te-he-he"
lawfully funny-ha! ha! ha! l amt
afraid Of the dark, and the queer
noises don't scare me bit. I'm just
as cool and calm as II l were home. So
you've lost Mary"
Yes. You don't think she was
killed, do y0u?" =
"Of course not. Nobody ever gets
killed in battle. Say, let's laugh some
more" :;
"Te- he" ~
"Ha! ha. hal
Tramp tramp, tramp, came the re.
lief and when they halted at post the
sergeant sternly whispered:
"You there Smith-are you asleep at
your DOst?"