Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-07-18
. u N II y M B @ TIL Err s.
Brateboro

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noated to his ears with a strangely famil-
! lar sound. 1t took him back to the front
again. back to the days of 90! once
more he was a youth-strong, vigorous,
\ in arms, And could this then. be Thorn
| as brigade?-and yonder-yonder hill
Missionary 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? Ali Foolish question!
| Why ask when there was Soffels. the
| drummer boy? Nobody but Soffels could
drum like that Soffels was the only
one who could make his drum talk in
| accents so clear and true-now gay. gay
| as the morning sunlight; now sad-sad
| as the hour of death. as he turned the
| tide of battle into victory or defeatp
Take the rife-pits at the base, then
| halt and reforml" Weak-Eyed Jones
heard the order as clear as on the day it
! fired the souls of thousands of Union
soldiers to battle and to victory. The
march of many feet was heard; the CLINT
of polished bayonets seen. The stars
and stripes stood straight to the breeze
as like clockwork that human phalanx
moved to obey.
Was that the foe there entrenched at
the base of the hill, calmly waiting with
pTli1tu Ttduy bul never
a man did he see falter. Onward they
pressed. with music soaring and flags
flying. into the fray and into the face of
death. Then. when the first volley had
been met and passed. they were over the
breastworks and upon the foe. He felt
an absence about him then. He looked
for Billy, Billy was gonei bullet had
carried him down at the first onslaught,
he concluded. Then he saw the men in
the trenches waver for moment, club
their muskets for a last feeble stand.
That was all; then they fed. The Fed
eral troops, forgetting their orders in the
enthusiasm of the moment, were as
them-through woods, over logs, past
gulches, and into the face of a murder
Gus musketry from above!
Presently Weak-Eyed reeled and fell
from the marching column. striking his
head as he fell. Grasping a shade tree
by the side of the thoroughfare, he
slowly raised himself 10 his knees Had
he, too, been struck by flying bullet?
He put his hand TO his head. Yes. there
was blood!-and the bridge of his nose
was gone! But he forgot the pain mo-
mentarily as he heard the order:
Charge the crest of the hill" pass
from mouth to mouth as It came from
Grant His pulses leapt. His blood
fairly bounded at the words. He tried
to rise and obey. but he could neither
see nor walk.
"Hurrah fer th'-stars an-stripes,'
he shouted in the exulation of the mo-
ment, but the effort cost him throbs of
pain.
A vehicle full of belated celebration
lists, hurrying after the procession, heard
his shout, "A drunken soldier" they
said. Weak-Eyed thought an ammuni-
ton wagon was hurrying to the front.
His sight cleared little after the first
daze from his fall. In the distance he
saw clouds of dust arising. THE smoke
of the battle" he thought. The music
was still playing, clearer and louder than
ever, indicating the enthusiasm of battle.
Someone approached his side.
"Only a -Scrape-comradel" he said
"Nevsr-mind NELL be-all right
soon. There's work-fer you-up there!"
He indicated the hill with wave of his
hand
II tell you he's not drunk; he's sick"
The man at his side addressed someone
near at hand.
In pity they tried to raise him to his
feet. His legs would not support him;
he collapsed again at the foot of the tree
A roll of drums hoated across the val
ley and into the old mans ears. "Harkl"
he exclaimed, raising himself with he
roic effort, 81 hearth sound o. victoryl"
Volleys of musketry rang out on the
air. give tito 'em--boysr he added.
Chances are against him." a voice
was heard to remark nearby. He
must be taken to physician"
Jaw! He's only had a drop too much
t drink, tell you," some one answered.
Weak-Eyed didn't hear; his whole
mind his whole being was centered in