The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-06-28
The Fighting Blood
Lucy Baker jerome, in Success.

| eagerly. why, Miss, the day we made
that charge at it was hotter than
blazes, and the general was in the thick
of 1t, and always at the front, Miss all
ways at the front" He shook bony
forefnger, warningly-"Don't you for
get that. The bullets were flying like
| hail, and the general was sitting on his
! horse like an iron man, and we were
plunging after him, when Dick Fallon's
horse was shot under him, and he
tumbed on the ground right alongside
| of the general. Dick expected it to be
the last of him, for the cavalry was
sweeping solid over the field. Was it?
No, indeed! The general just swooped
down on him sideways, and lifted him
across his saddle bow, and led the
| charge just the same. Dick never for
got that. I've heard him tell it over
and over, and not one of those who
saw it ever forgot it, either. Oh, I tell
you, Miss, the old man chuckled, car
ried out of himself by the memory of
brave war days, and becoming loaua-
cious in praise of his hero-"there never
was anything could daunt the old gen.
eral. He had the real blood in him
the fighting blood, we called it. Moth
ing ever beat 1T yet" He turned to the
girl, his eyes luminous with feeling,
and his white hair blowing in the wind.
Her gaze was fastened on the vanish-
ing line of smoke from an ocean steam-
err and the old soldier looked disap-
pointed.
Il think" Lucinda said, slowly, her
hands unconsciously destroying the
daisies that she held, that there are,
perhaps. some things which. if the gen.
eral had had them to endure, might
have conquered even the fighting
blood.'
Don't you believe it. Miss" began
the old soldier, stoutly, but glance at
her downcast face checked him. Eyes,
Miss" he said interrogatively.
Yes, / do she said, more firmly.
"There are forms of battle of which
the general had no conception. 1t is so
different with man. His life was one
of action, vivid, stirring action, and
each act was applauded by nation.
He stood high in the estimation of men.
He had wealth, power and fame. Did
he ever know"-she went on, stormily
what 1t means simply to exist, to
spend ones life in waiting, till your
youth and strength and hope are gone?
Did he ever know the humiliating sem
sation Of failure? Did he ever mean
we'll, and try hard, and have it all end
in defeat? No! he never knew these
things. Even his courage might have
given way before such overwhelming
odds as these"
The soldiers stiff features melted
into sympathetic lines at the girls out
burst, but his faith in his heroe was
not to be shaken.
mo, Miss" he said, patiently. Beg
ging your pardon, for can see that |
you must have had hard battle your
self to talk like this, but even all you
say wouldn't have made the general |
give in" His eyes met hers. ITS |
harder for woman" he said, gently.
The girls eyes filled at the words, |
but she kept her head Gefiantly high.
IL nave lost all that cared for in |
the world,' she said, steadily, "and |
there's only left me big. empty. |
starving heart, that gnaws at me night |
and day. She looked at the brave old |
face wistfully. "Do you think that the |
general could have borne that?" she
asked.
Tightening of his throat. He looked at
the girlish figure in its round blue
serge, then hastily rose, striking his
stick firmly into the gravel path. All
the old martial fire and vigor were in
his bearing as he stood in front of her.
lie felt intuitively that it was a case
where action of some kind was needed.
THE general would never have given
up, Miss" he almost shouted, all the
more sturdily because conscious of an
tremor in his tones, which he
wanted to conceal. "Never There
wasn't anything that he couldn't have
borne, and anyone with fighting blood
in his veins ought to feel that way. too.
Anyone belonging to the general is just
bound to stand by his colors."
The girl looked up quickly her lips
parted, and her face was suffused with
an inward glow,
He met her look directly.