Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-05-29


could not resist, the young man. n
few words, told the story of his
wrong, and of the action which he had
taken. The confederate gazed at
him fixedly for a moment, then turned
and walked a few PAGES away. When
he came back he spoke with an
energy and earnestness which he had
not before displayed.
and so, because your captain is
brute, you throw yourself into the
hands of Mosby's men--and they are
none of the gentlest, l admit; or in
case you elude them, you brand your.
self deserter-that thing which the
true soldier everywhere abhors, and
all people despise, Is that justice to
yourself? Can you afford to do that
Mark me, | have no love for you #
the north, or for your army! I shall
Tight 1t to the last drop of my blood.
But we are friends now; we are under
truce and like your face, You are
only boy, but you have the making
of man and soldier in that near,
OF yours. read it in your face.
Good by, Yank? Remember that
Lieut.. Pember Virginian though he
is, tells you to be man and a
soldier!"
The confederate turned upon his
heel and moved quickly away through
the forest. Charles Foster followed
him with his eyes, but made no effort
to recall him. When the lieutenant
had disappeared he leaned against
the tree, pondered deeply for some
minutes, drank heartily from the
creek-then turned his steps away,
back toward the army of the Potomac.
The flash and roar and deadly
tumult of the second days battle at
Gettysburg had died away, and the
two great armies, exhausted and
terribly deCimated, rested, so far as
rest was possible, in preparation for
a renewal of the struggle on the
morrow All over the wide eXpanse
of the field lay the dead, the dying.
and the disabled Hundreds OF
earnest toilers were bearing the suffer
ing to where blood-stained surgeons
worked tirelessly through the night
hours; yet there were vast numbers
for whom there could be no aid. To
the dead it mattered not; theirs was
the rest eternal. TO the living-theirs
1t was to suffer on until their RELIEF
should come.
Where the battle had been most
stubbornly contested, a union soldier
lay prone in the trampIcd grass, moan.
ing slightly now and then. breathing
his life away. Others were lying
near; one whom he might almost
touch; many whose forms were plain
ly discrenible by the faint glow of the
stars. Friends and foes they had
been as they met in the clash OF
battle; but between blue and gray
strewn upon the battlefield there
burned no longer the passions of dead
ly contest.
BY a great effort the wounded
soldier partially raised himself, and
pulled from beneath his body the can
teen which still contained a feS
swallows of water. He drew the
stopper and placed the opening to his
mouth. AS he did so faint voice
reached his ears. 1t came from the
lips of the man lying close beside
him
Il hear the sound of water! Oh,
for the love of heaven, give to a
dying man drop"
1t mattered not that the request
came from one who wore the gray.
Nor did it matter that none of the
fluid had yet passed his own lips.
The canteen was lowered and OK
tended toward the suppliant
Take what you want; theren .,
enough for me-"
"Oh, thank you; thank you. But
cannot drink, for both of my arms are
helpless. My wounds are fatal, but
it is the fortune of war; do not
blame you, nor the man who fired the
shot
Wait a minute, Johnny. You
shan't suffer for drink of water
while have the life to help you. I'm
going fast-I feel it-there!"
BY great effort he had shifted his
position slightly, so that he was able
to press the canteen to his neighbours
lips. The eXertion cost him ex-
cruciating pain, and once or twice a
groan escaped him. But he never
faltered in his purpose The con
tederate raised his head slightly,
drank eagerly for moment; then
sank back with a gasp For a little
time there was silence
Soldier, the voice was growing
very faint,-"let me tell you that
dying. Capt Pember of Virginia
blesses you for your kindness!"
Capt Pember, l know that voice
You were Lieut.. Pember last syringe"
Yes"
And you remember the poor union
soldier with whom you declared a
truce early one morning. and the
soldterly advice you gave him? am
that soldier l needed your advice,
and though l am dying here, with you,
| thann you for teaching me duty
Death is not fearful, If one has done
his duty while living"