Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1903-10-02


Wouldn't have enlisted" Sam blurt-
ed out. no longer sble to contain his
| trouble.
Wouldn't have enlisted? Tom ejac-
ulated, why. what In thunders tn
matter with you? Gettin cold feet?
Nav, l won't believe that But what
is it?"
No, It's not cold feet" Sam said:
WELL l oughtn't tub be wearin
tn unlform-that's all
Why oughtn't your" Tom returned
ia surprise.
"Beeause-ean you understand be
cause my father was killed at Gettys-
burg by man wearin' tn blue. an
an feel like it's stranglin me all tn
time" poured brokenly from Sans
lips
Tom threw back his blanket and sat
up in amazement. why. old man,
didn't know anybody could feel that
way about it--an American. l mean"
he said, gently; but then, my dad
wore tn blue in that little scrlmmage."
What's thatT" Sam asked. sharply;
"ain't you Tennesseean2 What you
doin' in Tennessee regiment, then?"
"Oh. l just happened to be down
South when tn call came, an 1t didn't
make any difference to me what regi-
ment went in," Tom answered
An yo' father was at Gettysburg,
an In til Yank-th' Nawthun ahmy"
Co In aHts
that day, / wondah2'
1--WE heard him say I he did" Tom
answered, thoughtlessly.
"Ofticer or privateT" Sam demanded,
in excited tones.
"B'lleye t was an officer, a captain"
Tom said. with hesitation; "he had to
do it, you know, or tn other'd ha'
killed him." he added. apologetically.
'.As { was, major shot him tn next
minute an put him out O. tn army
for good"
Sans teeth clicked together, and
chill swept over him. His father had
met death in just such an encounter,
Major Bullard catching him as he fell,
and emptying his pistol at the artl-
leryman that fired the shot. And Tom
was the son of that mani Forgetful
of all else, with the blood pouring in
Il furious torrent to his brain, he
sprang to his feet, rife In hand, and
the weapons muzzle swept down In
line with Toms head. Then he recov-
cred himself. and the rifle went clat-
tering to the ground. He was trem-
bling all over, and his face shone
ghastly white In the moonlight.
MY God. I'm glad | didn't do It,"
he quayered, impulsively, holding his
hand toward Tom. but as quickly
Withdrawing it. 81 wouldn't ha' done
1t for tn world" he went on, plteous-
ly; but l can't have anything mo-
tub do with you. I've got tub weah
tn unifohm, | reckon, but | can't be
friends with you. l can keep my hands
off, but that's all"
With quick movements he stopped
and gathered up his rifle and blankets,
and went walking somewhat uncer-
tainly away.
well, III be-shot" Tom ejacula ted,
staring blankly at his retrea ting form.
Then he hurried to his feet, and went
running after him. "Why, old man.
1t amt one chance in a thousand t
he did It," he cried. offering Sam his
hand; AN even II he did, 1t was war
an fair fight Don't let that come
between us, Sammy; we can't help
what they did,
But Sam would not shake his hand,
would not even answer him. Quicken
ing his pace, he went striding away,
and was lost to Toms sight In the
darkness. Meeting an officer he was
peremptorily ordered TO lie down and
go to sleep. He obeyed the one, but
not the other, inJunction; sleep he
could not. All the rest of the night
he lay with wide open eyes, listening
TO the deep breathing of his comrades
and the sounds coming occasionally
from the Filipino camp, and thinking,
thinking, thinking. From the present.
his thoughts gradually drfted back TO
the past. to the old plantation and his
mother long dead, and to the faces of
his boyhood friends. Then still farther
back he went. back beyond things of
his own recollection, to his father In
the flesh and the fierce battles Of the
Civil War. And, finally, Just as the
first flush of day was appearing in the
east, he fell asleep to dream dream
of charging lines of men in gray, bands
playing "Dlxie," and himself firing
shot after shot at the son OF the man
that killed his father.
The bugles Of his regiment sounding
revellle walked him, and sob OF dis
appointment escaped his lips as his
dream vanished and men In blue In
stead Of gray met his eyes; for a few
moments he could hardly convince
himself that 1t was q dream. So seem
ing real, so vivid, so pleasing TO his
bleeding spirit had 1t been. But he
was given no time In which to brood
over his disappointment; breakfast