The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-05
The Girl With the Flag.
BY MRS. GENERAL GEORGE & PlckE1T.

BY I
Tho long lines of infantry had swept
up through tho green valleys OF southern
Pennsylvania and were weariedly march
Ing northward TO battlefield somewhere.
no man of them could have told where.
They only krew. that they we're tired
and footsore and hungry, and the rich
no comfort.
A young soldier took off his ragged cap,
wiped the porspiration from his face and
looked over at a little cottage With its
encircling vines. 1t made him think OF
another little cottage across the lines,
where the vines had emoowered his child
AS the head OF the column came. OPP
posite the house n girl ran out IRON IRON
The open doorway to the frent OF . Inc
portico. She had a United States nag
tied around her as an apron, and she
stepped upon chair that tho whole army in
Nigh see 1t and waved 1t deilahtiy at l'ie
The leader looked around apprehen-.
sively Some OF his men had come from
the most frightfully devastatisd par. .,,d d.
den defiant presentation OF the pan tes
under which that ruin had been wrougi,, la
With q swift. graceful move ,,. af I'M ,.e
wheeled his black battle horse out OF me,
lifted his cap. bowed to the warlIke mad
and saluted the flag she bore ne lui III.
ed to the advancing men,, M wy i,et ln5
hand and every tattereG cap was \ lil tSa
and each man as he passed saiuteu .ne
enernvSs coiors. The leader rode forward
to his place and the long line IanSoveu
.sns is a little fighter" thought the
bov who had waved his cap 70 nef.
should like to have her for a sister. oiliS
II she were my sister she wouiu wave ou9
he Sighed. remembering the lonely cot
tace under the magno1as.
Sin love again by Jove,' said the oider
ro,iier Tho marched beside him. III.
bovsi What do you think? Shivers Is in
love with the little Pennsylvania ANA
Eon;s .. ,,r,,s j., ,ovco said an
pther. Hes the victim of chronic az,
lection. DO you remember no" ne l eli
In love with the guerlla's daughter ana
came near being shot for spy some
say Sbivcrs will have a fatal attack OF
love and General Lee VIII qult iElhs
awake nights trying to keep at tho head
OF the army In tho light or ShiNers IN
creasing military fame.
Military fame, indeed!" growlcd a rug
eed veteran. tAl the fame Jack Shivers
will ever get. will be for writing verses
and singing love songs with sultaf az
compartments.
they who dreamed Of homo and love they
who possessed lofty scorn for senti-
,nentalties, and they who went silently to
the field whereon q cause was to die:
on the morning of the third poor Jack
shiyers was one Of those who lay ne EN-, no
into the space between two ranges OF
are-crowned peaks. A man was crouched
down beside him. with his hand resting
was a comradeship in the touch that told
of a love greater than men put Into
words.
Beyond the crest they waited as the
came and they went down into the valley
of death. What they did on that fatal
field of Gettysburg is inscribed on the
IN the hcpinnjnc of the retreat Jack
shivers vas wounded The Overwhelming
force of the. enemy were closing IN
"He is dead thought the man He
scarce noticed the shower Of balls that
fell about him nor ma1veled over the ap-
parent miracle that not ~, one ,r OF s them
boy to a spot of greater security. Under
the grove of trees NOT quite IN the line
Of fire no laid his friend on the smooth
grass that had been untouched by the
storm Of war. With his untutored skill
he dressed the wound and sat looking ut
the still face and trying. to tug. with the
fingers of hope against the weight or des-
pair that filled his heart.
The boy moved restlessly and opened
'Are we dead?'
no; infortunately-we are lonesomely
alive. We'd have more company If We
were dead"
did We VIM Boy, am too heart
weary and dazed to know anything but
pain, unless it be thankfulness that you
are alive.
..But tell me something-where are VIC
and where are the others? Q, see;
nm wounded and can't go on--but you
you must leave nia or you Will be taken
prisoner or killed.
''Not much. old man, here, open your
mouth and take g swig OF this"
The sun. which had risen so brightly
upon our hopes, went down sadly on de-
feat. and darkness closed around the
grove, and still the man sat there, watch
ing over the helpless boy. After long
time he saw the Wilderness of the day
stealing gradually through the leaves,
living in shafts Of light across the green
carpet Of grass. He remembered duly
that It was the Fourth of July. He felt
as IL the world were dead and no one
was left but him to keep the ghostly In
dependence Day that was climbing over
the hills of the east. ;,
Over beyond the western hills the roll
Of tho old division was being called and
pnly a thousand voices made answer. The
Others had responded to the last roll call.
Thus the dawn fof Independence Day
rloomed. over theA1efeated army in 1858
Jim went to the edge of the woods
and looked up and down the white sand
road he heard the crunch OF wheels
and presently a man whistling. Inc sound
seemed to bring him out of his isola-
ton. He was still in world where men