The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-09-12


s7sEE long lines Of infantry
swept up through The green val
legs 81 southern Pennsyl ania and
were meariedly marchir 8 northwaEa
10 battlefield somewhere, mo man o.
them could have told where. They
only knew that they were tred and
footsore and hungry, and the rich
green fields they had passed had
brought no comfort.
IA young soldier took on his ragged
cap. wiped the Precipitation from his
face aud looked over at a little cot
tage with its ~eRrirciing vines. It
made him think Of another little cot
tage across the lines, where the vines
had embowered his childhood.
As the head Of the column came OPP
posite the house a girl ran out from
the open doorway to the front OF
the portico. She had a United States
Gag tied around her as an apron and
she stepped upon a chair that the
whole army might see it and waved y
defautly at the approaching troops.
The leader looked around appre-
hensively. Some of his men had come
from the most frightfully devastated
part of the south. How would they
take the suddeE defiant presentation
Of the banner under which that ruin
had been wrought? With q swift,
graceful movement he wheeled his
black battle horse out of line, lifted
his cap, bowed to the waTlike maid
and saluted the flag she bore. He
turned to the advancing men, waved
his hand, and every tattered cap was
lifted and each mar as he passed
saluted the enemy's colOrs. The
leader rode forward to his place and
the long line moved on.
"She is a little fighter" thought
the boy who had waved his cap to
her. Il should like to have her for Q
sister. Only if she were my sister
she would wave but one flag"
He sighed, remembering the lonely
cottage under the m~agnolias.
Gin love again, by Jove," said thu
older soldier who marched beside
him. eli, boysl What GO you think
Shivers is in 1--we with the little
Pennsylvania amazon"
sShivers is always in love" said an
other, Hes the victim of chroni
affection. Do you remember how h
!, fell in love with the guerrilla
daughter and came near h ing shOt
for a spy? Some day Shivers wi
have a fatal attack Of love and GeE
Lee will quit lying awake nights try
Z ing to keep at the head # the arm!
in the light Of Shiyer's increasin
military fame"
.t military fame, indeed" growle
. rugged veteran. GAN the fame JAG
shivers will ever get win be fC
writing verses and singing love song
with guitar accompaniment"
3 All the while they were marchin
u On-they who dreamed of home an
y love, they who protested a loft
acorn for sentimentalit es, and thu
who went silently to the field wher
. on a cause was 70 die.
On the morning Of the third pc,
Jack Shivers was che Of those WI
T. lay behind the low. long hill al
. looked eastward into the space b
"a tween two ranges OF fre-croWn'
ii peaks. A man was crouched dow
beside him with his hand res ing {
his shoulder. Neither spoke, b1
there was a comradeship in the ton,
that told Of a love greater than mt
put into words.
y Beyond the crest they waited
the slow hours went by-Waited t
Z the order came, and they went dow
into the valley of death. What thu
did on that fatal field of Gettysbut
= is inscribed on the page Of histOr
In the beginning of the retire
10 Jack Shivers wa wounded. The owe
IN whelming force of the enemy we
Se closing in from every point.
70 she is dead" thought the man.
~ scarce noticed the shower of ba.
that fell about him o marvel
over the apparent miracle that n
- one of them touched him as he DO
the unconscious boy to a spot
greater security. Under the grove
trees not quite in the line of FIRE
az laid his friend on the smooth gra
is that had been untouched by t
storm Of war. With his untutor
skill he dressed the wound and
looking at the still face and trying
tug with the fingers of hope again
to the weight of despair that filed
"a heart.
he The boy moved restlessly a
opened his eyes.
"Are we dead2"
"No; unfortunately-we are 10.
somely alive. We'd have more CO
= pany Il we were dead"
"Did we win the battle?"
"Oid we win9 Boy, I am too hea
weary and dazed to know anyth.
. but pain, unless it be thankfuln
that you are alive"
"But tell me something = VIII
hat are we and where are the othe
ing O, I see; I am wounded and can't
ma on-but you-you must leave me
you viii be taken prisoner OF kille
"Not much, old man; here. o
your mouth and take a swig of tn
The sun which had risen so brig
Iv upon our hopes went down SO