The Van Buren press., 1903-08-22
TheGir1 With
the Flag
Bv MRS. GEN. GEORGE Z. PICKETT
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Copyright, 1905. by Daily Story Pub Coz

were weariedly march 6 northwaru
to battlefield somewhere, no man Of
them could have told where. They
only knew that they we:e tired anu
footsore and hungry, ard the rich
green fields they had passed had
brought no comfort.
A young soldier took of his ragged
cap, wiped the perspiration from his
face and looked over at little COZ
tage with its encircling yines. IL
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 op-
posite the house a girl ran out from
the open doorway to the front OF
the portico. She had United states
flag tied around her as an apron ana
she stepped upon chair that the
whole army might see it and waved II
defantly at the approaching troops
The leader looked around appre-
hensiyely. Some Of his men had come
from the most frightfully devastated
part of the south. How would they
take the sudden defiant presentation
of the banner under which that ruin
had been wrought? With swift,
graceful movement he wheeled his
| black battle horse out of line, lifted
his cap, bowed to the wailike maid
and saluted the flag size bore. lie
turned to the advancing men, waved
his hand, and every tattered cap was
lifted ard each man us he passed
saluted the eremy's co.ors. The
leader rode forward to his place and
the long line moved on.
"She is little fighter thought
the boy who had waved his cap to
her. Il should like to have her for a
sister. Only if she were my sister
she would wave but one flag
He sighed, remembering the lonely
cottage under the magnolas.
"In love again, by Joye,' said the
older soldier who marched beside
him. iii, boys! What o you think!
| ShIYerS l. IN love with lle HllIt
pennsylvan amazon"
"Shiyers is al Anys in love- said an
other. Hes the victim of chronic
affection. Do you rememb T how he
fell in love with tie guerrilla s
daughter and came near J. ing shot
for spy? Some day Shivers will
have a fatal alta k OF love and Gen
Lee will quit lying awake nights try.
ing 10 keep at the II ad the army
in the light of Shiyer's increasing
military fame"
mi tary fame, indeed" growled
rugged veteran. "All the fame Jacl,
ShiverS will ever get will be for
writing verses and singing love songs
with guitar accompanments."
All the while they we marching
on-they who dreamed Il home and
love. they who pr1fts.,d lofty
scorn for sentiT eutalit es, ard they
who went silently TO the field where
on cause was to die.
On the morning cf the third poor
Jack S!ivors was en- # tl,se who
lay behind tie loN. long hill and
looked eastward into Tie spa be.
tween two r.nges o, fir crowned
peaks. \ man was or VIC ed down
beside him with his Lad res ng on
his shoulder. Neither sIoks, but
there was a comradeship in the touch
that told of love great than men
put into words.
Beyond the crest they waited as
the slow hours went by-v aitcd til
the order came, and they went down
into the va ley of death What they
did on that fatal field OF Gettysburg
is inscribed cn the page Of history
In the beginning Of the retreat
Jack Shiyers was wounded, The over,
whelming force Of the enemy were
closing IN from every point,
"le II dead" thought the man. lie
that fell about him nor marvclcd
over the apparent miracle that not
one Of them touched him AZ he bore
the unconscious boy 20 spot of
greater security, Under the grove oi
trees not quite In the line Of fire he
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 NJ the still face and trying to
tug with the fingers Of hope og0ins,
the weight Of despair that filled his
heart,
The boy moved rcstlessly and
opened his eyes.
"Are we dcHd?"
"No; unfOrtunatcly=we are lone
somely alive, We'd have more com.
pany II wc were dead"
"Did wc win the battlc2"
"Did we VIM Boy, am too heart.
weary and da2cd TO know anything
but pOn unless II bc thankfulncss
that you are alive"
"But tell me- something ..- where
nrr we and where are the others
q, sees ! am wounded and can't 20
on=but you you must leave mo or
You viii be taken prisoner or killed"
mot much, old man here, open
your mouth aud take n swig of this"
The pun which had risen No bright.
ly upon our hopes went down sndly
ON defeat, and darkness closed
around the grove, and still the man
rat there, Watching over the hclplps,
boy After u long time he ,aw the
whIlcncss Of the day stealing grudu.
nly through the leaves lying In
shafts ~ light Ncross the green car.
pet ~ grNsN IT. remembered duly