Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-11
A Game for Life.
TOriginal.l

The prisoners paled at this grim an
nouncement.
1--WE have cards here" said the older
man, Ward. Let us play game of
euchre."
MAKE it rubber" said the Confed-
crate.
Barton" said the younger man,
"this is terrible"
ut is only DEATH" replied the other,
(which we often face in another form"
Barton Ward dealt the cards, and the
game began. The first game he lost
by a point; the second he won by
point; the third he lost badly.
"Are you satisfied with the outcome"
asked the man in gray.
81 am"
Come"
The two Union officers embraced
with emotion. As Barton Ward passed
out of the Jail yard to a file of soldiers
standing in the street his conductor
asked:
why did you give him the first and
last games?"
Because he is idolized by his moth
er, whom 1 revere, and his sister,
whom 1 love. In his death three would
suffer; in mine, but one"
Sergeant" said the Confederate,
"march your men and the prisoner to
headquarters"
When the party arrived the officer
entered the generals tent. The COM
mander was sitting before pine table
with a scowl on his face. Turning he
said grufly:
"Who are you and what do you
want?'
81 am Major Carnes and l wish your
authority to insert the name of Cap
tain Barton Ward on the order for
the shooting of a Federal captain in
retaliation for our Captain Stanbury."
At that moment mounted officer
on n fOaming horse dashed up to the
tent and called:
General, the enemy has possession
OF the gaps"
Orderly" shouted the general, "tell
the chief of staff 1 wish to see him
Immediately" Then to those about
him: I'VE are fianked. We must get
out OF Tullahoma tonight"
1.-The order, general" said the major.
81 cannot obey 1t unless the name of
the officer to be shot is properly filled
in"
The chief of staff hurried into the
tent.
What shall I do. general?' the
major persisted.
Get away from here or will have
you shot in place of the prisoner.
have no time for such matters"
Early the next morning the Union
H~n ri In Il no
to Tullahoma, passing hastily thrown
up defenses, finally came to the main
Notifications, behind which the Con-
federates had expected to defend the
town, and found them deserted. Press
ing on, they came upon the rear guard
of the Confederate army and captured
a body OF men, among them the Union
prisoners who had been in jail at Tul-
lahoma. Major Carnes, who had
charge of them, found the tables
turned. Yesterday be was q jailer;
now he was Il prisoner.
Captain" he said to Burton Ward,
81 congratulate you"
Major" returned Ward, 81 trust
that hereafter when you are ordered
to shoot Union prisoners, you will be
as particular in the drawing of your
order as you have been in this case"
Captain Ward made 1T his especial
business to see that the man who had
50 nearly acted as his eXecutioner
should be treated with every kindness.
Carnes remained a prisoner for some
months, during which time he learned
from Henry Greenway that Captain
Ward was a rejected sutton for the
Of ct,
Carnes said nothing about having no
ticed that Ward had purposely lost the
games which had been played, with
life for the stake, and when he was
exchanged the secret went south with
him undivided.
In the spring of 1865 the war was
ended, and the Union armies marched
home. Barton Ward met Alice Green
way; she relented and consented to be
his wife. The wedding had taken
place, and the bride and groom depart
ed in the usual shower of rice. The
same evening when they were alone
the young wife said to her husband:
Barton, why do you suppose mar
ried you?"
Because you loved me-" said the
groom, starting at the strangeness Of
the question
Il love you truly, but there is a rea-
son why 1 would have married you
even if did not love you
"And that isY'
She handed him a letter:
Petersburg Va, March g. 1865
When Captains Ward and Greenway
played game of euchre with life the
stakes, Ward purposely gave Greenway
the game. When 1 asked him why he did
so, he said, Because he is idolized by
his mother, whom revere, and his sister,
whom 1 love-"
A panied look settled on the hus-
bands face.
"Are you sure that this is not graft
tude rather than lover" he asked.
Il am sure 1t is love, for no woman
could learn Of such a noble act in
man without loving him.
TnIrAy rrTTT1 NM.