The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-01-28
The Last Charge.

Dressed In bis only suit Of navy
blue, Old Weak-Eyed Jones sat un-
comfortably on one Of the backless
benches In front of the speakers stand.
The bost adjutant was reading the post
The boys In blue, scattered
.ither and .hither, bent All attentive
aud held their yellow corded mats
/ O one side to shade their fading eye
sight from the waning sun.
Far away under the trees OF the
park lounged hundreds OF people. FOL
lite attention prevailed among those
hearing distance ; farther away
the hum Of voices ond shouts OF IN
suppressed laughter arose On the air ID
unmistakable volume. This was sac
rilege to the ears Of Weak-Eyed Jones.
To him no event was more solemn
than the present., and 1t seemed me
same dignity aud reverence he ieit
actuate the conduct OF others.
The air was suffocating. Early. In
the day the heated atmosphere had
become saturated with clouds Of chok.
ing dust, which rolled into the city,
behind hundred OF incoming farmers
conveyances. But Weak-Eyed Jones
took 1t all with y generous degree Of
humility and uucomplaining. A
Young couple at his elbow INDUCED
80 busily In conversation he could not
hear the voice Of the adjutant, yet he
bore 1t silently. Even though his
obscure sight, years before made al
most useless by o rebel minnie ball,
which carried away the bridge Of his
nose aud grazed both eyes, was pow
erless to penetrate the dust-heavy dis
tance between him and the speaker,
he was secretly happy.
His deductions were cut short by q
sudden comm0liou ut bis elbow. Peo-
pie were hIrrying from their seats;
the program must be vver. He was
carried along with the rest, toward the
sneakers stand, but he hadent gone
far when he noticed someone trying TO
speak. Above the noise he cOught the
last phrase: "Nvill close with q selec-
ton by the young ladies' qusrtetts."
Then Ii wasn't over yet! There was
10 be one more number! He tried to be
seated, but O buxom country woman
ioisted hard against him, nearly send
ing him off his rheumatic legs.
The quartette commenced to sing,
but their voices were drowned In the
tumulS of confusion.
Presently q drum corps somewhere
out In the street struck up marching
Through Georgix'-the line commence
ed to form. Hurried along with the
throng, Weak-Eyed Jones took up o
marching position with Others Of bis
blue-coated c0mrade The heat was still
more sitting here, - they stood wait
ing for what seemed like hours. Pres
emily. Weak-Eyed began to grow faint.
The morning had found him physical
" indisposed, but never yet having
missed meeting with his soldier COM
rades on the thirtieth Of May, he didn't
propose to to-day. 1t might be the last
Unexpectedly IL would but he'd 60
this once!
The band up the street struck up
1.-THE Star-Spangled Banuer''-he was
conscious Of the column moving. He
had stood still 30 long his legs were al
most stiff and action made him stag
ger but with the use Of his cane he
maintained his balance and managed
to move along. Shouts Of "Hurrah J"
'Hurrahw greeted his ears from every
side, Proudly he lifted his head and
threw his shoulders with unctious mil
itary dignity.
The ovation continued with increas-
ed enthusiasm ~ they passed up the
street. Someone tried to retalIate with
a "Hnrrah for the boys Of 81" but
the voice was lost In the lusty tide OF
cheering for 1.-THE boys OF '9S" Fol.
lowing the squad Of soldiers came q
bicycle brigade, men on horseback,
and, lastly, wagon loads Of flower girls
dressed In white-wagOns for strong,
healthy girls, while decrepit old vet
Grams must 70 afoot.
As the long line rounded . corner
and passed from the boulevard into an
east and west thoroughfare, Weak.
Eyed Jones ,ottered. Bravely he pulled
his remaining strength together and
smbled on, his faltering footsteps un'
able to beat time to the rapid music.
Many OF his comrades, too, had long
since forgotten how to march. And
how few they numbered now-these
veterans! -,
Mount Zion cemetery was q beauti-
ful spot-lifted above woods and sky
lust beyond where the lake nestled
Guietly between two hillsides-the val
lev. with its ribbon Of q ~rivulet, wind
yerdureladen at its woody base,
the azure heavens outlining It's great
white gates, its marble monuments, It's
Towering shrubery, It's trees Of green,
with rare exactness beyond.
Weak-Eyed Jones raised his eyes 70
the bill yet in the distance. He could
zee but the outline OF The haiiowea
spot rising against the lurid sky. Ills
spirit was awed! The heavy march
was telling on his weakened body,
his steps were getting more and more
uncertain. A momentary dizziness
came over him.
.Hark" Suddenly the flies and
drums Hosted to bis ears with q
strapgely familiar sound. It took him
back TO the trout again, back to the
days of '63 Once more he was .
youth-strong, vigorous, In arms
And could this, then, be Thomas, bril-
pade?-and yonder-yOnder hill-Mis-
'sionary Ridge, where, proudly drawn
In hattie array, the Confederate le-
gions awaited them calmly with q
welcome of leaden death?
And whence all this rub-a-dub-dub,
rub-a-dub-dub, that fired the very
blood with 10 the veins? All! Foolish
question! Why ask when there was
Soffels, the drummer boy? Nobody but
Soffels could drum like that Soffeis
was the only oneiwho could make his
drum talk in accents 30 clear ana
true-now gay, gay as the morning
sunlight; now sad-sad az the hour OF
death. as he turned the tide OF battle
into victory or defeat!
MTaka the ride-pits at the base, then