Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-09-16

make any difference to me what regi-
ment I went in" Tom answered.
can yo' father was at Gettysburg,
an in tn Yank-th' Nawthun ahmy"
Sam went on; Ibid he kill anybody
that day, wondah"
"I've heard him say It he did," Tom
answered, thoughtlessly.
"Officer or private?" Sam demanded,
in excited tones.
"B'lieve t was an officer, captain"
Tom said, with hesitation; 'he had to
do it, you know, or tn Other'd ha'
killed him." he added, apologetically.
GAS t was, a major shot him tn next
minute an put him out o tn army
for good"
Sans teeth clicked together, and a
chill swept over him. His father had
met death in just such an encounter,
Major Billiard catching him as he fell,
and emptying his pistol at the artil-
leryman that fired the shot. And Tom
was the son Of that man! Forgetful
of all else, with the blood pouring In
furious torrent to his brain, he
sprang to his feet, rifle in hand, and
the weapons muzzle swept down in
line with Toms head. Then he recov-
cred himself, and the rifle went clat-
tering to the ground. He was trem-
bling all over, and his face shone
CHASTITY white in the moonlight.
"My God, I'm glad I didn't do it,"
he quavered, impulsively, holding his
hand toward Tom, but as quickly
Withdrawing it. 81 wouldn't ha' done
it for tn world" he went on, piteous-
ly; "but i can't have anything mo-
tub do with you. I've got tub weah
tn unifohm, reckon, but l can't be
friends with you. can keep my hands
off, but that's ALL"
With quick movements he stopped
and gathered up his rifle and blankets,
and went walking somewhat uncer-
tainly away.
"Well, I'll be-shotv Tom calculated,
staring blankly at his retreatin form
Then he hurried to his feet, and went
running after him. "Why, old man,
it amt one chance in a thousand t
he did it." he cried, offering Sam his
hand; "an' even If he did, it was war
an fair fight. Don't let that come
between us, Sammy; we can't help
what they did"
But Sam would not shake his hand,
would not even answer him. Quicken
ing his pace, he went striding away,
and was lost to Toms sight in the
darkness. Meeting an officer he was
peremptorily ordered to lie down and
go to sleep. He obeyed the one, but
not the other, Injunction; sleep he
could not. All the rest Of the night
he lay with wide Open eyes, listening
to the deep breathing Of his comrades
and the sounds coming occasionally
from the Filipino camp, and thinking,
thinking, thinking. From the present,
his thoughts gradually drifted back to
the past, to the old plantation and his
mother long dead, and to the faces Of
his boyhood friends. Then still farther
back he went, back beyond things of
his own recollection, to his father in
Civil War. And, finally, just as the
first flush Of day was appearing in the
east, he fell asleep to dream a dream
Of charging lines Of men in'gray, bands
playing Dixie" and himself firing
shot after shot at the son of the man
that killed his father.
The bugles Of his regiment sounding
reveille walked him, and a sob Of dis
appointment escaped his lips as his
dream vanished and men In blue in
stead Of gray met his eyes; for few
moments he could hardly convince
ing real, 80 vivid, so pleasing to his
bleeding spirit had it been. But he
was given no time in which to brood
over his disappointment; breakfast
was scarcely eaten when the Filipinos
announced their presence in force by
cover behind a slight embankment,
where they were joined by a sergeant.
"Reckon We'll are goin' tub go up
against it tuh-day, boys" he cried,
throwing himself face downward on
the muddy ground; II heah t tn or
Mans goin' tub send us intuh them
cane-breaks tub roust out tn niggahs,
pooty soon. say, Little SAM" he
ran on in the next breath, 'I'd sholy
hate tub be as big as you; why, baby,
you'll stop two bullets tub my one,
any day" And he pinched slyly at the
ankle Of man lying in front Of him.
But Sam silently drew his foot away.
He was in mo humor for testing; his
heart was heavy with disappointment
and hate; disappointment that his
glorious dream had proved unreal, and
queer hatred that vanished instant
ly whenever for moment his thought
was not concentrated upon it, but a
hatred, nevertheless, that BODIED no
good for the comrade lying almost at
his side. Presently the bugles sound
ed "Attention!' and with bound the
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