Evening journal., 1903-01-15
!HE MAN Who
xsss TALKED OF DEATH
rpser-r----
| Wa

a solemn subject.
Gentlemen" he said, rising and
coming toward us. "how different
would be your condslct should l an
nounce to you that before the clock
strikes 12 tonight oneiof your number
would pass to another 'existence."
Had he really announced the fact
the effect could scarcely have been
greater. A cold chill Ipassed over ev-
cry one Of US.
LET me tell you ofian. incident" the
stranger continued, seating himself,
that happened just before the battle
of Buena Vista. We were expecting to
meet the enemy
"Were you there?" interrupted one
of our party.
''Was l thereY' The stranger laugh
ed, low, singular laugh, unlike any
had ever heard before, a laugh that
had l given way to my feelings would
have set my teeth to chattering. "Yes;
was on hand" he went on. 81 was
standing near a party of young officers
who were talking upon the very sub
ject you have been discussing. They
were all boys, nothing but boys. to
whom death looked farther off than
the starry armament. They were
Lieutenant Brice of the cavalry, Pierce
of the artillery and Skldmore Of the
staff. They were making a pool to be
| divided between the survivors or sur
viVor after the battle The fools didn't
believe any of them would be killed.
Were there not old generals and colo
nels in the service who had fought
battles unscathed? They forgot the
many who had fallen; they forgot that
under the doctrine of probabilities one
or more of them would be killed OF at
least wounded; they forgot that Death
Is on every battlefield and does not like
to be laughed at.
"a shot, followed by volley, a roar,
shouts, opened the fight. The three Of
| fcers dashed away to their respective
posts. In ten minutes Pierce, who was
in command Of a couple of field guns,
was shot In the breast. l was stand
Ing by him at the time. The bullet
him round. The last image be saw
wns-myself.
"An order was sent to the cavalry TO
charge. Seeing them making ready,
Joined them and rode directly behind
Brice. We were met by a terrific fire
of what in those days they called
grape and canister but we rode on
right over them, our sabers glistening
in the air and coming down on the
skulls of such Mexicans as were not
trampled under our horses feet. tell
you 1t was splendid.
II was following Brice and, seeing
him wayer under a bayonet thrust,
rode up behind him and called to him.
He turned his head. and at that mo-
ment a Mexican officer ran him
through the heart with his sword.
Here were two of these young gam
blers with death who were already
worsted. The third, Skidmore, re-
celved an order to ride from left to
right of the line of battle to carry an
order. Disdaining to go behind, he
went between the opposing forces. 1t
was q hot fire he was riding through,
but lie seemed to care little for it. Men
had gone through Just such dangers be-
fore, and so would he. His horse, wild
ly frightened, was plunging, and, STUN
bling, 1t fell. Skidmore was thrown,
but, rising, pulled the horse TO its feet
by the bride reins, mounted and was
about to ride on when l touched him
on the shoulder. A cannon ball shrek
ed by and took him with it, mutilated
| mass Well l laughed"
"Laughedw exclaimed every horror
stricken man.
Eyes. gentlemen. Why not? Had not
these foolish fellows laughed at Deathi
Had they not sported with the all pow
erful specter, and that on the very
verge OF one Of his carnivalsT
There was something so terrible In
the speakers wrath that every one OF
us-every one except Baxter, the old
. man of our party-shrank back.
"Who is this Death" said Baxter
contemptuously, "of whom we must al
speak so gingerly? The very certainty
of his coming takes away from our ter
ror Of him. and if we do fear him we
surely do not respect him. He comes
p into families and separates husband
= and wife parents and children. If h'
does not come early, he will surely
come late, when we have exhausted
ifes pleasures. comforts, attachments
hopes. Then we must live on waiting
for him. A fig FOR your Death, sayw
The stranger. who had been so Zip
pant, suddenly quieted. He cast lool
at Baxter VINO returned his glance
calmly, and. rising from his seat said
4 Pardon me, gentlemen. for interrupt
= ing your amusement. Death loves t
get his clutches on those who fear him
When he seizes upon such as you,
p looking at Baxter, lit is like hunts
man shooting a stag in its sleep"
y The old man who had met his matel
5 in an old man turned and strobe out 0
the restaurant. While his going wa
a relief, il was not possible for us soo
= to recover from the influence he ha'
a. exerted over us We sat for some time
each silently meditating on the strang