The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-10-20

Judgement Seat of GOD, no man can force
him to keep silent"
But with whom should l have tt
speak?" asked the dying dragon, bit
terly. my tongue is as grown up and
stricken. Weeks and weeks passed
without me saying word! Nobody has
at any time asked me about anything!
Only my ear had to keep at the ready
lest did not hear the orders. Advance
march, were we ordered; march
through marsh and snow. There was
nothing to reply!"
Rabenius knelt, and gently took his
hands in his.
But now will We speak, Bengt Getting:
Speak. speak. since all now gather to
hear you. OF us all you have now the
right to speak freely. Have We a wife,
peradventure, an old mother at home,
whom We would that I will greet for
thee?"
MY mother starved me and forced me
into the troops, and never since then
has woman had any words to say to
me than: Get out of the way, Bengt
Getting; get out. get out! What do We
want with us?"
"Then have We nothing at all to be
sorry for"
81 am sorry that as a child did not
spring into the mill stream, and that
when We stood before the regiment and
exhorted us to go on again in patience.
| did not step forward and fell we with
the musket"
Nay. will you have what troubles
me? Have We never heard the bag
gagers and outposts say how in the
moonlight they have seen their dead
comrades hobbling back in throngs
to the troops, and heard them cry:
Greet my mother for me- they call them
the Black Battalion. In the Black Bat
talon will now walk. But the worst is
that l will be buried in my miserable
rags and bloody shirt. 1t is that which
troubles me. A common dragon does
not wish to be buried like to the good
Gen. Liewen; but think on the CON-
rades killed at Dorfsnicki, for each one
of them the king ordered to be given out
two boards for a coffin and one clean
ter off than me? In this troubled time,
where a man falls he lies. And am
sunk so deep in Indebtedness that the
one thing in the world which envy all
others, is each his clean. white shroud!"
MY poor friend" answered Rabenius
tenderly, lin the Black Battalion, if We
believe truly thereon, We are in right
great company. Gyldenstolpe and Sper-
ling and Col. Morner already lie dead on
the field. And recall the thousands of
others! Recall the friendly Col. Wat
trang, who came riding up to our regi-
ment. and gave every man an apple; he
is lying with the guardsmen and all the
comrades, under the high road at Holof-
Yin. And have ye in mind my prede-
cessor, Nicklas Uppendich. powerful
preacher of the Word? He fell in his
vestments, before Kalison. Over his
grave the grass has grown, and the snow
swept, and no man can indeed show the
place wherein he sleeps"
Rabenius bent lower over the dying
man, and smoothed his hands and fore
head
'In ten or Is minutes at the most, you
will have died. Maybe it is, in these few
minutes you make up for what We have
neglected to do in the past three years.
If We turn them to good account No
more are We one of us! Do you not see
your pastor on his knee beside you, with
barred head? Speak, and tell me thy last
wish. nay, command one. Think of
one. BY reason of you the regiment Is
in disorder, while others storm forward
or by now are up the scaling ladders;
fear have We put into the young men
your death wound and agony
none but you can make amend. They are
listening to you, Bengt Getting! Only
you have the power to stir them to ad-
vance. Bethink yourself. Your last
words will long resound. In coming
years they will be repeated at home, be-
fore those sitting and roasting their
pears, behind the stove"
Bengt Getting lay still, and over his
eyes came shadow of conjecture. Then
he slowly lifted his hands as if in sup
plication, and whispered:
Lord help me to bring about this!"
He made sign that now he could only
whisper, and Rabenius laid his face close
to his in order to hear his words.
Afterwards the pastor beckoned to
the soldiers, but his voice trembled so
that he could hardly make himself
heard.
Nov has Bengt Getting spoken" said
he. ct is his last wish that you take
him between you on your muskets, and
carry him to his old place in the ranks,
where he was obstinately silent day after
day. year after year."
The drums were now beat, and the ad-
vance began. and Bengt Getting. lean
ing against the shoulders of his COM
rades. was borne step by step over the
field EDWARDS towards the enemy. Then
the whole regiment followed him; and
behind him walked Rabenius with I'M
covered head, and mark ed not that he al
ready was dead.
Il will see to it" he whispered. chat
thou gettest clean white shroud. Thou
knowest, the king does not consider
himself more, than the lowest soldier,