The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-10-15

last the fire from the grove ceased al
together. The general continued be
side Birney, directing the operations in
person, and now ordered him to take
bis battery through an open gate along
a carriage way past large dwelling
with colonial pillars in its front and
place them on the crest Of slope,
looking toward the valley, where the
Federals We're IN evidence. As soon
as this was done the commander turns
ed to Birney and said sharply.
go to the rear under arrest"
General replied the young officer.
sheathing his sword. Il crave your
permission to first 90 into the house
yonder
what forgT
'eTo see If the inmates are alive.
"The inmates? What are they to
youY
THE world There was born There
less than a year ago was married. II
is not a week since received word
from my wife that she had in that
very house just been delivered Of a
son. General, for Gods sake let me go
in and see If have killed my wife and
child
The general stared al the young cap
tain for moment, then threw himself
from his horse, and the two hurried
into the house. They found desolation
There was neither sound Of footsteps
nor voice But bark The cry Of an in
FAINT With a common impulse they
started forward, Birney leading the
way to a door, through which they
passed to the cellar.
On a wicker lounge lay a Young wo-
man. her face white as ashes, her eyes
closed. Standing beside her was Il
white haired man holding tumbler.
while kneeiing an elderly lady famed
the Invalid or the dead. none knew
which. At the head Of the couch stood
a negro nanny rocking in her arms a
baby and soothing It with soft words
In fury Of tears the young husband
and father, pointing to the livid wom-
an, exclaimed
This. general, is what has induced
you TO brand me as a coward You
have forced me to fire on my wife. who
but a few days ago had endured the
pains of childbirth on an innocent
babe You have ordered me to the rear
under arrest Here is my sword; take
1t. / have no further use for it. / viii
never draw It again. / wish to God
had dlsobeyed your order and you had
cloyen my skull
The general seized the young mans
hand and whispered hoarsely;
boy, it wasn't l. 1t was war grim,
murderous. horrible war war not for
Christians. for tends; not for fair
world. for hell
At the moment there was cry from
the babe The mother heard Il and
opened her eyes. There came light
ing up Of the white face as she recog-
nizad her husband Then the lids fell
again.
A heavy tread was heard on the loor
above, and voice asked for the geNer.
AL An officers face appeared at the
head Of the stairway.
General he said, the Second brl
gade is being cut to pieces, They need
re-enforcements.
"Neyer mind the Second brigade
They are men Ride, quick, ana bring
a surgeon-for woman"
The general turned to the group
Birney was kneeling beside his wife
begging her to open her eyes again
live for his sake She raised her lids
languidly and tried to put her arms
around his neck, but they would have
fallen limp had he not clasped them
for her The old lady took the babe
from its nurse aud placed It with its
father ana mother, The old soldier
stood BY with bowed head, yainiy eli.
deayorlug TO keep the moisture from
his eyes.
Then he turned to attend to sterner
duties
The next morning the southern
forces Withdrew from the field anu
moved southwark The young wife
and mother was SO far recovered that
Birney, though permitted by the gen
eral 70 remain with her. stuck by his
command
The general could never be brought
to look complacently upon his having
ordered a husband and father to fire
on his wife and newborn babe lie
wished to make reparation and at the
same time refrain from laying bare So
delicate a situation His deliberations
resulted IN publishing the following
order
The gallant conduct OF Lieutenant Clar-
&nce Birney FL driving the enemy from
the Birney homestead. he having to face |
q reinforcement. requiring courage Of |
the highest order afforded an example /
OF perfect soldiership never before Wit |
messed BY the commanding general
Meanwhile the reinforcement was
not troubling himself about the gen
erals order He slept fifteen hours
day and when awake was principally /
interested IN pulling on a bottle.
f. Al mitchell