The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-05
PROMOTION OF PRIVATE JONES

ed the Veldt, and when he and his fel
lows with a ringing cheer drove thu
enemy away from the blockhouse
bullet whose billet was Jones, L Y
had found its destination, and tn,
young volunteer lay many parchec
hours under a pitiless sky before tbs
Observation-Disclosures found him where he
fell
When they did pick him up most OF
Private Jones life had oozed through
hole in his right breast, and it seem
ed hardly worth while to carry wha;
remained of it to the big tent which
served as a field hospital.
But out of a sense of duty they bore
him in, perfunctorily, for at each new
step the stretcher men suspected they
were Juggling "a dead 'un-" AS for
Jones. mis- pleasure had not been con-
suited. He had said just one word
when they found water''-and af-
ter that he tainted quietly and gently.
and lay quite still and white.
Now the leak in Private Jones' side
had moistened much soil with rich
rich blood, and had very nearly done
for poor Private Jones, but the whole
pnarmacopeia holds no remedy for gun
shot wounds quite equal to youth, ana
when it comes to doctors the best in all
the profession is Doctor Hope.
These two pulled Jones around After
some burning weeks they bundled him
roughly aboard an overerowded trans
port, on which he got precious little
that was fit for an invalid to eat, and
put him ashore at Southampton
Only the constitution of a draught
horse could have survived this double
infection. but Jones shut his teeth
tight and stood it as best he could He
seemed even to pick up a. bit.
The truth is that the hope which had
drown its bow across the thrilled
strings of his eager heart was the hope
that in the dear &ome land Private
Jones would see Mary Farrell.
He thought of her soft voice and the
balm bearing touch of her dear lips-if
only these could be his to know once
frHzf 1N- ff1nr1 he n .
happy. 1t wouldn't matter so much-at
least, not to him.
How Mary would feel about it he
never paused to think. The fever had
him most of the time, you know. and
fevers and calm thinking are not close
bed fellows.
The big minute hand of the big clock
in the hospital dragged slowly aroun1-
its Roman dial many weary times be-
fore Private Jones parted company with
delirium and pain. Perhaps this battle |
against odds might have been sooner |
won had not youth fought alone
Hope became a deserter early in the |
action, for Mary did not come When |
in his sane moments Private Jones re- |
allied her neglect his heart grew bitter |
within his bosom and rosy life looked
gray as ashes.
He obeyed his nurses sullenly, and
once his feeble hands tore off the BAN
dages of his wound. After that they
watched him closely, which was quite
foolish. for when one doesn't care to
i've II Is well 10 let MIN Ql6- Inc DSeS
and the ants and humble savage people
understand these things much better
than we.
However. one sunshiny day he chang
ed his mind, and determined to get we'll
for spite. He would grow strong; he
would arise and walk The faithless fair
one he would hunt and he would f1aunt
his unconcern in her chagrined face.
There were other girls-and he was a
hero, was he not?
There came morning in September
when Jones, l. Y, was babe to go and
return no more. In addition to a |
Heaven bless you they gave him an
honorable discharge. his fare to the
distant village. which had been his
home, and certain few and stingy SOW
ereignS which didn't aggregate penny
a drop for the blood he had shed.
He was pale and not too strong, so
that a stout stick stood him in high
stead but the brilliant sky and the
glorious sailed air wooed him, and he
said good-by to mis-. cot and his COM
rades. his doctor and his nurses, with
out a pang, albeit one of the latter
dropped an unseen tear behind a fur
live apron after young Private Jones
had pressed her hand in parting.
So Jones went home. At any rate
ne called it home. 1t was where he had
lived as a boy and young man, where
ne had gone to school and learned his :
-rade. where his only kindred slept |
we'll in the little graveyard beyond the /
chestnut grove in the lap of the hill | {
There Mary lived, too. He drew a |
ong breath as he thought of Mary !
Queer. wasn't it? Not Mary alone, but
III mis- old friends had failed even to $
write to him while he lay so long in /
hospital. No one had cared.
Not even Milford. the farmer. for S
whom he had worked ever since he
Gould bride a horse
Not even Pete Kellar, the friend of
lis bosom, the only fellow in all Glen
haven who participated in the secret
hat pretty Mary Farrell had promised {
II 81 r-f1rr lob Trr7a xrrI7o ffaf
after came home from the war.
Well. he would soon know what it all
meant. Then he could determine what
o do If Mary had married or was
lever should she see the wound she
iad left upon his heart @
He would be the gayest Of the gay q
he most care-free daredevil who ever :
anne home from smelling gunpowder
md tasting of lead
A. the village hero he might even
10 better than Mary. There were
';her fish in the sea. Well 10, not .
ciousness he would hardly admit this {
SANDER, whatever proud tossing of
he head he might wear upon his n
lceve-
There was only one Mary. after ALL =.
he could whip the fellow who would n
enture to hold different view.
Even the crawling train which car >,
led Private Jones over the last part -
Z his journey did not stop at the fl
ilenhaven station. except upon signal, W
T to let off passengers.
Therefore, when the putting loco -.
motive stopped on this shining morn %
1g the station master came to his IN
DOR in curiosity. shading his eyes with =.
is hand n;
When he saw Private Jones. L Y. OF
sebly descend the steps and set his
eet toward him the station master "
urned pale. Then he shouted. and OF
18th q bound reached the home-com- W W