The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1904-09-01
The Promotion Of Private Jones.

When they mastered Private Jones,
Y, out OF the service he vas covere,
with glory ard fcaIs. Otherwise he hat
little to show for Lia experiences SO a sol
dier.
He had blisterod at Dui ban, his teeth hat
chartered In the rain which swamped TIN
Veldt, ard when he and bis fellows, with {
ringing cheer, drove the enemy away from
the blochhouse bullet whose billet wal
"Jones, /. W had found It's destination
aud the young volunteer lay many parched
hours under pitlless sky before the street
cher-bearers found him where he fell.
When they did pick him up most Of Pri-
vate Jones' life had o,zd through hole
ia his right breast, and 1t seemed hardly
worth while to carry what remaired OF 1t
to the big tent which served as field hos-
pital.
But out Of sense Of duty they bore him
10 perfunctorily, for at each new step the
stretcher men suspected they were Juggling
ia dead 'un." As for Jones, his pleasure
had not been consulted. He had said just
one word when they found him water"
and after that be tainted quietly and gent
ly, ard lay quite still and white.
Now the leak In Private Jones side had
moistened much soil with rich blood, and
bad very nearly done for poor Private
Jones, but the whole pharmscopela holds
no remedy for gunshot wounds quite equal
to youth, and when 1t comes to doctors
the best In all the profession 10 Doctor
Hope.
These two pulled Jones around. After
some burning weeks they bundled him
roughly aboard an overcrowded transport,
on which he got precious little that was At
for an invalid to eat, and put him ashore
at Southampton.
Only the constitution of a draught horse
could have survived this double inniction,
but Jones shut bis teeth tight and stood it
as best he could. He seemed even to pick
up a bit.
The truth Ia that the hope which had
drawn lis bow across the thrilled strings Of
his eager heart was the hope that in the
dear home land Private Jones would see
Mary Farrell.
He thought Of her soft voice and the
balm bearing touch Of her dear ips-if
only these could be his to know once more,
jast once, why the he could die happy. IL
wouldn't matter so mueh--at least, not to
bin.
How Mary would feel about 1t he never
paused to think. The fever had him most
OF the time, you know, ald fevers and
calm thinking are not close bedfelows
The big minute hand Of the big clock In
the hospital dragged slowly around Its Ro-
man dial msny weary times before Private
Jones parted company with delirlum and |
pain. Perhaps this battle against odds
might have been sooner won had not youth
fought alone.
Hope became deserter early In the &C.
tion, for Mary did rot come. When In his
sane moments Private Jones realiz her
aegl Ct bis heart grew bitter within his
Dofom ard rosy lif} looked gray as ashes.
He obeyed his ruries sullenly, and once
bis feeble hands tore cff the bsndages Of his
wound. After that they watched him close-
y, which was quite foolish, for when one
ioesn't care to i've 1t 10 well to let him die.
I'he bees ard the auts and humble savage
people understand these things much better
han We.
However, ore surstiny day he changed
,is mind and determined to get well for
Ipite. He would grow strong; he would
rise and walk. The fsibless fair one be
would hsun. aud he would fiunt bis ur-
concern Iu her chsgrin,d ffcs There
we're other aiils--ard he was hero, WAS
le nols
There csme morning II September when
Tones, /. Y, was bade 10 20 and return DO
more. 10 addition to 4 Heaven bless yous
hey gave him sn honorable discharge, bis
are to the distant village, which bad teen
ia home, and certain few ard stiGgy soyer.
.igps. which didl'E fagttgae penny
rop for the blood he had shed
lie vas pale AID not too strorg, 40 that
stout stick stood him 10 high stead, but
he brIllian, sky a. d lhe glorious salted sir
gooed him, and be sid good bye TO bis cot
nd Lls eomfa aies bis doctor ard his nrrses,
Without psrg, albeit one q the lat,sr
ropped An unseen tear bshlrd furtiye
pron after yCurg Pfiya.e Jones hsd pres,-
a her hand ID parting.
50 Jones went home. At any rate be
allied 1t home. /. was where he bad lived
. boy and young man, where be had I
.ope 70 school ard lesrned bis trade, where
ia only kindred slep. well In The little
,rtveynd beyond the ehes.nu. grove 10