The Forrest City times., 1904-07-15
He was Killed in battle 7s

' lie IVES sDUl ul OTGeT ol HIS COmHaDQ- ] ing officer. but knov he was never l guilty of any wrong" | She looked up at him with eyes shin- ing with tears.
 T am sure of that" she said. He turned insis;snt eyes toward her and his voice was low and tense with feeling.
 You know why I tell you this?"
 Yes. she knew. IL was like that frank honor that looked out from his eyes 10 tell her whatever there might be in his history that would seem clouded.
 The camp was attacked immediate iy after and it was all the living could do 10 save themselves The dead were left to bury their dead"
 They stood for long time in silence with their eyes fixed on the marble shaft that bore the name great before the world. But they did not see the monument or the name They only saw lonely grave somewhere with no shaft To mark it's place and no name to show whose loved one had been glorifed with the chrism of death
 Alone in her room that afternoon Elsie remembered what day il was for her
 My birthday" she said Il am 20 and the war has been over 20 years. To-day l was to know the story of the unnamed grave"
 She opened her trunk and took from IL silver easket, which she unlocked with s6ld key. In it was a folded manuscript that she held a moment reyerently in her hands Her mothers hands were the last to touch it, and when she put 1t away in the casket to be read on that twentieth birthday. At last she opened it and read:
 When my child is 20 1 want her to know the sad story of Alan Goldwin. am writing il down that she may read il for herself should l not be here 10 tell it.
 T suppose a girl never knows why she prefers one man to another; that IS. If she really loves him. Almost anyone might say that Alan was finer than Will Melwood and better adapted 10 win the admiration and confidence Of girl. But admiration and eonfi- dence, important as tLey are, are not l exactly love. Alan remained my l friend, but soon after my marriage he "snt south and few years later l heard that he was married
 When the war began our people were about equally divided in senti- ment between north and south. Will Joined the union army In skirmsh one day he was taken prisoner and confined in tent to await transporta- ton 10 Libby prison next day. As night fell a sense of loneliness envel- oped him in darkness. He had ex- ] peeted 10 be killed in battle and was prepared to die for his flag as is a sol l Giers duty. A dash on 10 the field, a hand-to-hand struggle a deadly ball or a thrust of sword. sudden dark ness-that was soldiers death.
 Through an opening in the tent he looked out into the moonlit night. Against the whiteness he could see a dark form passing to and fro in front of his tent In his isolation there was companionship even in the measured tread and dark shadow of the sentinel whose duty 1t was to see that he did not escape from his prison.
 Suddenly the door opened and the sentinel stood before the prisoner, who turned toward him. wondering why he had come. Was he to start tonight on that long journey to the tomb?
 Will Melwood. don't you know mer
 Alan Goldwin,'
 For moment they stood silent with clasped hands Then Alan unwrapped parcel he carried under his arm and displayed ragged. diseolored suit of brown clothes
 What are you going to do with me-
 am going 10 save you for-her .
 He led Win from the tent to lit- tie pathway through olump of trees
 Go down this way and you are safe
 But you-what will haSpen 10 your
 Nothing Remember only that you are going to her ne turned Dack and Will went down the path and was picked up the next morning by a detachment of his own regiment and taken by a circuit 1 ous route unknown To him back to the camp from which he had escaped 1 The confederateS outnumhered, re- treated. leaving a dead man lying near ] the tent where Will had been confined 1 the night before. Bending over him Win recognized the face of Alan Gold win.
 We have killed niy best friend,' No. you nebber, said a negro, who come up from the little belt of trees. evidently camp follower of neutral | sentiments I wuz hyeah wen he wuz shut by his own kunnel's order 'kaze he helped pris'ner ter 'seape'
 Will got permission to send his dead friend to his old home and on his grave the most beautiful lilies and roses from our garden have spent their 1 sweetness on the anniversary of his