Evening journal., 1905-04-20

cursed and began letting go. The men
near me were pausing on the brink Of
awful rOut. In a moment they were
of, pellmell, like flock Of sheep. The
earth shook under them. Officers rode
around them, cursing, gesticulating,
threatening but nothing could stop
them. Half a dozen trees had stood in
the center Of the rioting mass. Now
few men clung to them-a remnant of
the monster that had torn away.
But the greater host was now coming.
The thunder Of its md2y feet was near
me- a cloud Of dust hung over it. A
squadron Of cavalry came rushing by
and broke into the fleeing mass. Heavy
horses, cut free from artillery. came gal
looping. after them, straps dying over
foamy nanks. Two riders clung TO the
back Of each, lashing with whip and
rein. The ruck Of wagons came after
thens wheels rattling. horses running,
voices shrilling i'm a wild hOOt Of terror.
lt makes me tremble even now, as 1
think OF It, though il is mu6led under
the cover Of nearly forty years. / saw
they would go over me- Keeling as if
drunk, l ran TO save myself.
Zigzagging over the field. ! came upon
gray bearded soldier lying in tho
grass and fei headlong. l struggled
madly, but could not rise 10 my feet.
l lay, my face upon the ground, weep
ing Ike a woman. Save / be lost IN
hell, / shall never know again the bitter
pang Of that moment / thought OF
my country. I saw its splendid capital
in ruins. its people surrendered to
Gods enemies.
The rout Of wagons had gone by.
could now hear the heavy tramp Of
thousands passing me. the shrill voices
Of terror. ] worked 70 q sitting posture
somehow. The effort nearly smothered
me. A mass Of cavalry was bearing
down upon me. They were coming 50
thick ! saw they would trample me
into jelly, ] took my bat and covered
my face quickly and then uncovered it
as they came r8ar. They sheeFed away
as / felt the foam OF their Rosuls
bad split them as q rock may spllt the
torrent The last Of them went over
me, their tails whipping my face.
u shall not soon forget the look OF
their bellies or the smell of their
hanks. They had no sooner passed
IAN / fell back and rolled half over
Ike a log ] could feel a warm fow Of
blood trickling down my left arm. A
shell shot at the retreating army pass
ed high above me, whining as it flew.
Then my mind went free of its trouble
The rain brought me TO as it came
peltlng down upon the side Of my face.
I wondered what it might be, for l
knew not where l had come / lifted
my head and looked to see a new
dawn, possibly the city of God itself
It was dark-so dark l felt as If had
20 eyes. Away in the distance / could
hear the beating of drum. 1t rang in
a great silence.s have never known
the like Of IT, I could hear the fall and
trickle of the rain, but it seemed only
to deepen the silence. l felt the wet
grass under my face and hands Then
1 knew it was night and the battlefield
where / had fallen. l was alive and
might see another day, thank Godl /
felt something move under my feet
heard a whisper at my shoulder.
Thought you were dead long ago."
it said.
"No. no." 1 answered; I'm alive; l
know I'm alive. This is the battle
field"
"'Fraid amt goin' t live" he said.
Got a terrible wownd. Wish it was
mornin'"
ozark longT' asked.
For hours" he answered. Dunno
how many"
He began to groan and utter short
prayers.
"Oh, my soul waiteth for the Lord
more than they that watch for the
morning. / heard him cry in a loud,
dcspairing voice.
Then there was a bit Of silence, in
which l could hear him whispering
of his home and people
Presently he began to sing:
"Guide me, O thou great Jehovahi
Pilgrim through this barren land.
am weak, but thou art mighty
His voice broke and trembled and
sank into silence
had business Of my own to look aft
er-perhaps l had no time to lose-and
l went about it calmly. l had no
strength to move and began TO feel the
nearing Of my time. The rain was fall
ing faster. 1t chilled me to the marrow
as l felt it trickling over my back.
called to the man who lay beside me-
again and again / called to hlm-but no
answer Then | knew that he was dead
and ! alone. Long after that in the far
distance / heard a voice calling. It
rang like a trumpet in the still air. IL
grew palmer as I listened. My own
name William Brewer? 1t was GER
tainly calling to me, and answered
with a feeble cry. In a moment
could hear the tramp Of some one com
4 ing. He was sitting beside me present
ly. whoever 1t might be. / could not
see him for the dark. His tongue went
! clucking as II he Ditied me.
"Who are you?' remember asking,
/ but got no answer.
At first l was glad; then ! began to
feel a mighty horror Of him.
In a moment he had picked me up
and was making of. The jolt of his
step seemed TO be breaking my arms at