The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1905-11-02

ShOt-tOnU Oh Music ana LlkeO u
ROusinE Chorus.
Apropos of Mr. Henderson's war ex-
perience the following story was told
by one Of his colleagues recently, which
Illustrates as we'll as any of the stories
concerning him his ready sympathy
and tact, says a writer in Leslie's
Weekly: In the days when Dave Hen
derSon was a raw young lieutenant,
and before he had lost leg in the
service Of his country, he was called to
a man who had been mortally wound
ed by the explosion of gun He found
the poor fellow lying on tile grass
swearing blue streak at the unfOrtu-
nate accident that would cost him his
life, while a callow young chaplain
kneeling beside the wounded soldier
vainly expostulated with him for such
blasphemy and besought him to pray,
since he was about to be called into the
presence of his Maker. The chaplain's
exhortations had no effect upon the suf
fering soldier, however, who continued
to swear more loudly than ever.
"Make way" ordered Henderson,
and kneeling by the side Of the soldier
be said in a voice as tender as a wo-
mans, "Can we do nothing for you,
my brave fellow?'
The soldier looked up wistfully at the
sound Of the sympathetic words. "I'm
afraid it's all up" he said family.
"Well, if it is, my man, it must be
happiness and satisfaction to you to
know that you died for your country
You are just as much Of a hero as
though you had been killed in the field
Of battle, and your name will always
be revered. God help you, my brave
boyv'
els that so? Is that SOP" murmured
the dying soldier That's a comfort,
sir; it's great comfort" and, holding
the hand of his young officer, the poor
lad died
Mr.. Henderson once told how he lost
his leg as follows:
"a good many people ask me how I
lost my leg. Generally | tell them,
but always think of the story Of the
Iowan who had both legs cut off by q
buzzsaw. One day he was. riding in
railroad train, and an old lady who sat
across the aisle from him stared at his
stumps pretty hard. Finally she said:
- Pardon me, sir, but will you tell
me how you lost your legs?
"'No, / WON'T the legless man le-
piled. The old lady sighed and settled
back in her seat. Pretty soon she be-
gan staring again, and, unable to con-
ceal her curiosity, she pleaded:
L wish you would tell me how you
lost your legs
'"The man relented.
Well he said, I'll tell you if you
will promise not to ask me any more
questions. Now, mind, you can't ask
another question:
So PROMISE said the old lady in a
culver of excitement.
swell said the legless man, Il had
them chawed Off"
i It is related that when Colonel David
Bremner Henderson was a lieutenant
In the Twelfth Iowa at the battle of
4 COrinth he noticed a soldier whose gun
had been clogged and which refused to
work. The poor fellow, in the belief
that he would surely be killed with
useless weapon in his hand became
woefully excited and began to tremble
as with an ague. you internal foolv'
shouted Henderson, forgetting conven-
tonalities for the moment. Here,
why don't you pick the tube out with
q pin, same as you do when you're
shooting prairie chickensY' The words
"prairie chickens" in the ear of this ma
tive of Iowa sounded so good that it
Immediately brought him to himself
He at once cleaned out his gun and
went into the fight. At the end Of the
battle the man who had cleaned out
his gun had been shot in the hip and
Henderson had received the shot In
his left foot which compelled him to
wear an artificial leg. When the two
happened to meet afterward Colonel
Henderson said, well, old boy. that
prairie chicken saved your life. IL it
didn't your hip!'
One winter certain person with an
ak to grind in the house took rooms at
l0S NOTluduOlc tudl lie might De near
Mr.. Henderson and, IL possible, gain
his friendship and secure his influence.
Soon after he had established himself
at the hotel be was fortunate enough to
be invited by one of the guests to
little supper after the theater at which
the speaker was the principal figure.
The company was q gay one, and short
u before separating the speaker, burst
4 forth With THE Thinking Of the Banjo
ksthe Only Sound i Hear, = everybody
Joining In the chorus with gusto save
the man with an AK to grind, who sat
dnmfoundsd, as though hypnotized by,
Fl the unusual scene. The chief singer did
! not seem to observe the strangers 81
lence. but when, day or two later,
some one proposed bringing him to call
on the speaker the latter said he was
not at all anxious to meet a man who
could not be moved by the spirit Of
i. | inmate NJ