Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-11-23
DAILY SHORT STORY
MET ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
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a cessation in the firing was followed
| by the cries of the wounded. The lives
| of some We're ebbing away who knew
| that if they could get a surgeon they
might live. Others would give up life
and hope of returning home for Il swal-
| low of water. All over the field the dead
and dying were mingled, the dead wait
| ing burial. the wounded waiting re-
| moval
| Two wounded officers lay side by
| side. They had never met before but
\ now a common misfortune had made
them friends. Captain Eliot Noble was
| seriously though not mortally wound
| ed: Lieutenant Mark Preston had a
very slight chance for his life. The
| former was striving 10 keep hope alive
| in the latter
| Remember" said Noble that at
home there are those who are praying
| that you may come back to them"
| There is but one who will pray in
my case, and she Will probably pray,
if she prays ar all. that i may never
return. She married me thinking the
man she loved lad gone back on her.
but she found out later that he hadn't.
II was all a mistake"
Noble sighed. 1t must he sad to be
dying and feel that the person who
should grieve for you will he pleased
at your death.
| Il don't know who the man is
Preston continued. My wife would
never speak of him TO me. and never
even heard his name. I hope that as
soon as he hears I've been thrown into
Il trench he'll go and make her happy
She's good woman, and I'm no dog
| in manager"
! IL was getting dark. and the cold
was increasing. They could hear sue
| cor parties moving near them, but
| 4one so near that they could attract
their attention.
Noble always kept in his pocket a
| little flask containing an eighth of Il
! pint of whisky to be used in Just such
an emergency as this. When he found
that his comrade was getting chilled
with the cold he pulled his flask and
put il to PreSton's lips. Half the con-
tents was all he would allow him to
| drink. reServing the balance in case a
rescue We're delayed An hour later
the captain drew the flask again and
poured the balance down his COM
rade's throat in an effort TO restore
| him To consciousness. Noble was by
| this time becoming himself benumbed
| through loss of blood and cold. Never
| theleSS he took off his overcoat and
| threw it over Preston. This was the
| last act he remembered on the battle
| field.
When Noble awoke he was in IL tenn
! porary hospital. from which he was re-
| moved TO Il more commOdious one As
soon as he got out he wished to make
| inquiries about the man he had be-
| friended. but il wss impossible since
he had not taken his name. All he
| could learn was that on the spot where
| they had lain IL trench had been dug,
and many dead had been buried in il
without any attempt TO learn their
| identity. Noble had no doubt that his
| comrade had died and been shoveled
into the trench.
|
Captain Eliot Noble is very happy
| man. He i no longer in the army,
having been Il volunteer and mustered
out after the close of the war. He is
prosperous in business. has married
and * happy in his marriage. His
wife. who was Il widow, has inherited
| a dwelling from her first husband, and
| in this the family, consisting of huS-
band and wife and Il babe that has
| recently come To them. live.
| One evening Noble and his wife were
sitting before Il bright fire of logs
The husband occupied an easy chair.
! and the wife sat on one of the arms.
1 no iSf-
arm rested on his shoulder.
| Without II man had stolen up To the
window and was looking in at this
picture of connubial happiness. Fortu-
nateIy for the locker on the shade had
| not been drawn down its full length
Noble was sitting with his back to the
window, and the man outside could
only see that he was "A man. But pres
emily Noble arose and turned his back
to the fire. showing his fuSl face At
the moment his wife threw her arms
about his neck kissed him and went
| out of the room.
When the man outside saw Mobiles
| face he caught at the window sill.
When he saw the wife throw her arms
about her husbands neck, he staggered
back and put his hands before his eyes
| Then lie turned and walked away.
|
When Captain Noble and Lieutenant
| Preston We're found on the battlefield
| each was identified and their names
put down on the lists being made up
/ of the casua lilies Preston's name was
| entered as dead. When. early the next
| day. trench was dug near him and he
| was about to be thrown into il. a slight
movement in his throat was noticed.
| He had the night before been saved
from dying on the field by the whisky
! and the overcoat OF his comrade This
he knew, and for months while linger-
Ing in hospital he was constantly vow
! ing that il he recovered Ia. would find