The daily Alaskan., 1905-12-07
A HERDS
 COWARDICE?

sound of beating drums he marched away in the ranks to the war group of girls stood on a porch waving. On all the faces save one was a pleasur- able excitement. That one waved sad Iy. ianguidly, as if bidding adieu to in visible spirits. She was blind.
 During the four years of campaign Ing that followed he never forgot that face. When rain or snow beat upon him, when the bullet sang its melodiOus yet terrible song, when shells walled above or solid shot showered him with the soil of the south, hls eyes were fixed, not on the "colors," but on that membered face-sweet, melancholy, en. during.
 When he returned he was riding at the head of the column, a distinguished soldier. The line of march led past tAa porch where he had seen the blind girl but she was not there. In his disIp polntment he forgot his hOuOrs, the clamorlng throngs, the shouts that ran abreast of hlm like an incoming tide. Then farther on his pulses Quickened at seeing her at a window. She was standing between two friends. AS he approached he saw her say something which be could not but infer was re quest to be told where was tue hc'o of the hour, f,c one of them directed her hand, in which she held small flag, so that when she waved 1t it was to him. He re.ued in his horse, faced toward the window and reycrentIy raised his hat. Then when be had seen her friends tell her what he had done and saw that he had given her a pleasurable emotion he turned anl moved forward.
 The excitement of that emotion gave him his first fixed purpose in life. He had been emlnently fitted for soldier, whose career Is like the wind which bloweth where 1t liStcth. He had felt a pleasure In the roar of battle, In the ac- compllshment of achievements In pro portion to the hazard of tke unlcrtak Ing. but this human delight was to die away before his newborn spiritual pur pose as a storm that has passed gives place to the soft sunlight. The inspira- ton that had been kIndlcd In his heart was to comfort a bereavei soul.
 But hls time was not his own. There was much to do In closing up the work of the war and in dIsbanding tue armies. and he was retained even after thls had been done In an important command. Weeks passed into months and months into years, and the object of hls life seemed as remote as ever.
 One summer while suffering from the effects of m old wound. desIr0us of change and rest, he assumed the plain garb of a citizen and went incOgnitO to an unpretentlOus summer resort AS he mounted the steps of the porch he saw sitting In a wicker chair the blind girl. He had purposely chosen this re mote place where he would not be rec ognlzed, and after he had seen those who were staying In the house he was pleased that there was none who knew him. He did not ask for an lntrOluc' ton to the glrl-he did not need one. No one needed an introduction to her. for her blindness caused her to be al- ways dependent. He waited one morn Ing until he saw her rise from her chair and grope her way Into the house, then asked If he might assist her. Never be fore had he experienced the sacred emotions as when he took the hand aul directed the steps Of thb5 stricken girl.
 From that moment he was hnr con stant companion. Perhaps it was her weakness that led her to admire the stern duties of a soEicr. a.d W ca he admitted that he had ben iu the strug gle of the states she begged him to tel her of his experiences. Eu, h. like her, valu.ng hIs cou-tegpars., dsglr lgcI war and leI he into moe on uobl:ug topics. SGe grew Co ls"e the tones of his voice, the uueXprcssed sympathy apparent in his every word and action.
 Then came a time when, dlaving pre- pared the way, there was nothing for him to do but tell her that from the moment be saw her he pit;el her and of the desire that had been born in him to devote h.s life to that which would be some recompense for her misfor- tune. But when he faced this an. nouncenlent a sense of hls own un- worthiness loomed up before him. Tell her that he wished to give her comfort when he felt that he would be honored by the right to do so. He shrank from such Q position.
 This was not all. He must drop his lncognitO and become known to her as a hero. The Incident of her waving to him on his return from the war and hls stopping to salute her must be made known to her. What reason would he give for all this secrecy? He thought