Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-01-25

Stagger. Un her side there came sud-
 denly crushing blow, as if some great
 hammer, swung far in the sky, had
 come down upon her I could hear
 the split and break of heavy timbers;
 l could see splinters flying over me in ! rush of smoke. and the legs of a man so Jumping on the beams above. Then came another crash of timbers on the port side. l leaped off the table and ran, limping, to the deck, do not know why: l was driven by some quick and irresistible impulse. I was near out of my head, anyway, with the rage of battle in me and no chance to fight. Well, suddenly, I found myself stum- bling. with drawn saber, over heaps of the hurt and dead there on our reeking deck. It was a horrible place: everything tipped over, man and gun and mast and bulwark. The air was full of smoke, but near me I could see topsail of the enemy Balls were now plunging in the water alongside, the spray drenching our deck. Some poor man lying low among the dead caught me by the bootleg with an ap- pealing gesture. took hold of his collar, dragging him to the cockpit. The surgeon had just finished with D'r. His arm was now in sling and bandages. He was lying on his back, the good arm over his face. There was a Hull in the cannonading. went quickly to his side. .-...
 How are you feeling?" I asked, giv- ing his hand good grip.
 "Nuthin' t Drag uv," he answered. Never see nobody git hell rose with 'em s quick es we did-never."
 Just then We heard the voice of Perry. He stood on the stairs calling into the cockpit. :.
 Can any wounded man below there pull rope?" he shouted
 D'ri was on his feet in jiffy, and VIC were both clambering to the deck as another scud of junk went over us. Perry was trying with block and tackle to mount carronade. A handful of men were helping him. D'ri rushed to the ropes, l following, and We both pulled with will. A sailor who had been hit in the legs hobbled up, ask ing for room on the rope. I told him he could be of no use, but he spat an oath, and pointing at my leg, which was now bleeding, swore he was sounder than l. and put up his fists to prove if. l have seen no better show of pluck in all my fighting, nor any that ever gave me greater pride of my own people and my country. War is great evil, begin to think. but there is nothing finer than the sight of a man who, forgetting himself, rushes into the shadow of death for the sake of something that is better. At every heave on the rope our blood came out of us, until ball shattered a pulley, and the gun fell. Perry had then a fierce look, but his words were cool, his manner dauntless. He peered through lifting clouds of smoke at our line. He stood near me, and his head was bare.
 
 tle-fag and broad pennant that an or derly had brought him trailing from his shoulder. He halted by a boat swung at the davits on the port side-the only one that had not gone to splinters. There he called a crew about him, and all got aboard the boat-seven besides the younger brother of Captain Perry-and lowered it. Word flew that he was leaving to take command of the sister brig. the Niagara, which lay quarter of a mile or so from where we stood We all wished to go, but he would have only sound men; there were not a dozen on the ship who had all their blood in them. As they pulled away, Perry standing in the stern, D'ri lifted a bloody, tattered flag. and leaning from the bulwarks, shook it over them. cheering loudly.
 Give 'em hell." he shouted We II tek care O the ol brig"
 We were all crying. We poor devils that were left behind. One, a mere boy, stood near me swinging his hat above his head, cheering. Hat and hand fell to the deck as l turned to him. He was reeling when D'ri caught him quickly with his good arm and bore him to the cockpit.
 The little boat was barely length off when heavy shot fell splashing In her wake. Soon they were dropping all around her. One crossed her bow. ripping a long furrow in the sea. A