The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-09-18
Why Dan Cane Back

lEtEG4l my 0NAAlA A4AAAA ~
had doubtless enlisted as a soH!ier
thinking lie was going TO have an e:tsy
time OF It He found but little time
that a volunteer soldier could csill his
own. There were drill. guard duty
police duty. washing, menislng, digging
and delving. to say nothing OF lighting
ana marching. The day came when
he refused fatigue duty and was seilt
TO the R1artihouse. From that day. 10:
three mouths on he was under punish
ment most OF the time. He came to.
be an object of anxiety to the ofLlcei,s
and an object OF contempt to hIs com
raties, and then he was ready to bring
ON a climax One day he lay on the
broad OF his back In the sun ami
thought It all out. He charged the
people of the United States with bring
ing on the war for no other purpose
than to get him down to the front aud
have him killed. He denied the right
of the government to put him to man
uaI labor and Rbrldse Ms hours OF
sleep. lie was an III fed, oyerworked
and much abused young man. lie hid
been singled out for the officers spite.
and the letters he had written TO PresI-
dent Lincoln about Il had remained
unanswered
When Dan had spent an hour III
thinking, he made mp his mind that
there was only one recourse left him
desertion He would make his way
back to the old farm IN the north anu
to ma and ma and tell them all about
Il and be looked upon as martyr. It
never occurred to Il IN that he woCti
be pursued and was sure to be caught.
Two nights later Dan Skinner do!ged
the camp sentmcis aud became de-
serter. He had selected a route, but
owing to the darkness and scare OE
two lie became confused and fnnsiy
held n pretty straight course for he
position of the enemy. Just ut that
point and ut that time the two armies
were fifteen miles apart, with parties
from each side raiding over the neutral
ground When Dnn Ind gone ten miles
he realized that ne was lost and lay
down Ia the bushes to wait for day
light. When he avoke he fou;ld HIM
self close to a log farmhouse, and hun
ger ana a desire to be set right as TO
his road caused him to boldly approach
It. He found a woman and two chill
Clren. and moment later discovered
that he was among southcrners. His
blue uniform excited surprise nnI
alarm until he let It be known that he
was alone. When he sat down to the
humble food placed before him the
woman asked:
..Don't you know that the Confeder
ate lines are only i've miles away. and
that some of our soldiers are riding
past here almost every days"
That's all the better" was Ills re
ply II was going home, but ia just
us lief be captured"
'Do you mean that you are de-.
serter2''
CHATS what am. stood It and
stood it till / could stand IL no longer.
Then walked out Of camp. II
hadn't got lost In the night should
be on my way home now"
'sThat was It you had to stands"
sob. everything mean. They was all
ways wanting me to work like u mig
ger. ana when wouldn't they had nic
In the guarLhouse. / didn't enlist to
be a slave Some one was bosslng ne
from morning till might. It was Dan,
do this, and Dan, do that, md got
worn out ut last"
"IIave you ever been In battle?"
asked the woman as she looked at him
In a puzzled way.
"Then you've never been wounde;la q
NO
You have been clothed and fed aud
paid and had no fighting to do as yet.
and yet you complain"
s'Vho wouldn't complain IL he had TO
carry wood and water and loud and
unload wagons and stand guard ana
aII of that? / tell you never got time
to read book nor write any poetry,
II I'm a deserter it's because they've
tlriv me to it. Flesh and blood can't
stand only about SO much. I'm IKE a
worm, am. You can pick on me abous
SO long, and then turn"
The woman smiled In contempt and
pity and was silent for a moment be
fore saying:
'.I'Ye got husband and brother in
the Confederate army. They are obey
ing orders, no matter what those or
ders nre. Both have been in battle,
and both have been wounded. They
march; they fight; they do camp duty.
There are many days when they don't
have suh1cient to eat. They have haa
no pay for four months. Their uni
forms are ragged and tattered. All
this, nnd yet they haven't deserted or
thought OF IL. Do you know what
would hnppen IL my husband should
come home a deserter2 / have an old
musket here. would drive him back
to the army or shoot him In his tracksg
"Shoor' exclaimed Dan 40 he looked
up at her and grew very serious.
Eyes, sir, would do It. but thank
God he IL no such man. Look at your
case. You have a father, mother
other relatives. You are young and
strong. You have been called upon to