Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-01-31

the man I bore struggle and then so
limp in my arms l felt my knees get
ting warm and wet. The smoke rose;
the tall, herculean back of D'ri was
just ahead of me. His sleeve had been
ripped away from shoulder to elbow,
and a spray of blood from his upper
arm was flying back upon me. His hat
crown had been torn off, and there was
a big rent in his trousers, but he kept
going. I saw my man had been killed
In my arms by piece Of chain, buried
to its last link in his breast was 30
confused by the shock Of It all
that I had not the sense to lay
him down. but followed D'ri to the
cockpit. He stumbled on the stairs.
falling heavily with his burden. Then
I dropped my poor gunner and helped
them carry D'ri to table. where they
bade me lie down beside him.
''It is no time for jesting," said l.,
with some dignity.
"My dear fellow" the surgeon an
swered, your wound is no Jest. You
are not Mt Tor duty"
looked down at the big hole In my
trousers and the cut in my thigh, of
which had known nothing until then.
/ had no sooner seen it and the blood
than saw that also was in some need
OF repair, and lay down with quick
sense Of faintness. My wound was no
pretty thing to see, but was Of little
consequence, a missile having torn the
surface only. was able to help Sur
geon Usher as he caught the severed
veins and bathed the bloody strands
Of muscle in 'Dri's arm, while another
dressed my thigh. That room was
full Of the wounded, some lying on
the floor, some standing, some stretched
upon cots and tables. Every moment
they were crowding down the compan-
tonway with others. The cannonading
was now SO close and heavy that 1t
gave me an ache in the ears, but above
its quaking thunder could hear the
shrill cries Of men sinking to hasty
death in the grip Of pain. The brig
was in sore distress, her timbers creak-
ing, swapping, quivering, like one being
beaten to death, his bones cracking.
his muscles pulping under heavy blows.
We were above water-line there in the
cockpit, we could feel her finch and
stagger. On her side there came sud
denly, q crushing blow, as II some great
hammer, swung far in the sky, had
come down upon her. could hear
the split and break Of heavy timbers;
could see splinters flying over me in
q rush Of smoke, and the legs Of man
60 humping on the beams above. Then
came another crash of timbers on the
port side. leaped off the table and
ran, limping, to the deck, do not know
why; was driven by some quick and
irresistible impulse. was near out Of
my head, anyway, with the rage d
battle in me and no chance to fight
Well, suddenly, found myself stun
bling, with drawn saber, over heaps Of
the hurt and dead there on on,
reeking deck. 1t was horrible place:
everything tipped over, man and CUR
and mast and bulwark. The air wal
full of smoke, but near me could set
topsail of the enemy. Balls wer,
now plunging in the water alongside
the spray drenching our deck. Som,
poor man lying low among the deat
caught me by the bootleg with an ap
pealing gesture. took hold Of hi
collar, dragging him to the cockpit
The surgeon had just finished witt
| D'ri. His arm was now in sling an
bandages. He was lying on his bach
| the good arm over his face. There wa
lull in the cannonading. wen
| quickly to his side.
GLOW are you feeling?" asked, civ
ing his hand good grip.
"Nuthin' t brag wv" he answered