The Cairo bulletin., 1906-08-25
the COWARD
By FRANCIS A. STOUTENBURGH.

ne lOOk u IffOlNtls ~ WIS u blSt
wicked looking gun-44 caliber.
Capt. Clay, retired, was a man who
always believed himself to be COW
ard at heart, but In a cabinet in his
/ library there was a medal which had
been awarded him for valor in the
! field, there was also a letter from
! President Mckinley promoting and
commencing him for conspicuous BRAY
| cry And on the wall was sword,
given him by his own company, with
an inscription on the blade testfying
to his courage, self.sacrifice and 10y.
| atty,
CLAY examined the revolver care
fully. 1t was properly loaded and
ready to do the deadly work it might
be called upon to do.
! Clay sank back in an arm chair, the
weapon in his hand
In the last stages of consumption:
racked by pain; grieVing over the loss
of his young wife, who had died but
few months previously; harassed by
poverty that he was too proud to
make known, he had sought the seclu-
sion of his pet room surcease OF sor-
row, an end to all the possibilities
Of life"
II was always coward he NUT
tered. as he shudderingly looked down
at the revolver. yet somehow did
my work. When ! charged the Span
ish breastworks at Palmas at the head
of my men | was in mortal fear OF
wound of some kind was the first
man inside the enemy's works. Men
near me were cut down by machets.
bavoneted or shot. was untouched.
Nv men never knew my fear; 2eYer
noticed my white face. In the heat
of the combat they took no heed OF
all this; but they eheered me after
the fight was won.
Then. again. that fight near the
river, when / carried Sergt. Peters 90
my back after he was wounded-car
ried him through a deadly fire, back
in our lines-ah. ha!-that's where !
won the presidents letter, but | was
in agony lest some Mauser should send |
its bullet through me. But somehow
| did my work
And now,"-he glanced again at
the weapon In his hand-'it may hurt
me" he unused, with something OF
boytsh petulance oh, | cannot bear |
the pain. in case ii does not Kill in |
stantly; the crashing through my It's i
sues and bones and even though 1t |
XIII me there will be a momentary, a |
horrible agony
"A coward | am, and always was;
vet somehow | did my work,
Racked by fit of coughing, he no
ticed that blood had come on his
handkerchief again.
Something prompted him to take the
sword of honor from its place on the
wall and put it by his side to gaze
once more upon the medal and TO
take the presidents letter and spread
II acrss his knees.
These will make me brave man,
he said
But these acts failed to summon ur |
the courage that he sought
He looked again at his revolver and |
shuddered. Throwing open its /
breech, he hastily emptied it of its
contents; then picking up the poker /
with sharp blow he smashed the /
weapon and threw its shattered rem /
nants into the dead embers of the +
hearth.
Now | am a coward" he exclaimed /
bitterly. Somehow before this al /
WAYS did my work" /
Then it was that the bright hope (
full faces of his two young sons-one f
of ii and one of 12-whO were near /
AT hand at play with other boys, came .
up before him, and their voices seemed /
TO say: NO, no. you are brave man 1
and no coward
A smile passed over his wan face.
What was thatf' he asked, Is .
anyone in the room?
He heard a faint sigh; that same
faint. happy little sigh that had come /
from his wife as she died in his arms
but a few months previous.
His wasted right hand was lifted /
from the desk wherein it rested by |
fingers invisible but supremely ten
der. 4 kiss. Elusive, sweet and bear /
ing in itself message of angelic |
gratitude and approval was pressed |
upon it.
He leaned forward in his chair.
The blood gushed forth from mouth |
and nostrils and traiied in a crimson /
IL
dered president which lay in his lap.
No bullet caused It, 1t was the last /
hemorrhage It was copious; II was |
mcrciful: and it took Hmm. Y. Her
aid