The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-11-07
A Medal Of Honor.


| saving decoration called the Vic
| toria cross. The badge is an unpreten-
.ious affair made cf gtln metal. but it
| IS the most coveted Of any British
| army honor. In America we have 10
| such decoration, ana when man
| bravcly rescues Il comrade he must be
content with the thanks of the man
| he has saved.
During the Mexican war general
of brigade vas enc day accommodating
i with an aid-de-camp when he ran full
| upon 4 nest Of MeXicans. who spat fire
| like 50 many rattlesnaEes. The all
| threw himself before his general and
covered his RETREAT, receiving Il wound
| in the arm and one in the leg. The
general escaped unhurt. When the af
fair was over and the two dismounted
before the generals tent.he said to his
aid:
whats that on your belt clasp?'
The all looked down and pulled
away bullet that had been fiattened
against The brass clasp. Had it not
been stopped on its way it would have
penetrated the youngsters stomach,
and that at that time meant death.
The general pressed the young mans
hand silently Words would not eX-
press what he owed his subordinate.
| When Lieutenant passmore went
home after the war he took the fiat
tened bullet with him. He used to
call it his medal. \ man who is espe-
| cially adapted for fighting is often use
less for anything else, and Passmore
failed completely in business life
which he took up on leaving the army.
Perhaps the disposition he had shown
TO bear another's burdens was not in
accord with commerciaiism, where the
object often is to outwit those with
whom one does business.
The poor fellow at last got ragged.
His appearance was all the more
slouchy from the wound he had re-
ceived in the leg in saving his com
mander's life, since it caused him to
limp. He pawned his belongings one
after another. His watch and chain
he held as long as possible. because
they had been given him by his moth
| err When his watch went, in order to
keep up appearances With his chain
he took his nattened bullet and wore
it where the watch should be.
Meanwhile the general whose life
Passmore had saved had prospered
We will call him Wingate. He had
made money, and the prominence arts
ing from his wealth and his service in
war had placed him in a high position
in politics. He became governor of his
state. Since he lived i'll the eastern
states and his former aidde-camp In
the west the two were apart. Pass
more after hearing that Wingate had
attained so high position spent six
months trying to make up his mind tc
apply to him for some subordinate OF
fee whereby he could make living
Finally he overcamc his retiring dis
position. succeeded in borrowing
enough money to pay his fare ant
: went to see the governor.
He arrived on the day of grea
parade of the state militia. The gov
ernor was to review the procession
, Passmore took a position near tht
stand and saw his former general en-
ter with his suit. He tried to reacl
, a point on the street in front OF ant
below the governors seat, but police
man stopped him.
..Iet me 30 on" said Passmore. g.
know the governor personally.
The policeman looked suspicious. bu
passed him Passmore stood directl.
beneath his old chief, with his ha
pulled down over his eyes. The pa
rade was late in moving and had no
arrived. The governor took out hi
watch impatiently.
"1his isn't the way you moved o.
4 the Mexicans, governor" said Pass
more. looking up from under his hat
The governor glanced down to SCI
who spoke.
sYou moved on time, governor,
Passmore continued.
"Ah. yes, my good man. They'll b
here directly. They're only ten min
utes late
l Half an hour"
! my watch says 1910" rejoined tn
governor. 1.-The head Of the column
was to have passed here at II"
"Tour watch is wrong, governor
twenty. minutes wrong
what time have you, my friend!
asked the governor.
:, Passmore pulled out the fiattene
bullet.
A change came over the governor,
face. His eyes were glued to the crud
: medal 1t brought far distant men
CRY. Then he leaned over the rail- tina
divided him from the street, graspe
PASSWORDS hat and pulled it off.
T. "Great heavens! Are you Tomm
PassmoreY
"That am, general"
The governor was large. POVERTY
d man. He took Passmore 10y the collar
lifted him clean over the rail ana sc
him down in q seat beside him. JUS
then there was a hurrah down III
Il street. strains of martial music. an