The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-02-10
! NOT A MILITARY
| HERO WORSHIPER.

[orlKInal1

NNiVFu y cAptalncy Ia the volunteers
and marched away with his regimen
amid the pIaudifs OF the throngs who
lined the streets. There was one facs
at an upper window which absorbed
al the young soldiers attention, the
race OF his fanVee, Mary Mills. The
look Of pride in him and love for him
that beamed in her eyes might have
exhilarated another, but Forester was
peculiarly sensitive mana man Ia
dread a possible failure. He knew
there were certain men whose consti-
tlonal makeups untitled them to be
soldiers. and no man can tell whether
he is one Of these tilI he comes to face
shot and shell. He dreaded lest he
might prove unworthy. Should he
falter under the terrible strain Of bat
tie he would never see Mary again.
Forester thought too much Of this.
II Is well for one to realize obligations
ne has taken upon himself, but he
should not permit himself to brood
over the matter. Forester worried all
the way to Florida. from Florida to
Cuba and during the campaign until
the final fighting. which was the first
time he was under fire.
twas during this contest about SAN
tiago that his regiment was ordered
forward in the face OF terrible fire.
Ones first faght is the most trying OF
all It Is then that the soldier for the
first time hears the ugly stingings sound
Of bullets, the rattle of machine guns
and the screech OF shells, to all Of
which there is the background OF in
cessant roar of cannon. Forester looked
a little pale, but pressed resoluteIy ON.
All Of sudden ne became conscious
Of dizzy, nauseating sensation. his
foot struck something-or be thought
It did and he pitched forward The
regiment pushed on. Another line Of
battle came up and was pressing for
ward when Forester was awakened.
as 1t were, by the sound OF voice
Nathan Burge, an old and tried friend,
had seen him, recognized him and
stopped to succor him.
MAZE" said Forester. eve fallen
out of the ranks hadn't the physical
ability to 60 on. Write to Mary Mills
and tell her that I'll never see her
again. She has loved cowardm
Hi. you, there! Move onl'' cried an
officer who was marching In rear to
drive on stragglers. Without a word
Burge hurried forward, leaving his
friend to his own regrets.
When the fight was over Bnrge
sought Forester, but, not finding him
supposed that he had hidden his
shame by desertlon He waited for
time, thinking that the coward might
turn up. but he did not Burgess regl
ment was ordered to the coast at the
close Of the war and was one Of the
first to embark for home. When be
reached Montauk Point the first per
son he met was Mary Mills. she had
come as nurse. She Inquired eagerly
for her lover.
Burge prevaricated. He could not
bear to deliver the message with which |
he had been charged But Mary, with
a woman's quick eye where love Is
concerned, saw that be was concealing
something and assumed that her
fiance had been killed. Burge would |
much rather have broken such news |
to her than that he had turned out a
coward. At last be told her the truth, |
Mary Mills went home bowed down
with grief.
The next morning she heard one of
her sisters reading from newspaper
dispatches from Santiago. She was
about to leave the room, dreading lest I
she should hear that her lover had |
been ordered before court martial to
be tried for cowardice. when his name
was mentioned, but in different way
from what she had expected:
Milton Forester wounded in the stom-
ech Operated upon and expected to re-
cover Promoted to be captain, vice John
Kellogg, killed
Forester after being left by Burge
tried to rise His object was to push
forward with view to getting himself /
killed. But be found himself too weak
to rise. At that moment surgeon
with an ambulance corps came hurry
ing on, making hasty examinations OF
the wounded lying on the field. Com
ing to Forester. be saw blood on his
clothing, tore open his coat and said;
"a bad wound
~ WoundedT'
Eyes; IN the stomach"
THANK Cod"
The surgeon looked at hiEn With a
puzzled expression, but there was no
time for words. and after ordering a
rescue party to take him to q hospital
pushed on.
when the boys Of 81 were shot in
the stomach there was nothing left for
them but to pass the dark portal Not
so in the Cuban war. BY that time
such progress had been made in sur {
gerry that Forester's stomach was laid !
bare, the wound sewed up. the stom-
ach put back ia place, and In time the
patlent was as well as ever. As soon
as it was safe he was put on trans
mort and sent north. When as a con /
raIeseent be walked slowly down the /
TO the dock bis friend Burge .
snd his fancee, Mary Mills, we're there
TO meet him.
.sWhat did you mean said the for.
mer. aby putting Up job on me like
lhaf7''
aFell. I'll tell ron. Nate. once ask
ID nv father. who commanded bat
tery IN the civil war. how be felt on
going into iight He said it made
~. efek 81 his stomach. ! felt sick.