The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-07

positively as they put him triumphantly back between them.
 "No," the old graduate corrected slowly.
 "Oh. But you knew him here?'
 "No," the old alumnus said again. "I didn't know him here. only--I only-'' he stammered. He leaned far forward away from them, but at once settled back again with his decision made. 'I shot him." he sail He felt the hands tighten impulsively.
 "oh-in battle," they comprehended aloud.
 No" The old graduate shook himself gently away from the judgment of their fingers touching his arm. Not in battle," he said
 Something obliterated the yard, the col ors and streamers the great elms and the sunlight.
 "You-you mean-?" Burton stam- mered:
 The old graduate inclined his head slightly in recognition and settled more comfortably. For him, too, the yard and all was obliterated.
 You reckoned rightly a moment ago that I was a Confederate" he be- gan indirectly. "I'm from near Baton Rouge. There were mighty few others
  came up in '45 and, of course, when went back for the last time in '49, Har- yard men were correspondingly scarce down there. It was 12 years before-be- fore they came They marched out of the yard you remember, when Lincoln first called for volunteers; graduates, seniors, juniors, sophomores, even fresh- men came. And we from the South marched to meet them.
 Tt was in April, '62," the old graduate went on after a pause. "I had com- pany then under Albert Sidney Johnston at Pittsburg Landing-Shiloh you call it, 1 believe. It was the first big battle Tor me- The first day April 6, was ours It was surprise. We went at them at sunup and struck them in their camp. Some of their companies-a good many were entirely untried and green; some more were washing and coolSing their accoutrements lying around in conruslon and most of their guns unloaded. We drove them back to the river bank in inc first rush, where their officers man. aged to form them and stand us orr. There were other places, however, where the Yankees didn't need a river behind them to make them face about; their or sicers were enough. One of these places was opposite me.
 "At the extreme right, where was stationed it was company to company. l
  posite didn't have more than 40 and only one young officer left, they squatted right where they were in the grass ana held us back The young fellow possing them kept walking up and down penlho his line, and somehow, no matter now hot we gave it to them none or ms men seemed to care to back across the path. Then another Louisiana company came m. one of their sharpshooters got him inc officer; his Yankees broke ana we moved away at once to support our cen ter. I mean my men did. l had m,nio hall in my hip and little piece or sneii ,,ad taken part of the calf of my other ,aa The wounds hurt, of course, and the lose of blood made me pretty weak put as if was night then I knew they'd ce ~ut searching for us before long.
 ..rd heen half way between the lines m the charge just after the fankees hroke. and, as there weren't many yins near me. the first hospital patrois hlisseu me I'd about given them up tiii morn , no |. ,,ust have been midnight then whan heard a movement in front or me. If yas right quiet there, so, tnougn the vo,ce was weak it was dlstlnct' 1eio' if said If you're alive and care to spare something to drink throw your can lnis way, will you? I've got apou' as iai ' l can.' .,,ndad ara or tba field. if matters about as mucn
  which side you're on as whether you re Presbyterian or Baptist; so without ash- ing called back. Catch and hearo the other fellow scramble. after my canteen.
 {" Say, he wound up his thanks, who- ever you are you're all right' nep o' UnionT
 ",Confederate,' I called back.
 ".Call 1t your own way he laughed. I'm Union. I5ll see if I can come little closer if you won't talk politics. It's main ly one arm and one leg out of commis- sion for me; but fortunately as they're |, hv sticking to the good half
 .arhere was just little hazy light over the field and I could make out that the bluecoat was good looking-at least in outline He managed to crawl on his good side till he got about 20 feet away and then he had to give 1t up.