Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-07-05
The Dead Soldier S
Afterglow
BY KELVIN BRAYTON
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

Wagstar was standing behind the line
or battle. the men. at parade rest.
waiting orders. A stan officer rode up
aud said:
This command has been annihilat.
ed"
The colonel turned to his men and
told them that, having been aunihilat-
ed. they could fight no more Then he
gave the order TO stack arms and per-
mission TO do as they liked till retreat.
billy" said Wagstafr to Captain
Drummond, II want you 70 do some.
thing for me-"
What is itT'
Go up TO the house and tell Belle
Harkaway that our regiment has been
annihilated. that I've been killed and
the jigs up all around"
What for?"
IL want to see how she'll take IT,"
"She Is certainly not so silly as to
take It literally"
shes pretty stupid"
Stupid girls are most attractive to
men-that is, II they are pretty-and
Belle is very pretty-decidedly pretty"
III you play your part well you can
mourn for me-"
"All right; I'll try It on. Suppose she
wants to see your dead body"
Il never thought Of that Perhaps
I'd better lie dead on the battlefield.
You can bring her to see the corpse.
But first ! want TO know IL you're
going to give me away"
NO; j won't do that. though II
would be n good joke to do so. I'll
play the part for you as well as l
can"
"And you'll tell me how she takes
II"
mo. but if she wants to SEQ your
corpse you can judge for yourself
about that
''All right. You'll find me under that
big oak over there. So long"
Billy departed for the house. and
Wagstaff went over TO the oak. sprawl
ed himself on the grass and. to kill
time while waiting TO be inspected for
dead man. lit cigar. Men who
fight sham battles need to get up a
lot OF Dutch courage. Ned had dis
tinguished himself for bravery induced
by several bracers during the fight: con.
scquently he felt dopey and soon yield
ed to slumber. Suddenly he was
awakened by girls voice:
Where is he? Oh. tell me. where is
he?"
Ned. recognizing the voice of the girl
be loved and realizing that soldiers
are not usually killed with cigars In
heir mouths. let the half smoked weed
TALL. He felt It roll down his cheek.
but where 1t landed he couldn't see.
He lay stiff and stark.
Here he isv' he heard Drummond
say.
Ned looked sidewise between his
Iashes and saw Belle Harkaway bur
rying toward him. He closed his eyes
and lay with n peaceful expression on
his face. Indeed. he put on a certain
serenity which he had often practiced
before mirror and which he con.
sidered very becoming TO him. Belle
knelt beside him. He dared not open
his eyes. but he knew she was there
and very near him.
"Oh. Ned" she moaned.
''He died a noble DEATH" Billy put in
solemnly.
Dear. brave Ned. If had only not
treated you as l did. II you could bat
speak one word to me 10 tell me that
you forgive me. Are you sures he is
dead? There's color in his face"
"Oh, that's often the case with men
shot in battle. They call 1t the SOL
dier's afterglow."
This was very clever Of Billy. seeing
that the afterglow was produced by
the bracers Ned had taken during the
fight.
Ned" moaned Belle. speak to me"
Ned didn't dare part his lips sniff
ciently to look at her. but he could
hear her moaning over him.
HE makes beautiful corpse" BHly
remarked.
Lovely. He must have been smok-
ing when be was shot"
What makes you think that?" ask
ed Billy.
Don't you see the cigar on his
shoulder? Dear. brave Ned-coolly
smoking In the face of danger"
That was just like him." said Billy.
He was always doing that kind OF
thing. He cared nothing for danger"
What were his last wordsT" asked
Belle. Did he shy anything about
meY
yes. He said, Tell Belle Harkaway
that my last thoughts. my last words.
were of her,"
ooh. dear. If could have been berc
to hold him In my arms when he died.
Somehow can't realize that tile rcd
color you call the soldiers aftcgglOw
isn't the blood of life. I'm going 10
pinch his check. IL may bring him
back to us"
She gave his check terrific pinch
Ned WINGED. but stood the test.
See" cried Belle. THE aftcrglow-
n lot OF st."
She pinched him again. this time So
LIZ - q L