Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1910-07-22
The Dead Soldier S
Afterglow
BY KELVIN nRAYToN
cepyFlsht, 1910. by American Press
Association,

waiting oroerh, a htdu oncer rode ur
and said;
This command has been annihilat-
3D."
The colonel turned 70 his men and
told them that having been annihiat-
ed they could tght no more. Then he
gave the order 70 stack arms and per-
mission TO do as they liked till retreat.
BILLY" said Wagstatr 10 Captain
Drummond. u want you TO do some.
thing for me-"
What is ity'
go up 70 the house and tell Belle
Hathaway that our regiment has been
aunihilated. that I've been killed and
the jigs up all around"
"What for?'
u want TO see how she'll take It."
''She IS certainly not 80 silly as to
take II literally"
She's pretty stupid"
Stupid girls are most attractive to
men-that is. II they are pretty-and
Belle is very pretty-decldedly pretty"
IF you play your part welt you can
fool her. I'm curious 10 know II she'll
mourn for me-"
"All right; III try It on. Suppose she
wants to see your dead body"
II never thought OF that. Perhaps
I'd better lie dead on the battlefield.
You can bring her 10 see the corpse.
Bur first want 10 know If you're
going TO give me away"
mo; ! WON'T do Rhat. though 1t
would be good joke to do so. hi
play the part for you as well as l
can"
And you'll tell me how she takes
it?
mo. but II she wants to see your
corpse you can judge for yourself
about that"
"All right You1l End me under that
big oak over there SO long"
Billy departed for the house. and
Wagstaff went over 10 the oak. sprawl.
ed himself on the grass and. 10 kill
time while waiting 10 be inspected for
a dead man. liz a 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 fght: con.
sequently be felt dopey and soon yield
ed 10 slumber Suddenly he was
awakened by a girls voice:
Where IL hey 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
their mouths. let the bali smoked weed
fall He felt il roll down his cheek.
but where It landed he couldn't see.
Tie lay stiff and stark.
Here he Isl he heard Drummond
say
Ned looked sidewise between hi'
lashes and saw Belle Harkaway bur
rying toward him. He closed his eve
and lay with peaceful expression oil
his face Indeed he put on a certall
serenity which he had often practice'
before mirror and which he con
sidered very becoming TO him. Bell
knelt beside him. He dared not opel
his eyes. but be knew she WAS Their
and very near him.
"Oh. Ned" she moaned
"He died a noble DEATH" Billy put il
sOlemnly.
Dear. brave Ned. II had only no
treated you as did. If you could bu
speak one word 90 me to tell me tha
you forgive me. Are you sure he 4
deadg There's color IN his face"
"Oh. that's often the case With mel
shot in battle They call 1t the sol
dlers afterglow"
This was very clever of Billy. seeing
that the afterglow was produced b,
the bracers Ned had taken during tn
dght.
Ned" moaned Belle. speak to me!
Ned didn't dare part his lips sun
ciently 10 look at her. but he coul'
hear her moaning over him.
he makes beautiful corpse" Bill
remarked.
Lovely: He must have been smot
ing when be was shot"
what makes you think that?" ash
ed Billy.
Don't you see the cigar on hi
shoulders Dear. brave Ned-cooll
smoking IN the face Of danger"
'srhat was just like him" said Bill.
"Hs was always doing that kind {
thing. He cared nothing for danger
What were his last words?" aske
Belle. did he say anything aboI
meT
Yes. he said. Tell Belle Harka wa
that my last thoughts. my last word
were OF her."
"Oh. dear. II could have been bel
to hold him in my arms when he diet
Somehow can't realize that the re
color you call the soldiers aftergio
'' isn't the blood Of life I'm going
pinch his cheek. IL may bring hi
back 10 us"
She gave his cheek a terrific pine
Ned WINGED. but stood the test
"Seew cried Belle. The safterglow
n a lot OF IT.
She pinched him again. this time
vigorously that he howled.
Opening his eyes. he looked into "
or the merriest orbs that ever gaz,
on the corpse OF beloved object
Rats" he said. There's no u
trying TO be dead under a pinch NJ
that"
More aftergloww she cried. ella
ping her hands with delight as blu
of shame covered his face.
REV. v. S. COLLINS MPR0yIN
iii The pe,, Vsuchan G rolti,e rast