The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-05-02
Jinks' Romance
A Civil War Vets Tale
BY r. A. mitchell.
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

you never git marriedT
links uncrossed his legs, recrossed
them the other way and said:
'sThere's a romance in my life"
"a romance You don't mean to say
there's any romance or ever has been
In you. 1t wouldn't be nat'r'l to you"
IL wasn't always like | am now, no
more'n you fellers. was sleek enough
when we was lighting Johnny Rebs."
"Well. tell us about your romance"
"It began when we was goin' up that
long slant at Fredericksburg. IL ever
there was place particularly caPcPat-
ed to NOW down men and have plenty
of time to do 1t, that inclined plane
takes the cake. It's nearly fifty year
since we was led up there. and nobody
hain't yit found out who was respon-
sible Mr. Lincoln warn't no soldier,
but If he'd seen he'd known 1t was
a good slaughter pen and nothin' else.
me and Bob Aker was trudgin'
along side by side. expectin' either one
or t'other would drop. We was bosom
friends. All of a suddint Bob pitched
forward. dropped out and bent over
him. He just had time before he fell
on tother side to stretch out hand
with ring on 1t and say:
"'Take 1t to Sue and tell her want
her to marry you intead of me-
II pulled the ring off his finger. and
| he died while was doin it. Slippin'
the thing on my own finger. got up
and hurried along to my regiment,
| though even In this short time the place
| where we'd been was as wide as a
church door.
"Bob had had plenty of time to tell
me all that was necessary. for he'd
told me the rest often before. Laws.
how the boy did talk about that gal!
She was the loveliest thing on earth
| 10 good, so gentle. SO lovin'. Then he
would say: 1T nearly kills me to think
that may git killed down here and
some other feller'll take my place with
her. If any man does | want you to
be her husband. Bill. IL knew she
was goin to you it wouldn't seem so
bad He'd often showed me the ring
she'd given him. and he'd given her
one in exchange.
81 was powerful affected by all this,
seein Bob killed right beside me and
his turnin' the gal he couldn't have
himself over to me. / tell you l was
all broke up"
The old man took out his handker-
chief. blew his nose and incidentally
touched his eyes with the wipe.
"Oh. don't get maudlin, Jinksv'
IL came out o. that slaughter all
right. and as soon as I'd got Bob a
trife out o. my mind fell to dreamin'
O. his gal. I'd go over plans to break the
It, / wondered II could persuade her
to take me instead o. Bob and how
long I'd be a-doin It, There'd be lots
o. delicacy required. and didn't know
how a rough chap like me could git
down to it. The only thing could do
would be to do the best | could.
kind thort that good deal depended
on my gttin' the gal. for had some
hold on her-Bob had made the re-
quest--and I didn't have hold on any
other gal and no prospect O. havin'
any other hold.
"The war ended at last, and I'd "a
gone straight to Bob's gal, but l was
mustered out far from her home, and
didn't have no money to buy ticket
with. Besides. / was out ut the seat
o. the britches, So I had to go tt
work to git the cash. or course wher
got place couldn't git my EN-
ployer to let me go Off courtin' ga
whose heart was like enough buried
down In Virginia. Anyway. | didn'
like to ask him, and so KEEP a.puttin
the thing or and putin 1t Off till {
number of years went by. All thii
time was pinin' for the wife that
was expectin' to git"
''By gum. links, you air givin' us I
romance. ain't you?"
'It was ten years before l got rount
to goin' to give Bob Akers' message.
81 remember mighty well the day
went to the town she lived In. vii
: lage In valley. ! found the house,
little cottage with wstarla"-
"Oh. cut out them embellishments"
} "There was man standin' on tn
! corner, with his hands In his pockets
, chawin' tobaccer. | went up to him
: and TO open conversation asked hin
> for chaw. He give II to me. an
! then asked II he knew Bob's gal. III
said he'd known her ever since sh
, was knee high to duck Then | toll
him that was beside Bob Aker
when he was killed and he had sen
Q a ring and message by me.
t "What was the messager the ma
. asked
5 II kind o. wanted to get somebod
q to help me carry this load O. romano
Z that was breakin me down, so show
s ed him the ring and told him the hu
: story. he jlst faced me and stoo
Q looking into my eyes, and l knew tina
e somep'n was workin in his mind.
Il "'young man.. he said. impressiv,
, like. Bob Akers' girl married me
e month before Bob was killed. II 20
o want to give her the ring and reliev
o me hain't no objection TO your doll
y II. You may have fought In the wa
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