Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-02-01
A TOUCH OF NATURE.
BY W.. f. BROWN.

~
Hardly had he lifted his face from
the cool spring. when Lieutenant Her.
bert Craddock was seized from behind
by w union soldiers. The game was
up-yet he trusted to his unshaven
face, torn and dirty clothing and gem
the fact hat he was a confederate Of
ficer, the bearer of an important dis
patch.
When he faced the keen eyed and
soldierly fedora captain he saw at
once that 1t would be useless to deny
the question, Who are you?" he re-
pill simply:
Lieutenant Craddock, Of he con-
federate service"
How came o inside our lines and
in disguise?'
4 was taken prisoner. he answered,
slowly, and escaped. I a making
for General Lees lines when your
soldiers captured me. The briars had
literally torn my uniform to shreds,
and yesterday I exchanged Its REM
nants for these planters Clothes"
This tale was true enough as far as
it went. but 1t made no visible impress
sion on the stern faced inquisitor.
Search him!" ne ordered sharply.
The two troops obeyed. Finally the
taller OF the two looked up and in a
disappointed one reported:
lIleTe 1871 I h LuIIlS Oh MIN, ST..
The faint ghost Of q smile of amuse-
ment stole over the face of the con-
federate. The next instant he cursed
himself for his folly. for the sharp eyes
of the captain interpreted the look
Alright, and he sternly exclaimed:
Search him again to the very skin
rip open his clothes from head to foot"
This time the investigation was so
thorough that when the shorter. trooper
with his sabre pried the heels from the
prisoners boots Il wad of tissue p
dropped from a hollow in one of them
and fell to the ground.
Sol" said Captain Freeman, stright-
ening out the sheet. you are a spy, as
1 thought. What have you to say?"
Nothing Craddock.
What was there to say? He knew
that the scrap Of paper in the captains
hand meant death for hin as surely as
he stood there. 1t was military law.
and inexorable as fate.
Alone in an old log hut. with a SEN
tinel pacing before the door and the
single small window. Craddock was left
to his thoughts. In the morning he was
TO die. He stared across the peaceful
valley to the rise beyond, tipped with
sombre pines, the declining sun flooding
In all with golden glory. He was not
afraid to die-he had faced death on
too many battlefields for that. He had
taken the deadly risk of his own free
Will. and the hazard had gone against
him Well. he would pay the price.
Ike an officer and a gentleman.
But it was not of himself he was
thinking as he stood there watching his
last sunset, but of some n else, dear
er by far h his W life. Some one
who was waiting. hoping, praying for
him to come back to her among the
magnoliaS-one whom he had hoped.
when the war Should be over, to call
his wife. Heaven! How could he write
to tell her that they would meet no
more on earth-that. even as his let
ter reached her, he would be lying in
his grave?
AS he bitterly unused there rose on
the still southern air, from out the
dark shadow of the pines, a sweet and
plaintive tenor voice, singing the mel
ody of Home. Sweet Home" 1t
foated out on the evening silence like
an angels message Of peace, bringing
to the captive's staring eyes a sudden
rush OF tears. Had the Yankees nc
hearts. no feeling, that they could sing
that song Of all others to n who loved
his nome as well as they did theirs
n would never see it again?
He savagely gripped the rough slabs
the song suddenly ended in a long
high pitched, quivering cry that
changed to a shout. and then, running
along the fringe Of pines like an ir-
regular rife volley, burst into a cheer
that echoed again and again along the
quiet valley.
Another federal victory!" thought
Craddoc<. mournfully. Poor old Dixie
she has not many left to fight he.
battles."
Listening to the growing tumult, he
presently saw the figure of q man dash
out from the shadow of the pines and
come racing down the slope toward the
i hM1 An ho t0ro o1On0 thu fnNo0Qov NJ
cheering behind him, like Z huge wave
il 0oaDnAA In hoor him Onn4QH I'd re