Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-05-14

met AFTER an absence. but mere COnSs
In the difference between peace and
war and more especially between
peace and spying, and you must pre-
pare yourselves for the horrid war
part of my story, which l am now go
ing to tell you. Not considering 1t the
part of q soldier or even a spy-for
that's what l waste look upon such
sight, I determined 10 turn away
from the couple. but as l was about
TO do so the young soldier unbuttoned
his coat took out a folded paper, evil
IDENTIFY letter, opened 1t and read 1t
to the girl. Then he said something
to her in an earnest way, whereupon
she gave him her hand, saying some
thing to him. and it struck me that
she was making him promise.
AN explanation Of this scene fash,
ed upon me. He was carrying an i'm
portant dispatch. had informed her of
its contents and she had promised him
that If anything occurred to prevent
his delivering 1t she would go to the
commander for whom it was intended
and deliver 1t verbally. This was my
Interpretation of the matter; but, of
course, IL WIS only guess
THE young soldier remained only
a few minutes with the girl. After
having taken her in his arms again
he tried to disengage himself from her,
but she chung to him, and it was quite
awhile before he could get away from
her
"This parting affected me very much.
for l was resolved to possess my
self of the dispatch or whatever It
was he carried. This could hardly
be done without one of us killing the
other, and it was likely that he would
fail, for he was unaware Of my pur-
pose, while could follow him and IL
necessary shoot him in the back.
"You may think, my dears, that to
harbor such intentions was very horrid
of me. but you must remember that
his life or mine was a mere bagatelle
compared with the lives of men COM
posing two armies. Besides. there was
the cause each represented.
The young man having torn him
self from the girl, whom he left stand
ing peering after him. mounted my
own horse and, screened by the trees,
rode down the incline in the direction
he had taken. We had not gone
mile from the house before overlook
him.
Hearing the chatter Of horses hoofs
behind him. he drew rein and turned.
He saw me with carbine leveled at
! him and heard me calling on him to
surrender.
HE must have known that to refuse
was certain death to him, for he must
depend on a revolver. and he was out
of range. while could shoot him down
before he could come near enough to
me to render his weapon effective
You asked me to tell you of a brave
! Confederate. and assure you this one
was not only a brave but noble
man, for rather than be captured with
I, the dispatch on him he chose death.
He made a dash at me. but before he
had come twenty PAGES l shot him.
and he fell from his horse, which went
tearing back in the direction from
which he had come.
1.-The young soldier was dying when
dsmounted and stood bes de him.
wished that the war was thing OF
the past, as 1t is for you youngsters, and
was in my own home in the north
engaged in peaceful avocations. l wait
ed till he was still in death, then open
ed his coat, took out the paper and
read it.
81 saw that it was an order for the
general commanding a detached portion
of General Jackson's forces to form
junction with him that night and be
ready to surprise us at dawn the next
morning.
"Then l forgot everything but the
carrying of the dispatch | had cap
tured to my general as soon as posi-
BILE Putting my foot in the stirrup.
l swung myself into the saddle and
rode southwark So intent was / on
the Importance of what l was doing
that did not think of the girl at the
house below. AS approached it saw
her holding her lovers horse with its
empty saddle and weeping Historically
with her arms about its neck.
81 could not bear to pass her. Turn
ing up the mountain side. struck the
trail by which | had descended and.
I TedCHlHB the crest. TOue ihtO camp
about 10 o'clock the same night, deliy-
ering the captured dispatch to the gen
eral When l told him the story |
have told you he said:
Thanks to you, we have nothing
to fear tomorrow. We will turn in and
sleep soundly.'
"The year that the first Memorial
was celebrated | went south. found the
grave of the young Confederate 1 had
killed and placed flowers upon II. |
was no longer in war. but amenable to
the generous. loving influences Of
peace. / was standing bare headed
over the grave when the girl l had
seen some years before approached
with her arms full of flowers. | with
drew without saying a word 10 her.
what could have said to her: Had
not caused the death of the man she
mourned? She could not have realized
! that the act was a war duty"