The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-01-16
AGift Onthe
Field Of
Battle
AStoyof the Balkan War
By F. A. MICHEL

l..s~>~~~~~S>~-~~~>~~~~~~-
One Of those bloody battles between
the allied Balkan forces and the Turks,
near Adrianople, had been fought, and
the latter had been defeated, but not
without terrible cost to their enemies.
From the field arose the mingled cries
of Turks and Balkans, the former ap-
pealing to Allah TO send them succor'
the latter to the Christians God.
Two wounded Montenegrln soldiers
lay side by side One OF them, whose
leg had been shattered by rife ball.
sat up and. pulling little 1ask from
his pocket, was about to take the
single drink 1t contained when be saw
the other, who seemed to be wounded
unto death. looking at It longlngly. A
struggle arose within the man who
possessed It. lie would soon likely
be carried on the field TO recover from
his wound while the other gave eyi-
denee Of being In q dying condition.
Both men craved the single dram
that remained IN the flask. To either
Il was more than untold wealth But
the possessor Of the treasure could not
Withstand the look on the face OF the
other. Slowly, reluctantly, longingly,
he reached out his hand and held 1t
TO his companlon's lips. who drank 1t
down greedily.
The latter closed his eyes for a few
moments, then, seeming TO gather
strength. there came a regret that be
should have been so weak as TO accept
q gift Of what fellow soldier needed
for himself
Pardon" he said family, ''the
temptation was too strong for me;
couldn't resist t."
"You needed II far more than |.
will recover without IL. II may be
the means Of saving your life.'
II would that might live to reward
you for your sacrifice, but I cannot; /
am dying"
''Cheer up. Exercise your will power.
Remember that there are those at home |
who love you and are looking for your
return. This will pull you through"
There Is but one such person In the
world-my wife-and she would prefer
that | should never return"
"Do you mean it2'
81 do. She loved another Fate de.
prived her OF him and gave her to me.
Our parents arranged marriage be-
tween us. My heart was In II, but not
hers. have hated this man, though
have never seen him. only know
that he exists. But now, since | am
about to die, all that has gone from
me. I am even willing that my wife
should be happy with him."
As he spoke the last words he passed
into unconsciousness, while the atten- |
ton Of the other. hearing sounds OF an
approaching rescue party, was turned
in another direction.
Darkness fell upon the battlefield, but |
only caused the cries of those lying |
there to sound more melancholy as the |
whlppoorwill sings saddest when the
twilight has passed.
Lights appeared here and there, NOV |
ing about from place to place as rescue
parties relieved the wounded or carried
them away TO the hospitals, The mar
with the broken leg, supporting him
self by an arm looked eagerly at the
lights, praying that some OF them
might come his way. A party drew
hA IN htft
either there were too many such calls
for them to heed his or he had not the
strength to make them hear At any
rate they passed on, leaving him bleed
ing In the cold He sank in a stupor,
doubtless from loss of blood. from
which he was aroused by bright light
which dazZled his eyes. Behind 1t was
the dark figure Of a soldier.
"This one is alive" said the man.
Bring stretcher,"
There was Just enough animation In
the sufferer TO remember the compan.
ion to whom he had given his last
drink OF liquor, and he wondered II he
still lived and would be carried OFF the
field or would later be shoveled with
the other dead into trench But with
bodily weakness both our finer and
coarser feelings are benumbed, and he
did not even ask the question He was
carried TO hospital-or, rather, de-
pot for the wounded-where surgeons
were at work amid hundreds Of poor
wretches who were awaiting their
turn to be examined. Finally a sur.
geon approached him, looked at his leg
and at once began TO amputate II.
Louis Nader when he left the hospi-
tai did SO with the help OF pair Of
crutches He had made his contribu-
tion to the grim god Of war IN leg
and was reserved TO die . natural
death, for his lighting days were over
He sought his home in little noun
tain village OF Montenegro. where, with
other of wars wrecks, he was received
thankfully that he had returned at all
by those who were near and dear TO
him He would sit by the fireplace
telling his friends Of the battles In
which he had fought and the privations
he had endured.
One day young widow who had
lost her husband In the war came from
a neighboring village TO see Nader,
AS she entered the room his eye light
ed, and he exclaimed:
"Maryaw
"Louisr"
She approached the manned man.
who started to rise from bis chair, but
she hurried TO him and gently prevent.
ed him from getting up, Sinking on
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III HOOD RIVER - NH0I