The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-10-07
THE OLD MANS
STRANGE STORY
Weird Visitor Quiets leVlty
of a Dinner Party.


We fell to talking about death and
from that to joking about our own
probable exits from the world. Sud
denly a man sitting at a neighboring
table, with his back to US, turned and
faced us. l shall never forget his face
or the expression it wore. 1t was the .
Oldest face / ever saw.
Gentlemen" he said, rising and com
ing toward US, how different would .
be your conduct should | announce to 1
you that before the clock strikes u
tonight one of your number would I
pass to another existence"
Had he really announced the fact /
the effect could scarcely have been
greater. A cold chill passed over ev
cry one of us.
Let me tell you of an incident the
stranger continued. seating himself,
that happened just before the battle
| of Buena Vista. We were expecting
to meet the enemy
Were you there?" interrupted one
of our party.
/ WAS | there?" The stranger laugh
ed. low. singular laugh, unlike any ]
had ever heard before, a laugh that
had l given way to my feelings would
have set my teeth to chattering. Yes;
l was on hand he went on. Il was
standing near n party of young officers
who were talking upon the very sub
ject you have been discussing. They
were all boys, nothing but boys, to
whom death looked farther off than
the starry armament. They were
Lieutenant Brice of the cavalry, Pierce
of the artillery and Skidmore of the
staff They We're making n pool to be
divided between the survivors or sur
vivor after the battle The fools didn't
believe any of them would be killed
Were there not old generals and colo
nelS in the service who had fought
battles unscathed? They forgot the
many who had fallen; they forgot that
under the doctrine of probabilities one
or more of them would be killed or at
least wounded; they forgot that death
is on every battlefield and does not like
to be laughed at.
, "A shot, followed by volley, roar,
shouts, opened the fight The three of
ticers dashed away TO their respective
posts. In ten minutes Pierce. who was
in command of a couple of field guns,
was shot in the breast. | was stand
ing by him at the time. The bullet
struck him on the left side and turned
him round. The last image he saw was
myself.
IAN order was sent to the cavalry tC
= charge. Seeing them making ready.
Joined them and rode directly behind
Brice. We were met by ii terrific fire
of what in those days they called
{ grape and canister
o II was following Brice and, secn.
= him waver under hayonet thrust
i rode up behind him and called to him
|. He turned his head, and at that mo
- ment a Mexican officer ran him through
= the heart with his sword.
Here were two Of these young gam
~. blers with death who We're alread
+, worsted The third, Skidmore receiv
" ed an order to ride from left to RICH
u of the line of battle to carry an order
Il DiSdaining to go behind, he went b,
II tween the opposing forces. 1t was
l. hot fire he was riding through. but h
le seemed to care little for il. Men ha
+ gone through just such dangers befor
n and so would he His horse. wildl
O. frightened. was plunging. and. stun
# bling, it fell. Skidmore was thrown
II but, rising. pulled the horse to its fee
by the bride reins. mounted and w;
about to ride on when / touched hi
on the shoulder. A cannon ball shrie
ed by and took him with it, a mutila
ed mass. Well. l laughed"
,c 'LaughCdr' exclaimed every horrC
he stricken man.
Eyes, gentlemen. Why not? Had n
= these foolish fellows laughed at Dealt
as Had they not sported with the 6
: powerful specter. and that on the vel
!, verge of one of his carnivals?"
h. There was something so terrible
no the speakers wrath that every one
us-every one except Baxter, the o
. man of our party-shrank back.
''Who is this DEATH said Baxt
contemptuously, "of whom we must :
% speak so gingerly? The very certai
y ty of his coming takes away from o
terror of him, and if we do fear hi
we surely do not respect him.
comes into families and separates hr
band and wife, parents and childre
If he does not come early he W
surely come late when we have c
hausted life's pleasures, comforts,
tachments. hopes. Then we must Ii
on waiting for him. A fig for yo
Death, / say
The stranger who had been so Fl
pant suddenly quoted He east 10
at Baxter. who returned his CLAN
calmly and, rising from his seat, SAID
Pardon me. gentlemen, for int
al rupting your amusement. Death low
81 to get his clutches on those who fe
III him. When he seizes upon such
you" looking at Baxter, 1T is like
huntsman shooting stag in its sleeI
III The old man who had met his mat