The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-01-23
AGift ON the
Field Of
Battle
Story ofthe Balkan War
By F. A. mitchell

One Of those bloody battles between
the allied Balkan forces and the Turks
near Adranople, 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 APP
pealing to Allah to send them succor
the latter to the Christians God.
Two wounded Montenegrin soldiers
lay side by side. One of them, whose
leg had been shattered by a rifle ball,
sat up and, pulling little flask from
his pocket. was about to take the
single drink it contained when he saw
the other, who seemed to be wounded
unto death, looking at 1t longingly. A
struggle arose within the man who
possessed IT, He would soon likely
be carried off the field to recover from
his wound, while the other gave evil
dence Of being in dying condition.
Both men craved the single dram
that remained in the flask. To either
it 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 companions lips. who drank it
down greedilv.
! The latter closed bis eyes for few
moments, then, seeming to gather
strength there came regret that he
should have been 50 weak as to accept
a gift of what a fellow soldier needed
for himself
Pardon" he said family, "the
temptation wrs too strong for me; l
couldn't resist It,"
"You needed it far more than I. l
will recover without it. 1t may be
the means of saving your life.'
II would that might live to reward
you for your sacrifice, but cannot; l
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
Iworld-my wife-and she would prefer
that I should never return"
DO you mean it?"
II do. She loved another. Fate de.
Iprived her Of him and gave her to me.
Our parents arranged a marriage be-
tween us. My heart was in it, but not
hers | have hated this man, though
i have never seen him. | only know
that he exists But now, since l am
about to die. all that has gone from
me | 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
Iwhippoorwill 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 man
with the broken leg, supporting him
self by an arm, looked eagerly at the
lights, praying that some of them
might come his way, \ party drew
near him and he called to them, but
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 stupor,
doubtless from loss of blood, from
which he was aroused by n bright light
which daZ2led his eyes Behind it was
the dark figure Of a soldier.
This one is alive said the man.
."Bring Il 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 If 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 a hospital-or, rather, de-
pot for the wounded-where surgeons
were at wOrl; amid hundreds of poor
|wrctCheS who were awaiting their
turn to be examined. Finally sur
geon approached him. looked at his leg
and at once began to amputate it.
Louis Nader when he left the hospi,
tai did so with the help of a pair of
crutcheS. He had made his contribu'
Ition to the grim god of war in a lea
and was reserved to die natural
death for his fighting 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. lie would sit by the fireplace
telling his friends of the battles III
which he had fought and the priyations
he had endured.
One DAY young widow who had
lost her husband in the war came from
ncighborng village to see Nader
As she entered the room his eye light
ed, and he exclaimed:
"Marya!"
Louis"
she approached the MANNED man
she hurried TO him and gently prevent
ed him from getting M. Sinking on
her knees beside him, she suffered HIN
TO draw ~r closer to him.
'AlaS,' lie said, you are now free