The herald., 1913-05-29
A Memorial
Day Story
By ANDREW c. EWING

at the SOlulerS NOME, vi DeSOI dliou
day, as we used to call it when we
first started putting flowers on the
graves of our dead comrades 1t was
a solemn day then, but now that near
ly two generations have grown up
since the war and that struggle has
passed into history the day has become
a regular holiday"
That's right" said the other old
chap, grinding on a quid OF tobacco.
"You don't expect every generation
that comes on is going to mourn for
men who died long before the new
corners were born, do you"
mo, l don't. but somehow Memo
rial day brings it all back as fresh as
If it were yesterday | can see my
Nanny now just as she looked the day
I come out of that wood the day after
the battle of Seven Pines and she
caught sight of me. the raggedest, dirti-
est, hungriest, bloodiest, ghostliest
young ragamufiin you ever saw"
by the bye" interrupted the other
vet, 81 went down into Virginia last
summer and all over Seven Pines. 1t
was q cornfield when we fought there.
Now it's overgrown with a forest of
trees. 1t reminded me of the genera
tons that have grown up since the
war"
"Just so. That day. when saw Nan
standing by the well, was about as
near gone up as / ever was in my life.
I'd been taken prisoner by the John
MES. but before they could get US
where they could corral us I'd man
aged to slip away. knew If didn't
get some help and some sustenance
I'd die right there In the wood, for in
addition to having nothing to eat I'd
got bullet in my leg, and couldn't
get any help or food unless i trusted to
the girl. II ] trusted her the chances
were she'd give me away to the Con-
federates and I'd get back into Libby,
where I'd been once before, and I'd
rather die than do that.
well, there was nothing to do but
risk it. So l stepped out before her.
You'd ought to seen her look. 1t was
like suddenly coming on to a scare
crow. At first she was frightened;
then she laughed. When she laughed
at me / was all broken up. and a
worse expression than before came
over my face that made her laugh
again. Then all Of a sudden she began
to pity me, and. SOLDERING down, she
asked:
"'Are you Yank or Johnnie? You're
SO ragged and dirty and bloody don't
know which you are
"Tm Yank,' l admitted. I suppose
you'll give me away
"'Give you away! Who would want
such a looking thing as you?
There's lots like me In Libby
prison.
whats the matter with you?
"'Oh, nothing, only sick and tired
and hungry and wounded
lis that allT
"The humor of it struggled with her
sympathy. She told me that her folks
were strong Confederates and she dare
| not take me into the house, but the
hayloft would make a good hospital,
and she put her arm under mine and
helped me around. skirting the wood
so that one could get into the barn
without being seen, and she almost
had to carry me up the steps to the
hayloft.
You'd better believe that hay was
soft. I've slept on hair mattresses
since, but none Of 'em ever gave way
under me like that hay. But / had to
wait a long while for a breakfast You
see, Nan had to wait till she could
steal out Of the house with the proven
der. And when she did she couldn't
bring anything hot I'd have given
my wounded leg for cup Of our
United States coffee.
well, Nan nursed me in that loft
for a week or more. i couldn't tel
how long it was, since / didn't take
any account of time. She stole some
old clothes her brothers had worn out
and brought 'em to me and kept my
leg bandaged and did a lot of thing:
for me. / suppose 1t was taking care
of me that way that got her used t.
having me round, for when there wa.
no more excuse for my staying and
thought I'd better light out she cried.
"And Memorial days come again
l must be Off to put these flowers OF
Mans grave. I've been putting 'em OF
for ten years now, and it won't be Ions
before the few boys that are left will
be putting 'em on mine. I'd like t.
live till Memorial day in rs. 1t will
then be fifty years since / was dis
charged and went to that farm in Vir
ginia and we were married. We wen
out to the barn where she had nurset
me, and lay on the hay just to see i
it was as soft as when sank down oil
it that day / first saw Nan. She toll
her folks how ! looked when sh'
brought me in there and how she't
stolen things to take out to me, ant
they couldn't understand how she coul'
have managed 1t without getting
caught. Truth is, those times in tn
south made everybody rely on thei
wits, and there was more deceivini
done in those four years than In
whole century Of peaceful times.
81 brought Nan back north with me
and a mighty good wife she made 70
a matter of nearly forty years, and tn
rest Of it since she left me ] don