The Meeker herald., 1913-08-16
AGift on the
Field Of
F. Battle
"A S.oryofthe Balkan War
3, F. A. Mitchell

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 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 rifle ball.
sat up and. pulling q little nask from
his pocket. was about to take the
single drink 1t contained when he saw
the other. who seemed to b. wounded
unto death. looking at It longingly. A
struggle arose within the man who
possessed It. He would soon likely
be carried OF the Geld to recover from
his wound. while the other gave evil
dence Of being 10 a dying condition.
Both men cravsd the single dram
that remained in the nask. To either
It was more than untold wealth. But
the posses~or Of the treasure could not
Withstand the look on the face Of the
other. Slowly. reluctantly. longingly.
be reached out his hand and held Il
to his companion's lips. who drank Il
down grecdily.
The latter closed his eyes for q few
moments. then. seeming to gather
strength. there came regret. that he
should have been 10 weak Is to accept
gift of what q fellow soldier needld
for himself.
"Pafdon." he said family. '.the
temptation was TOO strong for me;
couldn't resist It."
"You needed It far more than I.
will recover without 1t. It may be
the means Of saving your life.'
II would that might live to reward
you for your sacrif3ce, but cannot;
am dying" 5.
Cheer up. Exercise your will power.
Remember that there are those at home
who love you and are looking for your
return. This viii pull you through"
There Is but one such person in the
worid-my wife-and she would prefer
that should never return"
do you mean itT'
II do. She loved another. Fate de
pFived her Of him and gave her to me
Our parents arranged q marriage b.
tween ua Ny heart was In II. but mot
hsra. have hatsd this man, though
have never seen him. ] only know
that hs 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."
Az he spoke the last words he passed
into unconsciousness. while the atten-
ton of the other. bearing 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. A. the
whippoorwill sings saddest when the
twilight has passed.
Lights appeared here and there, NOV
ing about from place to place n 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 tho
lights. praying that some Of them
might come his way. A party drew
near him and be called to them. but
either there were too many such calls
for them to heed his or he had not tho
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 be was aroused BY q bright light
which daxzled his eyes. Behind It was
the dark figure Of a soldier.
This one IL alive" said the man.
"Bring q 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 Oh 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 hospitai-or. rather. de-
pot for the wounded-where surgeons
wsrs ut work amid hundreds Of poor
wretches who were awaiting their
turn to be examined. Finally a sur
geou approached him. looked at his leg
an6 At once began to amputate 1t.
Louis Nader when he left the hospi-
tai, did 30 with the help Of pair Of
crutcises. He had made his contribu-
ton to the grim god Of war In leg
and was reserved to die q natural
eeath. for his fighting days were over.
He sought his home In a little noun
tain village Of Montenegro. where. with
other of wars wrecks, he was received
thankfully that be had returned at all
BY those who were near and dear to
him. He would sit BY the fireplace
falling his friends Of the battles in
which be had fought and the privations
b. had endured.
Ono day 4 young widow who had
lost her husband In the war came from