The Press., 1913-02-26
AGift onthe Field of
 Battle Story the Balkan War
By F. A. MTTcHEL

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 Montenegrin soldiers
 lay side by side. One of them, whose
 leg had been shattered by rife 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 a 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 companion's lips. who drank it down greedily.
 The latter closed his eyes for few moments. then. seeming to gather strength, there came q regret that he should have been so weak as to accept a gift of what a fellow soldier needed for himself.
 "Pardon," he said faintly. ''the temptation was too strong for me; I couldn't resist it."
 "You needed 1t far more than I. I will recover without it. It may be the means of saving your life.''
 "I would that 1 might live to reward you for your sacrifice, but 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 1 should never return"
 "Do you mean it?"
 ''I do. She loved another. Fate de- prived her of him and gave her to me. Our parents arranged a marriage be- tween us. My heart was in it, but not hers. I have hated this man, though 1 have never seen him. I caly know that he exists. But now, since I am about to die. all that has gone from me. am even willing that my wife should be happy with him."
 l, Ir-,G ,lr,k ! 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 whippOorwill 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 l might como his way. A 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 | to make them hear. At any | rate they passed on, leaving him bleed ing in the old. He sank in a stupor, doubtless from loss of blood, from which he was aroused by bright light which daZ%,ed his eyes. Behind it was the dark figure of soldier.
 ''This ore is alive" said the man. Bring a Stretcher."
 There waS just enough animation in the sufferer to remember the compan- ion to whom he had given his last | drink of :QUOr, and he wondered if he still lived aid would be carried off the field or wOuld later be shoveled with the other dead into trench. But with coarser feelings are benumbed and he did not even ask the question. He was carried to a hospital-or, rather, a de pot for the wounded-where surgeons were at work amid hundreds of poor wretches 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 Mailer when he left the hOSpi tai did so with the help of q pair Ot crutches He had made his cont"i5u tion to the grim god of War in d le and was reserved to die natur0 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. He would sit by the fireplace telling his friends of the battles in ! -hich he had fought and the privations . had endured.
 One day a young widow who Ii lost her husband in the war cane fir a neighboring village to see Nnditl As she entered the room his eye light ed, and he exclaimed:
 "Maryar'
 "Louisr'
 She approached the maimed man. who started to rise from his chair, but she hurried to him and gently prevent ed him from getting up. Sinking on her knees beside him, she suffered him to draw her closer to him. Alas he said. you are now free, put I-I am a worthless cripple. You will doubtless marry again, for you are young and comedy. and again I shall Iuffer the pain of seeing you pass to he possession of another"
 "I will never infiict that upon you gain"
 And I will not permit you to sacri- Ice lifetime of comfort with husband md children for me. To be near you nd not possess you would be wretch d existence for me. No. As soon as ny wound permits I shall go away, 'erhaps to America, where they tell ne that even such as 1 may earn nough to prevent his being a burden