Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-11

| HulI century nus phsSeu SiHcc W.
pushed out from the Rappabannock
and the little village Of Fredericksburg
and started up the incline, with scarce
ly a house or a tree on ii. toward the
ridge. it's base lined with Confederates
waiting for us. But its picture is as
sharply defined on my old brain as il
was then on my young eyes. What.
Go over that tilted plain that at a
word from the Confederate commander
would be swept with a hailstorm of
lead and iron? 1t was awful to think
of then, and many a night since in my
| dreams I've been there again.
There was deathly stiffness. broken
only by our monotonous tramp, before
they opened on u.s. Jim Edmonds was
marching next to me, and, turning.
saw that set look on his face which
men wear when going into battle. Jim
was as pale as a man walking to his
execution. AS I turned to look at him
he faced me. i can never forget that
look.
"I'm not coming out of this" he said.
1 had no reply to make. and If 1 had
had there would not have been time to
make it, for at that moment the sing
ing and the screeching. mingled with
the rattle and the roar, began. We
marched on, here and there a man
dropping in his tracks, and the nearer
we drew to the Confederates the more
frequent the drops. Our regiment got
as near to the gray death line as any,
but the remnant at last broke like the
rest. Why men were called upon to
rnI, hof fr1a1 ,Ioiy
admirably fitted for wholesale slaugh-
ter, is one of the many unaccountable
blunders of the war.
Jim fell shortly after we broke. We
were at the time, 1 think, about mid
way between the river and the ridge
He held out a hand to me, on which
was a ring He had lost the power of
speech, but 1 knew what he wished
me to do. 1 was to take the ring off
his finger and put it on my own. In
stead of doing so then and there, 1
took him up and carried him to the
rear. When 1 put him down he was
dead.
1 must go back a bit. Jim had left
n, sweetheart at home. He had often
talked about her to me. We were as
near to each other as youngsters can
be, and that is pretty near. We were
very different, and L believe that help
ed to draw us together. Jim was con-
fding, and I was reticent His face
was a mirror for his feelings; 1 had
perfect command over my features.
He would talk to me by the hour
about his sweetheart. 1 had left one
of my own at home, but I never men
20
wasn't built that way. I felt that it
was contemplate in me to accept my
friends condolences and not give my
own. Nevertheless I permitted him to |
pour them into my ear without a re- !
turn.
One night. shortly before the battle |
N which Jim was killed, when he was |
talking about his betrothed by camp |
fire, he said to me: "You know how |
absorbed l am in Edith. Well, I've ,
,ften thought that it is selfish on my |
part. 1 want her to make me happy. |
haven't thought much about her hap |
,iness. Suppose I get killed. She will |
suffer the same as I would if 1 should |
lear of her death. I've been thinking |
lbout this and how her life would be
poiled. She wouldn't give her heart
o any one else, for she would think
hat in doing so she would be untrue
o me. I've formed plan in case I
m killed to prevent her living the
onely life of an old maid. There's
f as her husband"
"And who may that be?" II
"You." ~
"Ir'
Eyes. And, what's more. in case I
ont get back home I wish you'd go
o her and tell her so.''
Now was the time, If ever. to con-
ess that I had a sweetheart of my
wn. I was about to overcome my
atural reticence when it occurred to
lie that there was as much chance of
~ being knocked out by she'll or a
ullet as Jim. Why not let the matter
est as it was? All said was:
Jim, you are very unselfish. Let's
Ike a cheerful view of IT. A soldier {
lustn't think of getting killed, though :
hats what we are here for. Let US. {
lther, dwell on both getting back
ONE and my being best man at your
edding."
That's all right If we get home My
AN is based ON my getting killed. d
he day we left for Washington Edith
ok this ring off her finger and put it
, mine. Jim she said. IN never
AIRY unless I marry the man that
ears that ring
"She meant that she would marry '
, man but you l
But don't you see how 1t works in
18th my plan for herr" I
mo. / don't"
"Wcll. you will when I've told you q
e rest. II am killed take this ring I
my finger and put 1t on yours. 1t t
Ill overcome her scruples." d
Our conversation was interrupted at h
is point and was never resumed. for i
e marched early the next morning 1
ID were soon laying pontoons In face "
the 1enemy's fire on the Rappahan- C
ok, and on getting across we march
I'm that incline xulinh I hora cofA |