The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-04-17
GIRL WITH The FLAG
BY MRS. GEN. GEORGE e. PICKETT.

The long lines Of infantry had
swept up through the green valleys
OF southern Pennsylvania and were
weariedly marching northward to a
battlefield somewhere. no man Of them
could have told where. They only
knew that they were tired and foot
sore and hungry, and the rich green
fields they had passed had brought
no comfort.
A young soldier took OF his ragged
cap, wiped the Precipitation from his
face and looked over at little cot
tage with It's encircling vines. II
made him think of another little cot
tage across the lines, where the vines
had empowered his childhood.
As the head of the column came
opposite the house girl ran out from
the open doorway to the front Of
the portico. She had a United States
flag tied around her as an apron and
she stepped upon chair that the
whole army might see 1t and waved 1t
deflantly at the approaching troops
The leader looked around appre-
hensively Some Of his men had come
from the most frightfully devastated
part of the South. How would they
take the sudden defiant presentation
OF the banner under which that ruin
had been wrought? With swift,
graceful movement he wheeled his
black battle horse out Of line, lifted
his cap, bowed to the warlike maid
and saluted the flag she bore. He
turned to the advancing men, waved
his hand, and every tattered cap W's
lifted and each man as he passed
saluted the enemy's colors. The
leader rode forward to his place and
the long line moved on.
"She is little fighter" thought
the boy who had waved his cap to
her. II should like to have her for q
sister. Only If she were my sister
she would wave but one Gag"
He sighed, remembering the lonely
cottage under the magnolias
"In love again. by .Jove." said the
older soldier who marched beside
him. Hi. boys! What do you think ?
Shivers is in love with the little
Pennsylvania amazon"
"Shivers Is always In love-" said an
other. Hes the victim Of chronic
affection. Do you remember how he
fell in love with the guerrilla's
daughter and came near being shot
for a spy? Some day Shivers will
have fatal attack of love and Gener-
al Lee will quit lying awake nights
trying to keep at the head Of the
army, in the light Of Shiver's increas-
ing military fame"
Military fame indeed" growled
Z rugged veteran. "All the fame Jack
Shivers will ever get will be for
writing verses and singing love songs
with guitar accomplishments"
All the while they were marching
on-they who dreamed Of home and
love, they who professed lofty scorn
for sentimentalities, and they who
went silently to the field wherein a
cause was to die.
On the morning of the third poor
Jack Shivers was one of those who
lay behind the low. long hill ant
looked eastward into the space be
tween two ranges Of f1recrownet
peaks. man was crouched dowr
beside him with his hand resting or
his shoulder. Neither spoke, bu
there was a comra deship in the touch
that told Of love greater than mel
put into words.
Beyond the crest they waited a:
the slow hours went by--waited til
the order came. and they went dowl
into the valley of death. What the.
did on that fatal field Of Gettysburg
Is inscribed on the page of history.
In the beginning Of the retrea
Jack Shivers was wounded The over
whelming force Of the enemy werv
closing in from every point,
) "He is Dead" thought the man. H
scarce noticed the shower Of ball
: that fell about him nor marveled owe
the apparent miracle that not on
OF them touched him as he bore tn
unconscious boy to a spot Of create
security Under the grove Of tree
not quite in the line Of fire he lai
! his friend on the smooth grass tina
had been untouched by the storm O
war. With his untutored skill h
dressed the wound and sat lookin
at the still face and trying to tug wit
the fingers Of hope against the weig''
Of despair that filled his heart
The boy moved restlessly an
opened his eyes.
Are we dead'"
mo; unfortunately-we are lone
somely alive We'd have more con
pany II We were dead"
did we win the battle?"
Did we win? Boy. am too hear
weary and dazed to know anythin
but pain, unless it be thankfulnes
that you are alive"
But tell me something-where ar
we and where are the others? {
| see; am wounded and can't e
on-but you-you must leave me g
you will be taken prisoner or killed
| MET much old rnnn. hara ono