The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-07-31

miles Of neutral ground between. and
except for little skirmishing along
the front there was rest for half mil
lion men.
"Have you ever killed a MANI"
OF a sudden, as he lay doing on his
bed In camp one day, Private Holltns
asked this question of himself. When
the war was over and be returned
home he would be asked the question.
His friends and neighbOrs wouldn't be
satisfied with his record of battles, but
would sweep it aside and say
Yes. we know you were in five or
six battles and that you fired hundreds
of bullets nj the enemy. but can you
truthfuIIy say you ever brought Il man
doWn!"
He couldn't say it, and he felt that
he would lose caste. This feeling
brought a sudden resolve. 1t was a
resolve that startled him at first, but
the more he thought OF it the more de
ternIiued he was to carry ii out He
would XII a man. He would do it next
time be Went on picket
This is your post. HOllins." said the
corporal as he left him one afternoon
at the edge OF wood under large
oak We don't know exactly where
the euenrys picket is, but it's some
where around that log house"
To-day ! shall kill man." said Pri-
vate HOlinS as he was left alone, and
he began his preparations at once At
long rife shot away across an old cot.
ton field was long house with few
fruit trees standing about it. One
might be sure the farmer was off to
war and that wife and children. il they
had not abandoned the place. were
having miserable existence Holins
crept down to the fringe Of bushes on
his side of the field and peered and
watched and waited like an Apache
in ambush. For an hour be saw moth
ing Then a gaunt. i'll used dog came
among the trees and trotted about in
the open in sneaking fugitive way
II the dog was there the house must
be inhabited. He had just come to
this conclusion when he caught sight
of figure among the trees. 1t was
between the house and the bushes,
where he believed the enemy'S picket
was lying 1t must be the picket on
his way to and from the we'll Per
haps be had gone to the house to light
his pipe or boil bis coffee. There was
a glimpse and it was gone. Another
glimpse, another hiding. and then the
figure was fair to view 1t was a long
shot, but pretty fair target, and with
out an inStant's hesitation he drew
up his gun and fired When he look
ed over the smoke the figure was gone
But | know | hit him. and he's ~
ing dead on the grass!
Now / can tell them at home that
! killed a man! Mighty long shot. but
/ dropped him for sure"
The dog was still in the open As
the shot rang ont he looked back
among the trees. AS the echoes died
away he turned bis head toward IlOl
Inns and howIed dsmally \ moment
later and the figure of a young girl
appeared beside the dog. She was
bareheadcd. baretoOted and not over
eight years old. HeSitatDg for only
a moment she began advancing across
the field The smoke from the sol
dier's muSkpt had located him The
dog followed at her heels, head and
tail down. and with surprise Hollins
watched the girTs approach 1t took
her five minutes to cross the field She
came straight at him as he stood up
among the bushes. and when she
reached him she extended her hand
and clasped his and said:
Come along. your
He rested his musket against a log
and permitted her to lead him into the
open ana across the field He did not
ask Where she was leading him Not a
question passed his lips, nor did she
speak further Straight across the
field to the trees among which his vic
tim had stood but tong before he got
there he saw form on the grass b.
and ny they came close up to it. and
the giri let 90 his hand and pointed
ana said.
You shot man"
II wasn't II man tying dead on the
grass soldier ~ farmer. bun woman
The soldier rubbed his eyes and looked
around in dazed way A boy Of ten
ana girl Of five came out of the house
and stood there and looked from the
soldier to the dead woman and back.
"WeII?" queried HoIins Of the chill
drtG as they continued to stare at him
They simply pointed to the mother
lying dead and uttered no word. The
soldier tried to speak again. but he
With face whittier than the
one on the grass. with quiveCing chin
and blinded eyes. he made bis way
slowly across the old field to his post.
AS be lurched and staggered be heard
q dog howl again but no one called to
him. When he reached his post be sat
down on the ground and covered his
face with his hands and groaned An
hour later the corporal came with the
relief HoIltna was lying on the
with his arms extended
"<ay hu,< SAID the corporal as he
h,.rr ,,..r th- nnd, "t'li he hanged II
lr,n uri.'r = TO-. ant Ei' "u ultu~nlt