The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-11-18


Now ana then 1t seemed to swell loud
er, then diminish and increase.
Nellie turned from her father and
went into the room where her mother
lay in bed. Since the night of the air
raid she had been helpless. Nellie was
not going to leave her in that state.
Besides, there were other reasons why
Nellie knew she could not 60, for the
time was here when Bob would come.
He had to come at this season. The
leaves and the grass and the dust on
the road now were just as she always
saw them in her dream. So she stayed.
The east wind bore upon 1t the next
morning a parched fog, as from a for
est fre-the smoke of Chicago in
flames. And through this smoke men
fought and fell, advanced, gave ground.
stood and then gave ground again.
But here there was no rout. Before
the regents regiments battalions Of
the Americans fought a rear guard &C.
ton, making the regent pay for every
gain as he had not paid for American
ground before. One battalion in par
ticular took its toll of the invaders
along line just to the east of the city
Of Elgin. AS it took position and dug
itself in a man with bandaged eyes
and wearing faded and patched uni
form Of lieutenant in the United
States navy Joined the battalion. He
reported to the major and explained
that Just now he was blind, He had
been in the great sea battle and was
rescued unhurt, but later when COM
manding gun at Fort Hancock his
eyes had been injured. He had been
captured and had been certified as per-
manently disabled by the regents sur
geons, and SO recently he had been ex-
changed for another disabled man. He
had reached Chicago just as the army
was abandoning the city. The truth
was If he removed his bandage from
his eyes he had little sight-enough
to see that men aimed as they fired;
enough to see that men stayed in po-
sition. He was used to controlling
men.
So Bob Wendell fought. He kept his
eyes bandaged till the assault came on,
and then, though he knew it meant
darkness for him forever, he took the
black cloth from about his head, and
where he was men fought as nowhere
else. They stood and fought back four
times there number till the general Of
the brigade sent word that the troops
whose retreat they protected were
%h4 Hat k1
withdraw as 1t could.
Late that afternoon as Nellie Wen
dell looked out from the cellar where
she was hidden with her mother and
her son she saw soldier in different
uniform from the rest sink down by
the side Of the road. There were shells
breaking over the road, but Nellie for
got them as she saw the man on the
grass try to get up. She ran out and
caught him in her arms.
"Bob!" She kissed him. Bob, it's
Nellie! Bob, look-look at mev she
begged.
He raised his eyes, and then she
knew. She cried out and Rugged him
to her.
Little wife, little wife," he said to
her over and over again. Nellie, lit
tie wife, the baby-it was born?'
"A boy, Bob, boy-oh, just like you
your son!''
"A boy! My son! Where is he?
Tm-1'm not only just blind; I've been
hurt, think. But you mustn't stay
here. For his sake go, Nellie, go!'
"Go!" she cried and Rugged to him.
go from you now?"
A shell burst beside them. and the
enemy's soldiers half an hour later