The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-05-26

monsters of distorted magina-
As-' tion went Gathering through on
their horses stopped to rest in the shade of the
trees which lined the streets. salome Myers was
working with her mother in the sitting room pre-
pairing the midday meal. Mrs Myers was not one
to wall and weep at the approach of armed men.
She proceeded calmly about her routine housework
without wailing.
For time Salome wound the strips of linen and
cotton as rapidly as did her mother, and gave no
more thought to the outside noises than did the
older woman; but at length the girl heard louder
noise than usual. 1t was the tramp of a body of
infantrymen coming up the street She only
human, and to the front window and threw it
up. large squad of Confederates bringing
some Federal prisoners into town
There signs of increasing excitement
among the Confederates. Orderes went catter
ing up and down the street and men were clean
ing rifles in anticipation of immediate conflict
Nothing happened that night Salome slept little
All night long the military shouts were ringing
sharp orders and sudden challenges echoed
through the streets.
In the morning she darted to the window. There
was not a sign of the Confederates They had
gone. A little after breakfast another rumble and
catter was heard All dashed to the windows
peered out, then tore into the street yelling like
mad. 1t the Union meL gaoping in They
poured past in seemingly inexhaustible numbers
The villagers free to mingle once more ran about
excitedly. Salome soon found her place among
the girls of her own age. who were as thrilled and
awed as she.
Suddenly the cry ran around: "Buford's cavalry
is coming. They've ridden all the way from Vir-
ginia without STOP" and cheer of welcome
followed the news over the town.
When they had passed orderly dashed
through the town calling upon all the villagers TO
go to their cellars The battle was about TO begin
AS they filing into their houses the first guns
roared out and gradually grew in number and
he windows in
their easements All day they crouched in the
cellar Now and then bullet would strike the
buildings, and sometimes the glass from a break
ing window would tinkle that they could hear
it from the recesses OF their retreats. Troops
went rushing by, sometimes silently, sometimes
with loud huZzas.
Late in the afternoon Doctor Fulton came to the
head of the stairs and called down. He asked II
there were any women below who could help
care for the wounded Mrs Myers replied that
of course there were and started up the stairs
Salome would have followed, but her father halted
his wife and tried to persuade her OF the danger.
But the good woman determined. and conse
Quently they all went up The Catholic church
close by had been turned into a hospital.
The girl darted out Of the house and across the
lawn. At the church door she halted She did
not dare look inside. Horrible groans, shrieks
and cries echoing in the interior A couple
of men brushed past her with of the stretch
ers between them. She glanced down. face
covered with blood all she weakness
gripped her heart and she staggered to one side.
Someone inside cursing with persistent bias
phemy. Somehow the vigor and naturalness OF
the act brought back her selfpossession, and she
marched inside. The floor was covered with blood.
Men with legs arms gone rolling and tum-
bling over STILL silent figures Others scream
ing and clutching at their mangled bodies in help
less and maudlin suffering. sckenng odor sent
the girls head reeling again. At her feet a man
lay watching her with dull beared eyes. She
dropped on one knee and tried to speak to him
She had no voice Her hand trembled and she
started violently she touched him. Finally she
stammered, What can do for your"
Nothing" he murmured slowly I'm going "a
die" and he smiled feebly. II was too much She
fed to the church steps. quiverng and sobbing In
long gasps.
II was near sundown and the end of a horrible
day The babel grew worse and worse Doctors
as bloody as any OF the wounded men hurried
here and there Nurses in and out bearinl
bandages and buckets OF water. Slowly Salomt
rose to her feet. She would go back in. she could
bear IL now she thought, and acting on the i'm
pulse, inspired by she knew not what, she scurriet
back into the shambles. She avoided glancing a
the room, but knelt at the head of the 4
whom she had first spoken. He was brighter ant
smiled when she raised his head for a draft o
water She opened his clothing and found
wound in his breast. She bathed II gently
doctor passing told her that the man had beei
shot through the lung and that HIS spine was shat
tered There was no hope. She looked down
the doomed man with great eyes. He was tue
sine at his belt and pulled out a pocket Bible