The Cordova daily times., 1918-02-12

ct consent. Many boys of his age,
both in the North and in the South.
broke away from parental restraint
and enlisted without permission. Food
for powder was in demand, and the
recruiting officers often winked at the
fact that the recruits were under age.
But Allan was his mothers only child.
and, being of an extremely affection
ate disposition, the bond between them
was doubly strong
So Allan continued at his studies,
though he read more about the battles
that were being fought than the sub
jects treated in his textbooks. He
lived in Richmond, and at one time
had listened to the roar of the cannon
during the seven days battles that had
been fought between Lee and McClel-
Ian. His admiration for soldiers wore
away some of his bitterness against
the federal generals, but President
Lincoln was still the embodiment of
his repugnance for the Northern peo-
pie. The two heads-Davis of the
Confederacy and Lincoln of the fed
eral UniOn-throughout the war con-
tinued to represent the bitter antag.
onism felt by either side.
In the early spring of 1865 Allan
Fitz Hugh came to be sixteen years of
q oo opd bic ~, otbo~ ~af,otor+l,, oor
scented to his doing his part to fill the
gaps in the Southern ranks made by
Northern missiles. When the time
came for him to leave his mother he
was seized with a foreboding that he
would not see her again. 1t is ques-
tionable which suffered the more at
| parting, mother or son.
Allan enlisted in time to take part
in one of the last battles of the war
He saw dark line of blue on the edge
of a wood behind earthworks. With
the Confederate line of battle he
moved toward 1t. Suddenly storm
burst in his face. He felt himself
collapse and sink down on the ground
His companions in arms went on
but were soon driven back and over
him, leaving him there with a stream
of blood flowing from his side.
Later he was picked up by a fedora
ambulance corps and placed on {
stretcher. He believed himself to be
dying, and, oh, how terrible not t
be able to bid his mother good-by
'MOther!" he cried. ooh, mother!'
A tall, spare man in citizens ap
parel heard the wall and directed tn,
carrier to put down the stretcher and
kneeling beside it, asked tenderly:
What can do for you, my boy?"
"You are Yankee. You will d.
nothing for me. l wish to send
message to my mother, but it viii
never reach her"
Give me your message, and l prom
Use you that l will send it for you"
The next morning Mrs. Fitz Hugl
heard of the battle and knew that he
son had been in it. While she wai
wondering what might have been hi
fate a man rode up to her and gave
her message stating that it had com,
by flag of trucs.
Starting for the front at once, tn,
anxious mother succeeded in bringing
her boy home. He lowered for some
time between life and death, then be
gan slowly to recover. Not long after
this Richmond was evacuated by the
Confederates, and President Lincoln
went down there from Washington
When he was riding through the street
on which the FItz Hughs lived Allan
was propped up in an easy chair or
| pillows, and his mother pointed out
: Mr. Lincoln to him.
"Oh, mother!" exclaimed the boy.
what is il, Allan?"
Hes the man who comforted me
when | was carried off that dreadful
battlefield, and he sent you my mes
sage"