In the Morning Glow: Short StoriesGilson, Roy Rolfe
General
In the Morning Glow: Short Stories
Gilson, Roy Rolfe
Short stories; United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction
And you marched away, your drum beating a double-quick, the Captain
swaying ignominiously on the wagon and hugging his old brown gun. As
the Guards swung by the reviewing-stand, their arms flashing in the sun,
the Captain did not raise his eyes. So he never knew that looking down
upon his shame that April day sat his rag lady, with Lizbeth and the
waxen blonde. Her cheeks were pale, but her eyes were tearless. She did
not utter a sound as her tottering lover passed. She just leaned far
out over the flag-hung balcony and watched him as he rode away.
It was a hard campaign. Clover Plain, Wood-pile Mountain, and the
Raspberry Wilderness are names to conjure with. From the back fence to
the front gate, from the beehives to the red geraniums, the whole land
ran with blood. Brevetted for personal gallantry on the Wood-pile
Heights, you laid aside your drum for epaulets and sword. The Guards
and the Captain drifted from your ken. When you last saw him he was
valiantly defending a tulip pass, and defying a regiment of the Black
Ant Brigade to come and take him—by gad! sirs—if they dared.
The war went on. Days grew into weeks, weeks into months, and the
summer passed. Search in camps and battlefields revealed no trace of
Captain Jinks. Sitting by the camp-fire on blustering nights, your
thoughts went back to the old comrade of the winter days.
"Poor Captain Jinks!" you sighed.
"Jinks?" asked Grandfather, laying down his book.
"Yes. He’s lost. Didn’t you know?"
"Jinks among the missing!" Grandfather cried. Then he gazed silently
into the fire.
"Poor old Jinks!" he mused. "He was a brave soldier, Jinks was—a brave
soldier, sir." He puffed reflectively on his corn-cob pipe. Presently
he spoke again, more sadly than before:
"But he had one fault, Jinks had—just one, sir. He was a leetle too
fond o’ his bottle on blowy nights."
November came. The year and the war were drawing to a close. Before
Grape Vine Ridge the enemy lay intrenched for a final desperate stand.
To your council of war in the fallen leaves came Grandfather, a scarf
around his throat, its loose ends flapping in the gale. He leaned on
his cane; you, on your sword.
"Bring up your guns, boy," he cried. "Bring up your heavy guns. Fling
your cavalry to the left, your infantry to the right. ’Up, Guards, and
at ’em!’ Cold steel, my boy—as Jinks used to say."
Grandfathers for counsel; little boys for war. At five that night the
enemy surrendered—horse, foot, and a hundred guns. Declining the
General’s proffered sword, you rode back across the battle field to your
camp in the fallen leaves. The afternoon was waning. In the gathering
twilight your horse stumbled on a prostrate form. You dismounted,
knelt, brushed back the leaves, peered into the dimmed eyes and ashen
face.
"Captain!" you cried. "Captain Jinks!" And at your call came Lizbeth,
running, dragging the Rag Doll by her hand. Breathless they knelt beside
him where he lay.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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