The Last Three SoldiersShelton, W. H. (William Henry)
History
The Last Three Soldiers
Shelton, W. H. (William Henry)
North Carolina -- Fiction; Soldiers -- Fiction; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
Late on that very afternoon, as they sat together outside the house,
they saw Tumbler, the bear, shambling down the hillside in front of the
house, and they had no doubt he had been awakened from his winter's nap
by the roar of the avalanche. He was thin of flesh and ragged of fur,
and so weak on his clumsy legs that he sat down at short intervals to
rest. He made his way first to the branch, where he refreshed himself
with a drink, and then came on with renewed vigor toward the house. He
was such a very disreputable-looking bear, and had been gone so long,
and must be so dangerously hungry, that the men stood up doubtfully at
his approach until they saw a weak movement of his stumpy tail and the
mild look in his brown eyes as he seated himself on the chips and
lolled out his red tongue.
Philip brought him a handful of roast potatoes, which he devoured with
a relish, and then stood up so handsomely to ask for more that they
rolled him raw ones until his hunger was satisfied, after which he
waddled through the open door, and lay down for another nap in his old
place by the fire, just as if he had gone out but yesterday, which was
probably just what he thought he had done.
By this time the last page of the station journal had been used, and
Lieutenant Coleman had added to it the five fly-leaves of the precious
Blue Book, which he had cut out neatly with his knife. Paper was so
scarce at last that on this March 16, which was the day the bear woke
up, the circumstance of the avalanche alone was recorded, and that was
entered after the date in the most wonderfully small and cramped
letters you can imagine. Now, Philip was of the opinion that the
return of the bear was of quite as much importance as the falling of
the ice. It happened that he had in his breast pocket a letter which
had been written to him by his uncle. It was postmarked, "Piqua,
Ohio," and addressed, "Philip Welton, Co. C, 2d Ohio Infy., Camp near
Resaca, Ga." Philip had been looking over Coleman's shoulder as he
made the cramped entry in the diary.
"Now look here," said he, taking up the quill as it was laid down; "if
you don't choose to make a record of the bear, I will." So taking from
his pocket the letter, he wrote across the top of the envelop:
"WHITESIDE MOUNTAIN, March 16, 1865.
"Tumbler, the bear, woke up to-day.
"(Signed) PHILIP WELTON,
"GEORGE BROMLEY,
"FREDERICK HENRY COLEMAN."
"Well," said Coleman, "what are you going to do with that? Drop it
over into the Cove?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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