- Old Colonel Potter had distinguished himself in 1812, and his son Dick was made a lieutenant fighting for the Confederacy. One July noon in '63, worn out with hard riding, Dick dropped from his horse at his father's house. He carried important dispatches, he said, but could not resist stopping off a few hours to see his wife, Nancy, and get a rest. Nancy urged him to stay all night, but the Colonel sternly reminded the young officer that he must put his country before his happiness and Dick went that evening somewhat reluctantly, to saddle his horse. Meanwhile Nancy had let the animal loose, and despairing of being able to find the horse in the darkness, Dick gave in to her entreaties to stay. Early next morning, a courier rode up with the news that a battle fought at dawn had been lost, because Lieutenant Potter had not reached camp with the dispatches. Ignorant that his son was still under his roof the father hotly declared that he must have been killed, as otherwise a Potter would never have failed in his duty to his country. The courier rode on to trace the missing officer, and a few minutes later, the Colonel discovered his son on the point of continuing on his mission. Sick with shame, yet unflinching, he told the young man that it was too late, that he had disgraced the family name and his country. Then leading him to his room, Col. Potter took down his revolver and laying it silently before Dick, left him. The lieutenant took farewell of his wife as though he were going on his journey. Out of sight of the house, he drew rein. Then, through the still morning air, a shot rang out. The father found his son's body five minutes after he fell. He cleaned and reloaded the revolver, placed it in Dick's belt, and simulating evidence that the young officer had been surprised and attacked, stole sorrowfully away. A little later, the courier was stooping over the dead lieutenant. "Died like a soldier," he muttered.—Moving Picture World synopsis
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