The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1863-06-19
Iiffin atteklp Tribnnr
The Pic.et's Isusc.

NNe u kNNN SiRA NiNh y cAlNll Nnl- D
der. He found great satisfaction in pick /.
ct duty, aud hardly came in from days
exercise in that branch of military with.
out having report to make to his super
i,r Cfiitc or OF some new work discovered,
sone conversation overheard, some little
chance circumstance perceived, that might
be Of use in gainiIg an advantage over the
curmy. ,'-.
joel was a long, lank, yellow haired
fellow, not very soldicrly in speech or
hearing, but ct Infinitely more service
than many one of uui snug dappcr. we'll
looking city soldiers. lie was frghtully
sunburnt, and his face, course featured
and dcmurc, suggested good humor uid
power Of endurance, mora than courage
or discipline. But there was twinkle
about his small gray eye, which culiycu,d d
them, DESPITE their scNnty and character
less white loshcs, and impressed the close
observer with wholcs me respect for his
courage and intelligence. Ills nasal
voice AID drawl, his round shoulders aud
fiat build could not shake this respect 50
long as one kept those clear, tur.sccirg
eyes in sight, OHd Jocl's comrades prophc-
sled that he had only to behave himself,
aud keep on in his own way, to gain a
Tar Of epuulctts one fine dty.
IL openly declared that lnanual labor
on the carthworks was distOsteiul to him,
aud his cihccrs, showing his value at
picket DUTY, evinced enough consideration
lor him 10 kccp him at that service.
The position he liked best was on the
slope Of hill, opposite similar slope oc.
cupied by sentinel of the Confrdcrntcs.
THIS last was quite high bit of ground
whence one might see u great deal that
was going Oh about the batteries further
down. joel believed that the sentinel.
stationed there learned more than was
well for Our side. lie accordingly har.
rassed and annoyed every one that show
ed his head ON the hillside opposite, and
lell several adventurous fellows stretched
ON the turf, one after another, US reward
for their temerity.
IL was nearly quarter of mile or
but as have snid, tho lorg Vcrmohtcr
was good shot, aud it became really
dangerous for the enemy's pickos 10
show themselves at all, near the forbidden
sbill-sidc, They suon learned their |, sson
aud very soon acted upon it. Joclsauut-
ering down this path one fine afternoon
head sharp report, and felt the wind of
rifle ball that came wonderfully near his
head. Turning quickly he saw the smuke
floating up from Il little pile Of fresh earth
on the hill opposite. Tho cntmy had
dug pit wherein the picket could set at
case aud Expose his head and arms only
when he fred. Private Shapes FASTENED
with praisoworthy prudt nee TO get out OF
sight, among some ccdars, and watched
iCr sometime before fixing the location Of
the toeman again. Finally discovering
the fresh earth again, and imagining that
he saw hat just above il, he took a shot
in the erection. u, pepged a tall scnti-
mel, bareh hcadet, aud reformed the first in
stantly. llo hhd only been trying the
old trek of putting his hat on Il ramrod.
"This'll never daw," soliliquiz ID Joel.
"ThOt cuss has got tew good berth over
yonder. III just have 10 rouse him out. :"
The other scItineI's dcuth.wnrrant was
in some sort signed from that moment.
The crafty VcrmontCrs brain was atwurk
on the probl,m Of dslodging this man
tn, ncclOrth
So long as Joel kept quiet so did his
antagonist, but II was prcsumablc that he
could see the buucrlts in process Of CON.
struction, without exposing himselci, for
the earth taken from the pit wds carefully
piled upon the side toward Jo.l.
From thickot at the foot of the two
hills, however, u shot could be got
lengthwnys, Of the trench, aud behind
this ,rlfllng hrcasiwork. To gain the
thiekct, then, without being too visible on
the barren slope, was Joel's idea.
The next duy Private Shapes took
with him long iece of stout twine aud
revolver, when he went out on picket
duty. 1t was not yet day Tut the
gray and indistinct light ol dawn had be-
gan to palo in the east.
The sentinel, as soon rs the guard pass
ed along, hasten,d to drive smooth
stake in the ground, ard rest his musk.t
oyer u fork in a cedar tree in front OF the
stake, the lnuzzle vi the weapon pointing
in the direction Uf the pit on the further
slope.
He then cooked the piece, and fasten-
ed one end OF the cord to the trigger be.
ginning stealthily to crawl down the hill
ON his hands and knees paying out the
line as he went.
II was hazardous experiment, for the
thicket, when he gained il was very
sparse, and so near the point that the con :
federate'sentry, had he suspected JoePs
presence there could hardly have failed
TO hit him.
Lying down, hewever, the Vermonter
awaited sunrise, aid us ,he shadows faded