The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-06-18


The building was put up, should Judge.
before the war of 1872, and not repaired
since; A Grabbed old man in gray coat.
with horn buttons, and tan-colored panta.
looms; looking as if he didn't know what to
make exactly of the character of his visit
ors, was on the porch. Near him, and
somewhat in his rear, was darkie about
as old as himself.
wont you get off your critters?'' at
length said the old man, his servant adj
vancing to hold the horses.
The Captain dismounted, and his long
spurs jingled and the Majors sabre clat-
tered on the rotten porch floor, the old fell
low changed countenance considerably, be-
ing Impressed with the presence of great
ness.
II am Major General Franklin, sir, COM
mander OF grand division of the grand
army OF the Potomac, pompously said the
Captain, at the same time Introducing me
as his Aid, Major Kennedy.
wen, gentlemen officers, stammers the
Old man confusedly, aud bowling repeated
~, ~ always liked the old Union. l fit
or y IN the milishy in the last war with the
brltishers. Walk in, walk in,' continued
had opened.
I'VE went into long room with a low
celiing, dirty floor with no carpet on, a few
Old chairs, with and without backs. and a
walnut table that looked as if it once had
leaves. IN one corner was a clock. that
stopped some time before the war com
menced, as the old man afterwards told us.
cupboard.
while taking seats, couldn't help
thinking how badly the room would COM
pMr with dining-room of one of our neat
little farm houses, that you see in anv of
our mountain gaps, where the land protlu-
ces nothing but grasshoppers and rocks,
anu the farmers have to get along by rails
OF grasshoppers and by peddling buckle
berries, and they say, out l never saw
them Mt il, by holding the hind legs Of the
sheep up to let them get their noses be.
tween the rocks for pasture.
"This latter assertion was Indignantly
denied by an officer who had his home in
one of the gaps.
"'Well,' continued the Captain. Il onlv
give it as heard it. The old man talked
Union awhile, said he tried to he all right,
but that his sons mad run Off with the
rebels; and he hemmeG and hawed about
his being all right until the Captain, who
had been splitting tibs long time, got tired,
especially after wha; the Corporal had
said.
"'Well, my old brother patriot. said the
Captain, bending forward IN his chair, and
putting on stern look, &. don't look ex-
ac,ly right
"'How! What! gentlemen officers said
the old rebel, pretending. as he raised his
hand to his ear, not TO hear the Captain.
1.-THE Captain repeated il louder in his
gruff voice, and with few more airs.
"Why, gentlemen officers said the old
man, rising, half bowling, and looking
about, ready TO do anything.
You know as we'll as we do said the
Captain, that you wouldn't let two of your
neighbors be this long in your house with
out Offering them something to drink.
Now, my Old friend. as you say you are
ali right, wee neighbors in good cause.
and one neighborly act deserves another;
you might be wanting 10 have your proper
~ protected, or to 60 TO the Ferry, or to
send something and you could hardly get
a pass without Major General having
something to do with it,
At this last, the old fellows face bright
0ned up somewhat.
''I'll lose a right smart lot Of crops
said the old man, drawing his chair close
to the Captain in half begging, confiden-
tial sort of way, If l don't get 10 the Fer.
~ this fall. They're stored up there, and
want to go up and show them l am
Union man all right. George turning to
the darkie, who. cap in hand, stood at the
door, strike light and get some water,
and threee glasses, and bring up some Of
the old apple in pitcher. BE careful not
to spill any. Liquor is mighty scarce, con-
tinued he, turning to US, in these parts
since the war. This'ere I've saved over by
hard squeezin'. II was s.illed seven
years ago this fall-tLe tall apples were so
plenty.
"George had the tallow Dip rustv watt
er, three small old-tashioned blue glass
tumblers, and a pitcher with the handle
knocked off, on the table in good time
We closed around it with our chairs, and
the Captain filled the glasses, and rising,
gave for the first round. The old Union
Our glasses were emptied; the old man had
but slipped of his.
"'My old friend, you fought in 1912, you
say, and hardly touch your tumbler to the
old Union. Come, it must have full glass
The authority in the tone Of the Captain
made the old man swallow it, but as he did
so he muttered something about its being
very scarce.
"Now," said the Captain, refilling the
The old rebel ie eei T' bis Ist Glass it,
tie, and they say anyway when wine goes
in the truth goes out, said in rather q low,
tone.
"Now, the fact is, gentlemen officers,
some Yankees-not you! not you! but
some Yankees way up North, acted kind of
bad
"'That's not the question: said the Cap
them in Virginia. The toast is before the
house, -theCaptain had already swallowed
it must be drunk and the |
Majors saber struck the floor till the table |
shook.
with shudder at the sound the old man |
gulped it down. The glasses were refilled |
and the pitcher emptied.
"Here's to the blessed Union as it will he, |
after all the id rebels are either under |
the sod or swinging. in hemp neck-ties |
about ten feet above it, !" the Captain shout |
ed, waving at the same time his uplifted |
glass in . way that brought q grin on
Georges face, and made the old man look
pale. /
"tNow now! now gentlemen officers,
vasped the old traitor, as if his breath was
coming back by jerks, that is pretty hard,
conside my two sons ran
off 'gainst my will-'gainst my will, gen.
tle.0en officers, understand, and jined the
rebels : and then, as the liquor worked up
ais pluck and pride, he went on, and old
3tonewall when he was here last, told me
himself at this very table, such soldiers the
South could be proud of; and Turner Ash
" told me the same thing, and it would
,e agin all natur for an old man not to feel