Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1869-04-15
A CUP OF COLD WATER.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

Shortly after the close of the war, l
Travelled on the railway for some hours
of bright June day, seated beside a
young soldier, cavalryman, from Wis
consin, who was on his way home, with
an honorable discharge, after service
of four years. My fellow traveller
proved to be quite intelligent and So
ciably inclined. and beguiled the way
by relating many incidents of the bat
tie field, and of camp and hospital life.
One Of the simplest of his stories, told
with an appearance of the utmost good
faith, l have never forgotten--remem-
bering distinctly every detail, while
some of his more marvellous and trag-
ical variations have quite faded from
my mind.
"Our regiment" he said, ''was un-
der Banks, in the spring of 1862, when
he made such good time in getting
down the Shenandoah Valley. 1t was
awful, driving, confused, exhausting,
hurry skurry. change of base," but
its curious that chiefly remember it
by little incident, which perhaps you
will think was hardly worth laying up,
and is hardly worth telling"
signifed my desire to hear his little
story and he went on:
81 was one morning dispatched, in
hot haste. to the extreme rear, with a
very important order. AS i'll luck
would have it, had to ride strange
horse, as my own had fallen lame
The one provided for me proved just
the most i'll natured, vicious brute l
ever mounted l had hard work to
mount him at all, for his furious rear
ing and plunging; and when, at last,
l reached the saddle, he was so en-
ragged, there was no getting him on for
at least five minutes. With his ugly
head down, and his ears back, he
would whirl round, pivoting on his
fore-feet, and lashing out with his hind
legs, till l fancy they must have looked
like the spokes of big wheel. When
he found that l was master of the stu
alton, that my hand was firm and my
spurs were sharp, he gave in-till the
next time; but l knew that he was
continually watching for chance to
fling me over his head and trample the
mastership out of me.
81 rode hard that day, both because
of my orders and for the purpose of
putting that devil Of borse through;
but there were many distractions in
the road-marching columns, artillery,
army wagons. and above all, hosts of
contrabands, who were always scramb-
ling to get out of your way, just into
your way, so it was noon before 1 had
made half of my distance. 1t was a
hot, sultry and dusty day. l had ex-
hausted my canteen, and was painting,
almost lolling, like dog. Just as my
thirst was becoming quite unbearable,
I came upon group of soldiers, loung-
ing by wayside spring, drinking and
filling their canteens. At first /
thought would dismount, as my horse
seemed pretty well subdued and NosUed;
but no sooner did he guess my inten-
ton, than he began again his diaboli-
cal friskings and plungings, at which
the stragglers about the spring set up
a provoking laugh. which brought my
already hot blood to the boiling point
Still, didn't burst out at once.
swung off my canteen and said to one
of the men, the only fellow that hadn't
laughed at my bout with the horse:-
Here, comrade, just you fill this fol
me-
''He was tall, dark, heavy-browed
surley-looking chap, but for all that, ]
didn't look for such an answer as be
growled out:
"'Fill your own canteen and be ID
to you'll
81 tell you 1 was mad; the other fel-
lows laughed again, and then 1 was
madder, so / just says to him: you
are mean devil! l hope to God ]
shall yet hear you begging for drink
of water! If ever l do, III see you
die and go where you belong, before
I'll give it to you
'"Then 1 galIoped on, though some
Of the men called to me to come back
saying, come, they'd fill my canteen.--
I didn't stop till 1 reached e house,
a mile or two further on, where
a little black boy watered both me and
my horse, and filed my canteen, with
a smile that the handful of new pennies
| gave him could not begin to pay for
When l compared the conduct OF this
poor little chip of ebony, who said
he never had no father, nor mother,
nor no name but Pete, with the treat
ment had received from awhile fellow.
soldier, l found that that drink Of
cold water hadn't cooled down my
anger much.
"And for months and months after
whenever / thought of that affair, the
old mad feeling would come boiling up
The fellows face always came out al
clear before me as my own brothers.
only it seemed to be more sharply eu
into my memory. l don't know why
| resented this offence so bitterly.
have let bigger things Of the sort pass
and soon forgot them; but this stucl
by me. I am not revengeful fellow
naturally, but l never gave up the hops
| Of seeing that man again and somehow
lpaying him back for his brutal inso