The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-03-09
VOL. XXXIX.i
From the Hearth and Home.
A CUP OF COLD WATER.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

BY GRACE GREENWOOD.
Shortly after the close of the war,
travlei on the railway for some hours
of bright June day seated beside a
young soldier, a cavalriman. from Wis
consin, who was on his way home, with
an honorable discharge after aservice of
four years. My fellow traveller proved
to be quite intelligent and sociably in
clined, and beguiled the way by rela-
ting many incidents of the battle field,
and of camp and hospital life. One of
the simplest of his stories, told with an
appearance of the utmost good faith, I
have never forgotton-remembesing
distinctly every detail, while some of
his more marvellous and tragical naria-
tons have quite faded from my mind.
".Our Regiment" he said, was un
der Banks, in the spring of '62, when
he made such good time in getting down
the Shenandoah Valley. 1t was an aw-
full, driving, confused, exhausting, hur
ry skurry change of base,' but it's curl
Gus that chiefly remember it by a lit
tie incident, which perhaps you will
think was hardly worth laying mp, and
is hardly worth telling Of
Isignified my desire to hear his lit
tie story apd he went on.
II was one morning dispatched, in
hot haste, to the extreme rear, with a
very important order. AS ill luck
would have it, had to ride strange
horse, rs my own had fallen lame. The
one provided for me proved just the
most ill-natured, vicious brute I ever
mounted. had hard work to mount
him at all. for his furious rearing and
plunging; and when, at last, I reached
the saddle, he wa. so enraged, there
was no getting him on for at least five
minutes. With his ugly head down, and
ears back, he would whirl round, piv
oting on his fore feet, and lashing out
with his hind legs, till I fancy they
must have looked like the spokes of
big wheel. When he found that 1 was
master Of the situation, that my hand
was firm and my spurs were sharp, he
gave in-till the next time:. but /
knew that he was continually watching
for q chance to fling me over his head
and trample me the mastership out of
me.
rode hard that day, both because of
my orders and for the purpose oil put
ting that devil of a horse through; but
there were many distractions in the
road-marching columns, artillery, army
wagons, and above all, hosts of contra
bands who were also scrambling to get
out Of your way, just into your way, SO
it was noon before had made half my
ditance. 1t was a hot. sultry, and dusty
day. 1 had exhausted my canteen, and
was painting, almost lolling, like dog.
just as my thirst was becoming quite
unbearable, I came upon a groupe of
soldiers, lounging by a wayside spring,
drinking and filling their canteens.
At first thought would dismount, as
NY LII SO oOOuAON pACeOy WCi SuOuuCu
and 6losoed; but no sooner did he guess
my intention, than he began again his
diabolical friskings and plungings, at
which the stragglers. about the spring
set up provoking laugh, which
brought my already hot blood up to the
boiling point. Still 1 didn't burst ou,
at once. swung off my cantcee, 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 for me-
He was tall, dark, heavy browed,
surly looking chap, but, for all that, 1
didn't look for such an answer as he
growled out:
Fill your own canteen, and be-
to you!'
Tell you, 1 was mad, the other fell
lows laughed again, and then was mad
der. and l just said to him: You mean
devil! / hope to God shall yet hear
you begging for drink of water! If
ever do, I'll see you die! and go
where you belong, before I'll give it to
you.'
Then l galloped on, though some of
the men called me to come back, saying
they'd fill my canteen. l didn't stop
till reached house, mile or two
further on, where little black boy
filed my canteen, with a smile that the
handful of new pennies gave him
couldn't begin to pay for. When 1
the conduct of this poor lit
tie chip of ebony, who said he never
had no father, nor mother, nor no name
but Pete with the treatment had re.
ceived from q white fellow-soldicr, I
found that that drink of cold water