Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-02-11
Stlttt misstellaup.
From the Hearth and Home.
A Cup of Cold Water.
By GRACE GREENWOOD.

SHORTLY after the close of the war,
l travelled on the railway for some
hours of a bright, June day, seated be-
side young soldier, cavalryman,
from Wisconsin, who was on his way
home, with An honorable discharge,
after service Of four years. My tel-
low-travcller proved to be quite intel
ligent and sociably inclined, and be-
guiled the way by relating many Incl
dents OF the battlefield, and of camp
and hospital life. One of the simplest
of his stories, told with an appearance
of the utmost good faith, / have never
forgotten-remembering distinctly ev-
cry detail, while some of his more mar
vellous and tragical 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
All awful, driving, confused, exhaus-
it's curious that l chiefly remember it
nv little incident, which perhaps you
Will think was hardly worth laying
up. and is hardly worth telling of !"
l signifed my desire to hear his lit
tie story, and he went on:
81 was one morning dispatched, in
hot hast, to the extreme rear, with a
very important order. As ill-luck
would have it, had to ride a strange
horse, as my own had fallen lame. The
one provided tor me proved just the
most ill-natured, vicious brute ever
mounted. l had hard work to mount
him at all, for his furious rearing and
plunging; and when, at last, l reached
the saddle, he was SO enraged, there
was no getting HIM on for at least five
minutes. With his ugly head down,
and his ears back, he would whirl
round and round, pivoting on his tore
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 | was master of the sit
uation, that my hand was firm and my
spurs were sharp, he gave in-till the
next time; but l knew that he was con-
tinually watching for chance to ding
me over his head and trample the
mastership out OF me.
~ rode hard that day, both because,
of my orders, and tor the purpose OF
putting that devil of a horse through;
but there were many obstructions in
the road-marching columns, artillery,
army wagons, and, above all, hosts OF
contraDands, who were always scramb
ling to get out of your way, just into
your way; so it was noon before | had
made halt of my distance. 1t was a
hot, sultry, and dusty day. I had ex-
hausted my canteen, and was painting,
almost lolling, like dog. just as my
THIRST was becoming quite unbearable,
l came upon group OF soldiers,
lounging by wayside spring, drink
ing and filling their canteens. AT first
l thought would dlsmount, as my
horse seemed pretty well subdued and
blo,oed 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 q provoking laugh, which
brought my already hot blood up to
the boiling point. Still, I didn't burst
out at once. l swung off my canteen,
and SAID to one of the men, the only
fellow that hadn't laughed at my boat
with the horse: Here comrade, just
you fill this for me.
He was tall, dark, heavy -browed,
surly-looking chap, but, tor all that, l
didn't look tor such an answer as he
growled out:
Gill your own canteen, and be-
to your
II tell you I was mad; the other fel-
lows laughed again, and then l was
madden, and just says to him: You
mean devil! l hope to God / shall yet
hear you begging for drink of water!
1t ever / do, I'll see you die, and go
where you belong, before I'll give it to
YOU
"Thsn ! gauopsd on, though some