The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-05-09

appeared 20 Gar that Il seemed doubtful Il
be would ever find them again. Bat
there were the gilt buttons aud cavalry
stripes, and Tobe's inmost soul rcioiced
over them
lie was 50 absorbed in bis clothes that
be seemed to have forgotten the banjo /,
when one day, the Captain suddenly held
ons up before him. lIis eyes dilated till
they seemed to cover half the face and
he grasped out, Yer gwine gi' me dat az ,
Mass Cap'ng
You said you wanted banjo, didn't
your
] known axed yer fer buy me one /,
but | fought mebbe yer wouldn't gi' me
the cloe an de banjo too.
Wen, which will you have the clothes
or the banjoy
Tobe answered neYers word, utpulled
Of his jacket and laid It at the Captains
feet. Captain Leigh laughed. Well he
said, If You want banjo as bad as that
you shall have Il, Here take IT,
Whar mus ! put d clo'es at Mass
Cap'ny
You needn't put themanywhere. Keep
them on.
Does yer mean ter gi me the clo'es and
de banjo, too? And understanding at
last that II was really so, Tobe gave vent
to his feelings in prolonged Iii VI? then
stood on his head, kicking bis heels in the
air till, his voluminous garments proving
too much for him, he lost his balance and
rolled over. This sobered him. He picked
himself up and walked off, carrying the
banjo as ifit were baby.
After that there was no lack of music.
Tobe played all day, and only stopped at
night when the captain sent him TO bed.
II proved that Tobe had told the truth
about his skill in taking care of horses.
Captain Leigh's horse had never looked
so well as now, and the captain was de-
lighted. Tobe turned out, moreover, to
be a very good boy. But the army is not
a very good place for boys. So one day
Captain Leigh said, Tobe, how would you
like to 90 North?
Where's it at, Mass Cap'n?
mean my home at the North.
When is yer gwine, Mass Cap'n?
| am not going at all, now.
Does yer mean ter sem me away from
yer, Mass Cap'n.
Capt Leigh was touched, and answered
him very gently:
Yes, want to send you away from me
now, because it will be better for you.
but when the war is over shall 90 home,
and then you can stay with me always, II
you are good boy.
/ allus does jes de things yer tell me,
Mass Cap'n.
know yeu do. And just because you
do what tell you so well, ] want to send
you to my home, to run of errands for my
wife, and do what work she will give
you in the house. And have three chill
dren; two little girls aud a baby boy. !
want you to 90 with them when they 60
out to play, and take care of them. My
home is in very pleasant place in the
country. Don't you think you will like
to go there?
Ef yer goes too, Mass Cap'n.
But, my boy, | can't possibly go now.
Use do jes' de ting yer say, Mass Cap'n.
Eff yer tells me to go, Use go. An Pse
do ebery word de missus say, and look
af'er de chillens de bes' knows, ontel
yer comes dar. Only please come right
soon, Mass Cap'n. And as the Captain
left the tent Toby laid his face upon his
banjo, and cried as if his heart would
break.
Captain Leigh found brother officer
who was expecting TO go home on fur
Tough, and who readily agreed TO take
charge of the boy in whom his friend was
so deeply interested.
But that night there came news that
made everybody give up the idea of fur
loughs or going home. The Richmond
government, determined to make the
North feel the war as she had not felt ii
yet, had organized the grand raid.
An order came for Captain Leigh's reg
iment to march at daylight
Tobe, said the captain, you can 60 in
one of the baggage wagons. Strap up
my blanket and poncho, and take them
along and these boots, take particular
care Of them, for it's not often that can
get pair of cavalry boots to fit as they
do.
Yer needn't be feared, Massa Cap'in /;
Use take keer Of em de bes' ! knows.
The main body Of the raiders were re-
ported on the line Of the South Mountains
making for Gettysburg. Scouting expe-
ditions were sent out from the northern
army in all directions; and body of
troops, including Captain Leigh's regi-
ment, were ordered TO proceed by the
shortest route to Gettysburg, and head
the rebels Off One Of the baggage wagons
broke down. The driver OF another
wagon stopped TO help his comrade The
troops passed on, and the two wagons
were left alone on the mountain. In one
Of them was Tobe, with the captains
boots over which he kept constant watch.
The men worked busily at The wagon,
and Tobe sat watching them. Sud
denly a trampling Of horses feet was heard
and party Of cavalry came round turn
in the road
That's good said one Of the men; there
are some Of theboys. II they'll wait few
minutes, we can 90 along with EN-