The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-11-14
sAa snrsoLr. Aserr
~ COLI HArur

two, a. drew near stepped back twi
PAGES from The narrow path. still fAcinl
70 the front, brought their heels iogethe
with snap, stood perfectly erect, eve
square 10 the front, and With the righ
hand IS passed, each gave the reguIa
military salute. IL was comioal to sei
the youngster of eight years or thereabou
initiating withperfcct gravity and IN mil
iiary time the action Of the man whS
slood beside him. A moment more snt
remembered the man.
+ Why, sam!
7 IlA, hA, cOlonels Bothered you mo
meut, didn't i? Give US shake, please
give us shake, Just for old times.
kuow'd ye wouldnf forgit Sam, and
bless'd If ia iecl like a-huggin' Of VI
when / seed ye commit Ha, hal II
does me as much good TO see ye as Il did
to see the old flag 90 al Yicksburg
Turning to the boy, who had stood i'm.
movable at parade rest, be command,
ed
Break ranksl an come an shake hands
with yer colonel, Forts. eight
The boy advanced with the air Of man
aud silently gave me bis hand whilst his
large gray ewes seemed 10 be carefully
studying my face.
Forty-eight knows ye, coIonel-knows
ye Of old, continued Sam--all about you
an the little black mare. Have We got
'ery yeti lie knows all them little speech
es ye used to make the boys, and what
ye used to sing out in the fight when
things was gettin hot--all exceptin'
some strong, ye know, as It wouldn't do
a boy any good for to hear.
Go you along ahead, Forty-cight, be
said TO the boy, an'tell the old lady we're
a comm.
As the child. after again salnting, start
ed ahead, Sam resumed:
There's a man, colonel, inside them lit
tie trowsers as General Grant'd be proud
to be the father of. Forty-eight Sidney
Fosters a man billed down, If ever there
was one.
What2 asked Lieutenant Fosters
son?
Jist so, sir, answered Sam, whilst
look of sorrow passed over his honest
face.
And the lieutenant? suppose he is
and ] looked the rest of the question.
Yes sir, mustered out--expira-
ton of term. lie never got tirely well
Of that shot in the lung; and after She
the only an all that he cared fo-r af-
ter she went, he seemed as though he was
always a pinin' to be on the march after
her. An last fall two year ago, one
night | heard him callin' loud as he
could-an' it weren't much more nor
whisper at tLat. Sam, SAM says he.
Leftenent! says /. The boy-quick!
says he. (You see the little fellow al
ways slept with me.) So wraps little
Forty-eight up an takes him to the bed
side. The leitenant jist put his arms
round him and kissed him once, looked
at me, tried to say somethin' kinder
drawed a long breath, an'-an'-he'd got
his transfer, colonel. Both of ems laid
together jist out there--out where we met
you.
Poor Saml The breaks in his story,
the choking in the throat, and the big
galps with which he tried to swallow his
grief as he slowly and with bated breath
gave me this information, let me know
full well that the brave fellows eyes were
full Of tears. Passing my arm through
bis, we walked on for some time in ST.
lence.
Sam ShingIe had formerly belonged to
the Forty eighth ---- Volunteer Infant.
ry, which during the war commanded.
Brave men all were they, but the brayest,
and at the same lime the most trouble
some man in the regiment was this same
Sam. A more loyal, gentle, fearless,
sef-sacrifciHg heart never animated six
feet two Of rough, angular, muscular,
than il did in Sam. For
and fearful profanity she was
without peer In the command and when
drunk he was perfect drone.
Lieutenant Foster Of his company,
slight Of build and delicate of frame,
gallant soldier and an educated gentle
man, had been adopted by Sam as his
special charge. la one OF the assaults up
on yicksburg the lieutenant had been
badly wounded In the right lung, and
left upon The field withip pistol shot Of
the enemy's works Sam had gone back
and carried him or under heavy fire
an act Of self-sacrifcing heroism that
commanded even the respect Of the foe,
who ceased firing upon the brave soldier
and his helpless burden; not however,
before Sam had been 50 severely wound
ed IN the hipiand shoulder as TO render his
discharge necessary at tie same time as
The liepienanrs.
From that time, notwithstanding the
disparity In social position and education,
ihe two men were Ike brothers Togeth-
rr they had gone to Fosters Western
home, where now, seven years from the
lime had hidden them Goodbye upon
ihe Geld, met sam.
When fret recognize him a, this pres
sni meeting, noticed that, whilst the
brave, honest, seifoonfident look was
stilI there, tie fecklessuess seemed entire
y to have disappeared from his face
he absence ofprofanily formerly 80 pien.
iifui iu conversation, aiso struck me.
Wishing TO ind out something ~ regard
10 the noticeable change without direct
4 /. .sr.. 1