New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-05-31

Browns and Larcom's old bunk and sat
down. The places were vacant, and had
been since the two men left. The prisoners
drew away from the stranger, talking to.
gether sullenly and looking over their
shoulders at him with no friendly faces.
Then Dexter strobe up to him and spoke
,"Now then, you reb, what do you want
here? Move of, now, or you'll get hove
out"
The stranger took of his cap and showed
his face, about as ghastiy and deathlike as
ever walked on feet. He smiled in their
angry faces, and said:
ITS only me, it amt no reb. Don't you
know me, Billys'
And Dexter cried out. by Judas, it'll
old Lark. How are you. Lark Z" and he Of
fered his hand.
But Larcom put it away weakly; Thank
", Billy; not just yet. Wait till tell y
how t is. Come around, boys. and give me
chance; I'm about played out Boys,
went back on to you that time, and you
was pretty heavy on ne, and don't know
as l can blame You. But l calculate I've
made it even now. I've seen my little chap,
boys; I've been out with him and his
mother for more'n a week. She come all
the way TO see ne, and lugged the boy.
It's hard to believe it, boys. but it's true,
and l seen them good way towards home.
and ! bid them goOd-by and came back"
Here he stopped minute and made Traps
cap do service as handkerchief, though
tine weather was not warm and the cap
none too clean. Il thought l should never
get here, boys; y'see, there's plenty'il lend
hand gOin' away, but nobody won't help
you to come back. It's been pretty hard on
me, and ! guess l shan't have much further
to travel Bat come back and here l am;
and guess that's about ALL"
He looked round at their dusky forms
and faces, sitting before them in the dark
corner, and then he added:
And now, mates, as you and me has
been sort OF stranged, and not saying not
by rights, but vet, taking it uncommon
rough of you; and how that God Almighty s
give me another try, and ! come back free
and unbehOlden, and says to you such as
have; and being about played, as / was
saying. and not going much further than
this here bunk of me and Browny's, and
wanting to come round to you all and shake
hands Oh il; if there's any present as would
like to come up and say bygones and call it
square, why, here's what's left O. mine, and
thankful to be able" And he hung his
skeleton hand over his knees like O raveled
and knotted bell-rope.
Boys" said Dexter, facing round, 'if
there's any now present has anything to
say agin the propersition made, he amt no
mate O. mine. How are you, Lark. old
boy? Here's both O mine, if they'll do you
any good; only don't 60 to talking of peg
ging out. It's agin the rules O. the camp
One after another they followed Dexter's
lead, and came and shook hands with him,
and each said his rough word of greeting
and reconciliation. All but one. Dan Gar
man lay all the while in his bunk, dark
low, thick set fellow, whom nobody liked
q w haR 1tp of
his mates AID had received rough Justice
at their hands. Larcom missed him and
Kepler, with others; Kepler had been taken
out dead the day before. Some of them
tried to get GarDan out, but be swore at
them and said no, he'd see him in fire and
birthstone first. So they bade Lark not
mind him.
"I'm glad that's gone. boys" Lark said.
"I'm one of you now, and thank you.'
Larcom talked to Dexter apart for a
minute, and then Dexter got handful OF
straw and began breaking off pieces two or
three inches long. and the word was passed
under the breath that they were to draw
lots for the soldiers cap and coat that had
passed Larcom out and in again unsus-
pected. For one man Of those sixty there
was a pretty fair chance OF liberty and
home, and not one of them all but was pro-
foundly moved and anxious. Not man
spoke while Dexter sat and counted and
broke the straws, nor was his own teO
steady. Doubtless his thoughts were far
away as he finished the number and gnawed
off the last, and prayed that it might be
his, making it full twice as long as the rest,
SO that there should be no mistake. He
came then and put them into Larcom's
hand.
How many is therel' Larcom asked.
sSjytv.threa without Dan 7 dom. co,p.
him"
Give me one more, Billy Larcom said;
II don't bear no grudge.'
Dexter muttered something like cursing,
but he brought another straw.
"It's your deal, Lark" he said. But he
hasn't got no right
did you count me, Blllya"
Yes, Lark; sixty-fours all told
Then here's mine,' Larcom said, TAX
ing out short straw. Come on, now
boys"
Orderly and silently they filed round,
and sixty-two nervous hands drew an IN
hand. Dexter was the last. Larcom looked
up in his face as hes reached and drew.
There we're only two straws, and he drew a
short one. LarcOm opened his hand and
the long straw lay across his bony fingers.
Dexter stood and stared at his own hand
aud at LarcOm's. It was so near no wonder
it shook him.
II wanted you to have it, Billy" Larcom
said: I'm devilish sorry"
Dexter never answered word, out turned
straight about and went and hid himself in
bis dark corner. LarcOm turned his eyes
toward Garman's bunk; the fellow was
leaning out of it, with eager, fox eyes star
ing through the dusk. Larcom reached the
straw at him, and he came sliding out and
took it, gathered up the cap and coat and
went back with them into his bunk without
a word. Then LarcOm laid himself down
in the bunk as YEARLY as ever man went to
his rest, and those who we're next him
thought it was true, as he said, that he
would not 90 much further on this side the
impenetrable wall.
e. The night was pretty sharp, and some of
the ell ones shivered in the dismal place;
LarcOm was too tired to sleep and suffered
severely with cold. 1t seemed to him near
morning, but was not yet very late, when
some one came and laid blanket over him
cautiously, and was creeping away again,
but stopped and crOnched down close by on
the floor. LarcOm was going to speak, but
his voice failed, through taintness and cold.
Lark" said low, coarse, cautious
voice. He knew it was Garman's, but had
never heard it quite like that. Lark" the
voice repeated, ARE you cold now"
No, Dan, not now" Larcom answered.
And long shiver, half sob, like a cbild's,
ran through the words. The fellow went
and brought all his outer clothing and
spread it over him, and Traps coat on top
Of that, and tucked them round him. Then
he crouched down awhile again by the bed
in the darkness.
LARK" he said finally, in the same
hoa1se, low voice.
And the querulous voice answered weak
ly: well, Dan Z"
you said you didn't bear no grudge''
mo, Dan"
Then there was silence while, and they
heard Dexter across the room talking in
his sleep.
III %