Louisiana capitolian., 1880-04-03

forwards that in the rush and excite
ment of those old days they were nj

lowed to go without food too long, or
experiments on their particular cases
failed, and they pegged out. But that
was nothing; and when accidentally
our guests burned down u house, run
over child, or provoked an over
sensitive woman by a harmless joke,
we passed it by, for Grant is u great
man. Any man must be great who
can capture Lee"
There was something cruel in the
fellows language, it struck me, and 1
was surprised that one of the Gener-
ais did not stop him. They, however,
appeared to be locked in " dreamless
sleep and spoke not. The Confeder-
ate continued:
"It used to be said that the man
who whipped should treat. never
could understand that. Why should
he treatg He has nothing to expect
nothing to gain. 1t strikes me that
the fellow that gets cleaned up should
treat, and the faster he does it the
better. He has everything to gain
and nothing to lose. Lots Of fellows
treated to-day on that principle"
did not like the chuckle which ac-
companied this remark. 1t made the
joints of my backbone rattle like a
string Of buttons; I.could not collect
my ideas for an answer, but it was all
the same; he appeared to be bent on
doing all the talking. He started out
in reckless tone again:
81 want to get on Il spree tonight.
| would give pretty just to come
down off this post and take in the
town. | want to raiseh--l once more,
only once, and this appears to he the
correct season to do it."
This aroused my Indignation. l
spoke to him sharply, moving off q
little, however. "You had better stay
where you are. How would you look
on u bum, leaning over bars, calling
for 'straights' and 'smashes,' or punch
ing billiards? You ought to DC
ashamed of yourself"
eyes, know it, know" he replied.
a little sadly, "but what's the use Of
my standing9 Why, to-day | heard ~
fellow say, 'let cones be by-gones !;
hurrah for Grant; the sooner we
forget the better My crowd is no
more. The boys are all asleep, and
their bivOuac can never be broken !;
peace has come. Why not let the
sentinel lie down and rest when his
presence but reminds you Of what is
bygenc9 am tired of the whole
business. If the town wantsa statue,
let it put up one of Grant. l want
to resign anvhow,and go where people
have some consideration for fellows
feelings. Laying all jokes aside, l
have felt like a whipped cur mp here
all day. Yesterday, with Wright's
brigade, stormed Cemetery heights !;
the blood upon my old musket has
not yet rusted away, the brcastworks
are not yet level with the ground.
To-day heard the echo OF the old
time yell, but it brought me-what ?
The name Of Grant. Well WAS it
that on this stone was carved the
record, for who will keep our legend
through the coming years 7 | am
ashamed when remember what |
am" The soldiers head sank forward
upon the gun; his hands were
clenchcd. ! could not answer him,
but the answer was given. There
came through the night the rumble of
a carriage; II party was out enjoying
the moonlight. saw the vehicle
quietly draw up before the monument,
and in the shadow there flashed a
jewel on q lady's hand, extended
upward her other arm cnclasped a
little curly head, and as they sat |
heard the story Of the war, told by a
Southern woman's lips to him who
should keep it through the coming
years. The carriage passed, and as
one wakes and wonders at II dream |
rose and gazed about me. The night
was still. The white light fell like a
silver mantle around, and on his
shaft, with rigid form and lifted head,
saw the hero of the woman's legend
with his immobilc face gazing back
over the biyouac of the boys who