The Elk Mountain pilot., 1882-01-26
The STORY o2 a Veteran.

US%t eNpby OIugeu up " hAS O1I. aS
no did SO he touched the elbow CT enc
Of the bullion-bound warriors, and at
ooce apoaogised to tho fsroe military
glare fastened cn him. 80. a. 4
"Beg pardon" said be, "but 1A AZ
ways Kind Of careless when eny Of the
boys in blue are round I used to bo
one myself"
TIE warriors IA h1up snd gold did not
daign correspond, be. the stranger was
not on the alert for any obvious sGghts.
"f lost fhs arm,' 10 continued, "at
vh4sbars. And this coaeA" be ada
al, as he shook on q spaan, II got Ia
the saaae place"
Rask,eT . pou1 recompense, waen't
HT asked ono It the militismea,
\" Couldn't you get anything better?
"Yes," said tie vrsck Of humanity,
With touch q genuine pride, II gov
tnis, TOO" s1ad ne threw back the lapel
a: his rusty coat to exhibit small
medal. D ''! p 'IJ
As he nnclnpad il and handed il over
ior inspection, he said: II got it for
being 'the best-hessed soldier in the
Thirteenth Army Corps OF Mii,ikeu's
Bend, before the capture cd Vioksbura.
We had besn slashing around Vickstmr!
whole month, and, for change, hnd
gane up the White river and taken Ar
kansas Post, with 5000 rebs. When We
got beck to Vicksburg again We were o
pretty tough-lookina crowd We vnee
stationed il -swampy siuksoer ground that
every shower used to make O slough of,
,uld the fellows we're mud all over. The
lay before Gran. took command at MI
lhens Bend we bad orders to fix up for
tie occasion, and:it was given cut that
the best-dressad man in each regimsnt
would get medal We al went to
work s<aubbil,g and polishing, but It
wss no use, A fellow couldn't rub the
med out q his clothes, and, il BE- washed
it out, the minute they go. bal dry taey
locked as bad as ever. Most of the ies-
lows gave il up for bad JOB, but I'd
made up my mind was gong 10 get
the medal. I had pretty good uni
form. and after I'd sewed Il up on the
elbows and tackled the skirt Of the coat
up it looked good enough, only for the
mad L. was shout as good as say
other uniform in the corps, but, OF
course, that wouldn' amount to notlng;
wanted it to be better. What DO you
think l did ?" lt
Bought new one, I suppose aA-d
the barteepes. :,
The veteran smiled. II went down
AMI stood up to my chin in the Yazoo
for an hour before parade. I'd bur
nished up 1l the buttons aud blackened
my shoes with piece on burned leather
and pork fat, aud WHOM walked up with
my wet suit l juss paralyzed tie crowd
l looked as ii d come OF Of bandhox
when I stuck On my shoes end cap aad
threw my nlusket over my shoulder
"And you got the meda.?" said one
If the lnilitianen, handing back the
trophy. e...r,...
"Yes, I got it, and nore, too. I got
the rheumatism aid pneumonia. lyw
III January, you know, and it set i'll to
blow from the west, and before tha pa-
lsule was ever I was most froze to death
To linish ne, the Colonel was so ticklcd
wisa Iny appearance that was des;,ilea
ior orderly duty at headquarters, and
had to march around for four hours, un-
til the icicies were hanging out Of nay
elbows and coat-tails; and do you know
what Grant said after tho .arade7'
"What - ~. IN
3 "Ee remarked, with considerable
feeling, 'It's q long time between
drinhs.'" G IeT
Tho ba1lzeeper showed three glasses
over the mahogany, and the militianen
beth put the.r hands In their pockets TO
'.gos, gentlemen" sail the veteran,
az To wiped his grizzly inhstachc OF his
coat sleeve and edged toward the door.
j" I got tho medal, and don't you forget
it "
81 shouldn't wonder" said the bar
keeper. as the veteran fitted through the
doorway, !" II that fellow isn't az eight
een-txlrat fraud and lost bis arm In a
eaw-H.ill. & .eiwN
"Tou do him al injustice, I assure
you," said . thoughtful bat dilspiaated
person. bending over the lunoh-counter.
II recognize him as an individual who
had LIMP shot OF in Virginia City
While robbfng q wood pile. ."-Sa's Hon-
cksco Chronicle. fG TO