The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1883-04-07
HE COULD NOT TELL A LIE.
Fall River Advance


A good story is told about George
Timer, of 1.-THE " Forty Nine" combination.
which has recently been in this city. If
there is one thing upon which George
prides himself, more than upon his mod
es.y and stem-winding and selfregulating
iruihfulness, il is that he was wah the
union army in its darkest days and us
most brilliant successes: and he never
tires of telling Stirring stories TO the boys
clothing his adventures in the most
simple and unadorned words. and speak
ing to his hearers as seriously as an
amateur parson would talk al muffin
whorry where he wasn't quite sure Of the
shade OF theology worn by his fair hear
ers. OF course, George would no more
tell lie than a cat would be likely to eat
4 mustard plaster, though he occasionally
seems 10 take liberties with il as cheerily
as hungry darkey would with the FIRST
watermelon patch Of the season.
The other night he had the boys around
him in the green room waiting for the
curtain to 60 up, when he began
Say, boys. you may laugh if you like.
but if hadn't been religious, Bible
reading boy. | shouldn't be with you
now. Let me tell you how it was. II
was about the hottest night we had during
the war-,he 10th Of June, 1868, before
Port Hudson. and two days after the ter
rible repulse of the 18th. AS vas say
ing-who in thunder has been stealing
my tobacco again! Seems to me as II a
fellow couldn't lay down his character
for minute or two in this company.
without some son of sirocco would walk
off with it Thank you, General, don't
care if do. But your cigarettes are
awfully weak. Guess they can't be ripe
when you gather them. Oh. about the
story, sure. I'D forgotten it Well.
boys, we were in tight place, and Gen.
eral Banks sent for me to come to his
ten, at once. When got there, he said:
:. Timer, take dozen men with you, and
see what news you can get from Fort
Hudson Away started, got my men,
and in an hours time was much nearer
the lchnnies than was pleasant for a fell
low who did not know how he'd look in
a first-class casket, where the velvet lining
has to be pulled down to cover up the
top of his head, which isn't there. We
were creeping along in Indian file when,
suddenly land would here remark. boys.
that shells generally do explode in an
uneomfor,ably sudden manner).
she'll struck and exploded directly in
from, of me. There was binding flash,
a terrible roar. and WAS knocked clean
of my feet and into another township.
When recovered, began to look
around for my comrades but not one had
lived to tell the tale, nor was there the
slightest evidence Of them having been
there except that some OF their buttons
had been driven into the trunks Of sur
rounding trees, and a solitary boot which
hung. swaying mournfully to and fro, on
the topmost branches of lightning
blasted pine. picked ou, a few of the
bu,tsns. as memen,oes Of my dead COM
rades. with Jack-knife and
But, say, George. how in blazes did
you escape said Uncle Ned
My dear boy. be patient, and you
shall hear. The only thing that saved my
fe was my grandmother Bible, which
always carried under my tunie and over
my heart. And you'll hardly believe il
when tell you. though it is the unadul-
,erated truth. that didn't discover how |
had been saved until that night when
opened the good book 10 read my evening
chapter. and out fell piece of the shell
as big as"
e. Everybody for the 5rd Act. places ~
Stage managers call
That night, when the curtain had fallen
for good. the boys took George into the
room and solemnly presented him with a
little Ratchet, on the one side Of which
was inscribed. George Washington
Timer" and on the other Il could not
tell lie He had earned it.