Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-01-10

| left my babes at home; can't you do
= the same2"
"Tain't my poor little chickie, Gen,
Stuart.
"Then take it to its mother, thun-
dered the chief.
Its mother is dead, General
$50 its father, then"
Its father is dead, too, General"
''Dead2o
Dead. Killed in the battle yes
terday when you led over that stone
fence by the farm house on the hill,
sab.
The Confederate General bit his
lips. Then, muttering to himself as
he rose up and turned half away
KILLED at the farm house where l
led. Some poor farmer defending his
home and little ones / cant stand
| thisl'
please, sir, Mister General, won't
you take my yed applet Papa growed
it in his orchard. And he buyed me
that, too"
Here the child reached its little flag
trying hard to make friends with the
seemingly hard man, who was turning
away as if to avoid it.
''Sergt zeb, where did that flag
come from"
Had it in it's hand when | found it
sab, and it won't give it up, sab says
it's father gave it to it for the Fourth
of July, sab. "
"Foif of July" piped the little
waif, waving the little five-cent Stars
and Stripes overhead, there in the
midst Of the dark and gathering cir
Gle of soldiers undtr the oaks.
The General turned, stopped and
caught the child in his arms.
Keep your pretty little flag, and
wave it when and where you like. You
don't know the difference and | wish
/ didn't know the difference. Here,
Zeb, take care of this kid Boys, we
killed his father by chance yesterday.
Let's take care Of it, We can't do
less; and may be it viii bring us luck.
What do you say, boysf
THE INFANT OF THE REGIMENT.
The wild oatthat shook the leaves
of the oaks overhead startled the ad
vocate for discipline, and, turning to
Zeb, as he strobe away in the night
for another part OF his camp, he
shouted. "Silencel and Xeb, disci |
pliGe, disciplined Damn it discipline |
or death, / say ~ and he was gone.
They gathered around the wild-eyed, |
rosy-faced orphan with its little flag |
and red apple, and many black and |
white and not overclean hand reached /
out TO toy with and stroke the hair
Of gold that hung heavy as corn-silk
in summer time over the lads should
ers.
~ found it IN the fence corner"
said Zeb, "all a shiverin' and its d Id
dy and nanny dead, shot down by
stray bullets when we stormed the
place
yes, and dar war a rabbit, right
aside ob him, said dark face in the
dark, back over another mans shoul-
der.
oval, we'll keep the kid keep i'm
till the cows come home And with |
a grunt Of universal approval from |
all as they gradually melted sway,
old Zeb hoisted the little one high up
on his colossal shoulders, and turned |
suddenly to look and to listen, for |
there was shout down the hill and a
sudden sharp volley of shots above, /
beyond the haystacks. 1t began to /
look as If this little squad of raiders /
had got into a bite Shouts of the |
enemy down the hill; shDHts of the |
enemy up the hill beyond the hay |
stacks Which way should the sur
priSed ana panic-stncken soldiers fly.
The colossal old Virginia sergeant /
with the child on his massive shout !
dcrs, was the only officer in charge. /
The blacks We're hiding about behind |
trees, behind each other, under sad /
dies, blankets, anywhere, The shouts /.
from the enemy came loud and clear /.
from below and very near. The /
campfire, the song of the soldiers had |.
done mischief This little squad of /.
ragged, panic-stricken night raiders |
was doomed The leaves began to .
fall like autumn time over the tall and /
angular old Sergeant
A BATTLE AND A BABY ON HAND.
What plight for n soldierl A bat /
tie on hand and baby in his arms. |
AAit Nli SGT tuub tdillt NEAR throwing 4
1t away with the heap of negroes /
hiding away under the saddles. Where /
was Stuart3 The sergeant put his hand /
TO his ear and leaned to listen as best .
he could between the sharp volleys .
from below that were running the .
prospects of theuext years acorn crop
in the trees overhead He could hear .
the clatter of iron hoofs on the high
ridge to the west The moon was set I
ting large and round and low. Over .
the bare crest OF this hill and against
the moon hecould see the Confederate /
cavalry pouring in impetuous flight. /
Stuart, the cautious and weary leader, /
had escaped
Come, men. We must follow our
general on foot any way to get out
of this. Come, Up by the hay stacks, .
and ON over the ridge
The strong man started up the stony
L.. III. L F