Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-04-04
"DURIN' THE WAR"

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lent looking as if he had missed the
train in the progress Of life; as II the
world had gone on and left HIM hope
lcssly behind-no Christmas turkey Tor
him this year; not for the twenty
wears past, | reckon the old confeder-
ate soldier (who lImped about awk-
wardly. for he had a lot of lead to
carryj told me the story the other day.
in the Shenandoah. If it is untrue or
dull, blame him, not me. ! only give
it as got it.
Gen. "Jeh" Stuart was hanging on
the federal flank. His midnight camp
was pitched on the hillside Up the
hill little way lay a farmhouse; two
or three haystacks hung upon the hill
side. The WORKOUT horses fed there
and nodded their drowsy head to the
hay. All around on the ground un-
der the trees in camp the troopers lay
black men. white men, brown men,
men who were gray and old, little
lads. bows who had seen a dozen bat
ties and hardly yet As many years,
mixed and IA molly lot; ragged. nun
cry and wrttched. They lay on their
bellies before the fire, munchlng roast
ed corn. guawing II oil the cob grecdl-
w. huskInp it. roasting 1t. rolling tin
the ashes of the Goals. singing it in the
blazing fire Of old Virginia fenceralls,
Now and then shot rang out III the
clear, still night, away where the tired
picscts met too closely for peace, and
now and then better disposed men on
the picket lines. or more favored and
fortunate. met together and reached
each other on their bayonets tobacco
and old ragged newspapers in sort
Of exchange Of prisoners of var. The
moon rode hrh and white in the great
blue seq above. aud all the stars of
heaven looked down in pity and sor-
ROW.
Thon q snnu hurst ont The black
mon yynrn e,n,iuo Ioudrr swreter
nm moro nat6os and memories Of
home tLan The White men H. was a
.aI ,,r,tnso,,n ,,n;rd and u,ioue mic.
,,,,., GmJdani,, G,Iart stood in the
,,';d.t 81 tl,a ro,,,,nJ and ,,nro,r,ous
i't
,.n..,.;.,1,,o, I,ol- hero Snrgeant
"a. / ,,i,,, Iis,.;,,Ii,n nr dooth Dis
,.,,Iine say, 10 Won exnrct me to
L,th',,II.s ,nd ,y,n ,,irtnrins With a
I.,,,.I,,,,, ,,I, lil,ctl,is and the enemy
,..,,l.t I,,.ro ',,.,iti,o, tn rccnil ON Ms The
,nc,nont we rive him n chance, Dis.
ripline saw HANG yo,Ir blacks and
,innt your whilrs ar hovr diScip-
I,uc,r
..SiIencr ina = second, And tle
I.,.,, I.,, ,,,,, aud tho sIeeninr lads
,mI7nd ,lc,r'..Iyns torethn, and tried
+, IonI- and net IIn soldiers while
,ho hI.cl,s ri The surgrstion Of their
Lring L,rr mn melted back from the
flfuI embcrs into the night. as if they
,yrr. d. ,,,r, uf i
TIrn No weary hnarded chief threw
himself ON a mean of saddles at hand
and rorroC his strrnncss. as me looked
9bnnt over the wrclcbed group of
moor follows gathered for a little rest
rndcr ,hr o,ks
'R,ys I'm HUNGRY. HUNGRY rs a
\ dozen men snranr up, a half
dnya, ,.n,,nr hoarJIrss tronncrs rush
ed forward, and from out of the
nimht back under the trees, there
came many black forms. And each
and every one, black men and white
men. old men and little bows. rea ed
ND and thrust INTO the chiertain's face,
with %rh'r"NS a'@'''tI, ao ear O,
roasted corn. come ct ,l'He ears OF Q!
corn h3d ohiI " 'r" lettil '"2rkS III
mem, oeihg almost FhIrciN intact;
Others again were, pretty well gnaW'd
down To the coo. but they were
alike offered "ttll prompt generosity.
Corn! ana lho confederate cnlei
shook his head with grim and slekly
Smllc as he muttcrcd tn himself.
Corn! billed corn, roasted corn. raw
corn, white corn, red corn, all kinds
of corn. No, no, boys, I'm hungry,
but cant eat any more tonight.
The men melted back III respectful
silence INTO broad circle. And there,
suddenly, somehow IN the center of
that circle stood child, little boy
who had been aroused from his sleep
on the pile of saddles in the commo-
ton that attended the chieftains com
my And now, wide awake, with
little ilag IN one hand and a red
apple in the other. this little boy stood
there in the midst of these wild and
ragged men. with checks rs rosy as the
apple he held in his dimplcd little
hand