Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-12-24
NIGHTHAWK.
BY DANIEL MORGAN. PRIVATE.

was restored to the command OF the
army of the Potomac. At Washington
thrill Of hope ran through the hearts
If the veterans, who haG been driven
ike sheep into the Notifications of the
capital. Struggles thronged to their
colors; regiments gathered around their
chiefs, and the magic of name changed
host of fugitives into compact and
eager army.
About noon line of carriages was
stretched along Pennsylvania avenue, a
few hundred feet from the White House.
Part of the crowd that surged along the
sidewalk stopped to look at regiment
that was marching past. The air was shak
ing with music, which flowed from the
band that had stopped in front of one of
the central carriages. In this were seated
two ladies, the younger of whom had an
oval face of no little beauty and the air
Of one to whom homage is familiar.
Both were richly dressed, and the
younger especially was the mark of ad
miring eyes and fiattering speeches.
Mrs. Colonel Gullatin-for the lady
was no other than the better known wife
Of that well-known officer-looked with
interest on the bearing of the emo
hawks. "as they marched past.
Among the crowd near by stood a
young man, hall drunk. who looked as
though he had passed the night in gut
ter of small social pretensions. His
slouched hat vas no longer ef value.
even for target. it had so many holes
and the tight arm of his coat was SO full
Of rips and tears that it was easier to dis
cover the northwest passage than for an
arm to find its way through the sleeve.
Coarse hands. grimy face, matted hair
and shutting movements-there was
nothing attractive about the man but
his eye. That cleaned out Of its foul
environment as bright as the eyes of
idt tIOul CdSc.
The tramp stood looking intently at
Mrs. GalIatin for few minutes.
Suddenly that lady gave scream and
fell back in her carriage The tramp had
sprung upon the steps, his features dis
torted with fury, and struck her in the
face.
Cries, oaths, regrets, threats, summon
ing of police, loud calls for reinforce
ments-but before the tramp could be
bagged he had vanished.
David Double, for that was his name,
on reaching the skirts of the crowd,
urged his way toward the train wagons
of the army. Drunkenness had disap-
peared, and reflection had returned. But
the vacant look of the drunkard was
more attractive than the fierce express
sion of malevolence that now distorted
his face.
He looked neither to right nor left, but
for brief period seemed to be struggling
with some evil spirit that was nurrying
him on the road to madness.
As the evening began to steal down
the hillsides, the tramp reached knot
Y suffers wagons, and, as if pleased
At the invitation of a surly mastiff's bark,
made his way to the shabbiest of them.
It's proprietor was spreading a modest
meal on box for table.
''Pard, /" said the tramp, who was now
sensible enough, s'give me something to
eat; feel hollow about the ribs.n
The sutler replied by pouring over the
newcomer a bucketful of abusive cpl
thets, Of which sslum-gullion" was the
most classic But he soon checked his
abuse on observing that his hearer,
while listening patiently, was rapidly
transferring all food in sight to his own
bread basket.
"What do yon mean by being so latea"
then asked the sutler gruff1y.
'Latei who's late2 What's the use of
gfouls before The funeral9''
I've mind to discharge you"
Discharge your good luck, you fool, /"
r"turned Double 'Iook here, Pard;
without man of brains like myself to
glove your ten pickers and stealers, you'd
soon be strung up BY the thumbs by some
gentle martinez.
''You promised never to get drunk
arain when we were on the march.
Nighthawk, said the sutler, in a moIli-
ie1 tone.
ssWeli, Pard, said Nighthawk, which
WIS Doubles nickname among his
f-iends, s'it's pretty hard when you are
With Mcclellan to know whether we are
Oh ae march or not. When do we start
againf"
Tomorrow at daybreak.
81 hope we'll have better pickings than
i the Chicahominy swamp"
The suffers pipe and tobacco lay
on the box, and as Nighthawk spoke
,e calmly filed the pipe and began to
moke.
A few days later the sutler and his
range partner were rolling along on the
tide Of war toward the Antietam.
Nighthawk was half drunk most OF
the time, day and night. Strange
enough, as he began to scent the enemy