The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-01-10
Esr Tzs ArErsssrv Trrveier.
 ALL NIGHT IN A TREE.
A Story For Boys, Written by
 Youngster.
BY LINCOLN G. sTARBUcK.

Tn the eastern part of Arkansaw, be- ,ween Arkansaw and White rivers, is low. level prairie ninety miles long by twenty to forty miles wide, known as Grand prairie. It is separated from Prairie song (a tract of similar group" about i've by twenty-five miles, by nar- row strip of timber on the banks of Bayou Two prairie.
 These two make the finest grazing ground in the state-being well ~aiered and fertile and have for many years supported many cattle as in time past they supported many deer and buffalo.
 During the war, when the federals were at St. Charles, on White river. and the confederates were at Arkansaw Post, on the Arkansaw, these prairies became disputed ground because oi the value of the cattle. Each side sent out small parties-generally cavalry-to bring in meat on the hooE Frequent meetings of these parties gave rise to many skir- mishes.
 A large band of bush-whackers, under one Maybeuy, made bad matters worse. It was at first composed of the roughs of the country, the towards, and the de- serters of both armies; but as they be- gan to feel their power they adopted plan of drafting. It would be supposed the confederate draft of sixteen to fifty would leave no opportunity for this but they found abundant material of which to make bush-whackers in the boys of twelve to fifteen.
 Some of these boys took kindly to the wild life, but others, with better natures or better training, revolted at some of the atrocious acts of the roaues; or, dis liking the irregularity of the life, deserted at every opportunity. The deserters were captured as speedily as possible and forced back into the ranks.
 One of those who had deserted on more than one occasion was Frank Du Bose, a slim, undersized, ssllow-com- plexioned boy of foutteen whose brothers were in the confederate army. His mother was a widow and when he was gone she was left alone in the cabin on the prairie"
 One day late in November, Frank was with party of twenty whs had been on a raid up towards St. Charles near which they had lost three men in fight with some union troopers who had pursued them till noon of that day.
 It was a raw, disagreeable day with rain much of"the time, so when they found a suitable camping place, about four o'clock, they were glad to stop. The place was little open spot among the brush, not far from Mill bayou, and near an old field where few rails had escaped the ravages of war. Three men were at once dispatched to hunt meat, either beef, pork, or venison, and the rest pickesed the horses, brought wood and water, built fires, and began the preparation of their supper of corn dodger," boiled beef and sweet potatoes.
 In a half hour a dozen fires were burning brightly, the kettles were boiling merrily, and immense piles of wood and rows of blankets hung to dry showed they had an eye to comfort. About this time rattle of small arms in the direc- ton the hunters had gone, showed that there was something there besides game and cattle.
 Then there was mounting in hot haste the steed." CT mule, rather. In fact, everyone left his employment, grabbed his gun, and mounted his mule or pony bareback. Even then about half-among them Frank-were not mounted when a rideriess horse, with blood on his saddle, dashed through camp closely followed by the :wo remain ing of the three hunters!
 "What's upp p shouted half a score of voices.
 @Yanks! Thirty or forty of 'em !" was the quick reply.
 As if to prove the truth of the asser- tou, half dosen hlse- coat: ssllered in view, as many bullets whistled past the ears of the surprised bush-whackers, and one of them brought down mule which had not been mounted.
 The mounted men fired and ran, and those who were not mounted started for the remAiBing horses. In the scramble, Frank Du Bose, who was the weakest, was Left alone, without horse, with his late companions scattering in every direc- ton in the gathering gloom, and the federal troopers bearing down upon him yelling like indians.
 In this predicamsnt he looked about