The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1885-07-30

" u0 eocus Out6WO VI cC0lt SICC0
fringe bordering the starveling brook
that trickled along one side. / noticed
such things and cared more about them
than the older men. When l joined
the army was just turned eighteen,
and chock-full Of patriotic fire, raving
over the justice Of our cause, ambitious
to earn distinction, greedy for carnage
and bloodshed. One year had cooled
me down in a wonderful way, and the
cause might have gone to thunder for
all l cared that night. would have
relinquished the goriest battle that ever
was fought to be back again on our
meadowland knee deep in the long,
cool grass, driving the cows home from
pasture. l was ravenous for taste Of
home cooking. and would have forfeited
all the epaulettes in the country for one
Of my mothers mince pies. They put
me on duty that night; posted sentries
at the entrance to the pass to keep q
sharp lookout for the enemy; for if
they had come on US unawares they
would have caught us like rats in
trap. My heart sank when my name
was called, and, if it hadn't been for
the ridicule, I'd have tried to get off by
pleading sick. You see was pretty
we'll used up BY the long marches, the
uncertain rations and the heat and the
homesickness. The hot sand clogged
my steps and burned my blistered feet;
the rocks seemed 10 radiate the heat
they had stored up during the day;
the air was dry and charged with dust
kept up my beat awhile and then sat
down on bowlder and cried; then l
deliberately lay down and shut my eyes
to 60 to sleep"
"Fine thing if one of the officers had
caught you." observed one old soldier,
dryly.
Precisely what happened. was
sliding off into q delicious slumber
when heard movement near by. l
opened my eyes and saw Colonel
Lenoir. l thought the day of doom
had come for me, for there was hardly
week passed that we didn't hear Of
some poor fellow being shot for sleep
ing at his post. I was so stupid with
fatigue and drowsiness that l couldn't
somehow quite make out where I was.
Everything was jumbled up in my
mind. The COWS coming home from
pasture, the mince-pie on the table, an
open grave and boy standing up as a
target for line of soldiers, my mother
in tears"
Brewster stopped abruptly, and
somebody asked eagerly what hap
pened next; what the Colonel said.
"Lenoir had not known good
nights rest for weeks. He had been
twenty-four hours in the saddle" said
; Brewster, slowly and impressively.
"He was worn out physically and
mentally. He had directed his man to
call him at daybreak the next morning.
But he took my musket up from the
rock where had placed it, ordered me
to lie down again, and did duty for me
J two hours while l slept"
There was no comment on Brews.
ter's story. The account of q noble
deed sinks quietly into the heart with
out parade or flourish. After few
moments of silence, some one put q
query in which lurked q suggestion.
"Lenoir acted finely at Anderson.
vile, too, didn't he, Brewster?"
The lumberman gave short rejoin.
der, consulted his watch, and rose to
CO. Despite the self.depreciation Of
his narrative, all were aware that he
had been one of those noble specimens
of American manhood who had sur.
vived the horrors of that awful expert
ence, and finally emerged an emaciated
wreck Of humanity whose heroic devo
ton to a noble principle will resount
throughout the everlasting ages. Bu
he could never be betrayed into any re-
lation OF his prison experience. HI
pulled on his driving gloves, nodded
cool adieux to the score or more o.
loungers, and was soon driving at ,
, quick pace up Market street, and ou
Sixth. For the first few blocks the we'll
; paved street was lined with handsom,
buildings and presented the appearance
, of an important thoroughfare; but, q
he progressed, the buildings dwindlet
in stature and were occasionally al
ternated with a handsome, comfortable
residence, and the pavement grew un
. even. Halt mile further the stree
3 abandoned all pretense at smartness
? trailed humbly between one-storiet
; warehouses, leaped railroad track
|. lost itself in maze Of switches, an,
! resumed existence in the guise Of {
D wagon road, terminating with disma
; wooden structure, standing in desc
4 late region and Aanked on one side b,
. tall lumber piles. The clerks and da
. laborers were filing away. and tn
; night-watchman, quiet-mannere'
: man, with an unlit lantern in his hand
I stood on the steps.
swell, Martin, what SUGGEST"
"Igave them warning, sir, to clea
u out, early this morning, and kicke
their houses over after they left, fo
). fear they'd be back again tonight, lik
!. rats-that is. all but one"
3 "Great guns, man! Don't you kno,
J ones - bed as . dozenP l can't get
: dollar of insurance on the stock will
!, out paying double rates until ] ca
: satisfy the company that the whol
I. tribe is gone"
y The tribe referred to by Brewst<
+ consisted of . floating population ,
- disreputable vagabonds, allied |
: character to the hoodlums an
J, criminals commonly known IS "whar
= rats" and "hay-bunkers, wh
/. had squstted on the "dumps.
% and utilized the cans plent
> fully scattered over the ground In u
construction of q miniature village. II
y members Of this peculiar sub-stratul
: Of society were tabled to exc out the
"a sustenance by diligent grubbing in Il
n heaps by which they were surrounde,
- Thcu ~,n~o 1ooknA ,,,nu he, kkc x>ols.