Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-08-22

shed. One year had cooled me down
in a wonderful way. and the cause
might have gone to thunder for all
cared that night. [ would have re
linQuished the glOriest 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. was ravenous for q taste
OF home cooking and would have for
feited all the epaulettes in the country
for one of my mothers mince-pies.
They put me on duty that night; post
ed sentries at the entrance to the pass
to keep a sharp lookout for the
enemy; for if they had come on us un-
awares they would have caught us like
rats in a 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. Youse Twas
pretty well used up by the long march
es, the uncertain rations, and the
heat, and the homesickness. The hot
sand clogged my steps and burned my
blistered feet; the rocks seemed to ra-
date the heat they had stored up dur
| ing the day; the air was dry and
charged with dust. ! kept up my beat
q while and then sat down on a boulder
and cried; then | deliberately lay down
and shut my eyes to go to sleep"
Fine thing ii one of the officers had
caught you," observed one old soldier
dryly.
Precisely what happened. l was
sliding off into a delicious slumber
when | heard a movement near by.
/ opened my eyes and saw Colonel Le-
noir. thought the day of doom had
come to me, for there was hardly q
wsek passed that we didn't hear Of
some poor fellow being shot for Sleep
! ing at his post. j was so stupid with
fatigue and drOwsiness that couldn't
somehow quite make out where | was.
Everything was jumbled in my mind.
The COWS coming home from pasture,
the mince-pie on the table, an open
grave and a boy standing up as a tar
get for n 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 a good
nights rest for weeks. He had been
twenty-four hours in the saddle" said
Brewster, slowly and impressively.
"He was worn out physically aud men,
/ tally. "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
to1ie down again. and did duty for me
! two hours while slept.
There was no comment on Br-wSter's
! story. The account of noble deed
/ sinks quietly into the heart without
/ parade or flourish. After a few mo-
ments of silence, some one put query
in which lurked Il suggestion.
'Lenoir acted finely at Anderson
vile, too, didn't he. Brewster"
The lumherman gave a short re-
joinder, consulted his watch, and rose
to 60 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 ex-
perience, and finally emerged an ema-
ciated wreck of humanity whose hero
ic devotion to noble principle will
resound throughout the everlasting
ages. But he could never be betrayed
into any relation OF his prison ex-
perience. lie pulled on his driving
gloves, nodded cool adieux to the
score or more of loungers, and was
soon driving at quick pace up Market
st. and out Sixth. For the first few
blocks the well paved street was lined
with handsome buildings and pre-
sented the appearance OF an I'M
portant thoroughiare; but as he
progressed the buildings dwindled
in stature and were occasionally
alternated with handsome. comfor-
table residence and ;he pavement grew
uneven. Half mileiurther the street
abandoned all prrtcnce at smartness,
trailed humbly between one-storied
warehouses, lcaped II railroad track,
lost itself i'm maze of switches, and re-
sumed existence in the griise OF a wagon
road. terminating with dismal
wooden structurc. standing in DESC
late region and thanked on one side by
tall lumber piles The clerks and day
laborers were filing away, and the
night-watehman, quiet-mannered
man, with an unlit lantern in his hand,
stood on the steps.
"Well. Martin. what success"
"I gave them warning, sir, TO clear
out. early this morning, and kicked
their houses over after they left, for
fear they'd be back again to night,
like rats-that is. all but one"
"Great guns, man, Don'tyou know
ones as bad as dozen? | can't get
q dollar OF insurance on the stock
without paying double rates until
can satisfy thecompany that the whole
tribe is gone.
The tribe referred to by Brewster
consisted OF floating population o.
disreputable vagabonds, allied in cha
racter to the hoodlums and criminals
; commonly known as 'wharf-rats" and
. "hav-bunkel.s, who had squatted or
the dumps and utilized the tin can:
, plentifully scattered over the ground
, in the construction of Il miniature
| village. The menlLerS of this peculiar
sub-stratum of society we're tabled tt
: eke out their sustenance by diligen
: grubbing in the heaps by which the!
? were surrounded They were lookeC
on by the police and the public as
| dangerous class OF citizens, and tn
: underwriters very wisely refused to IN
' sure property in their proximity a
! the ordinary rates. Martin, mean
! while, advanced a lame sef-defence.
{ 1T was early, and he hadn't show
n =.