The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-10-02

all about horse constitution and anat-
omy. He could cure all the ills that
horseIlcsh Is heir to. In short. he pre-
tended to excel in all the accomplish.
ments valuable on the ''fronticr."
From the very beginning Joe Nee had
balanced his want Of education by n
claim to soldierly prowess and skill. Hc
always asserted that there was mill
tary strain running through his family
for generations back; and though he Of
fered no proof of II, his claim was al
ways allowed. Whenever the Indians
were troublesome and the neighbors
would organize n company to defend
the settlement Joe was always chosen
Captain. His great stature and his rifle
talent, no doubt. had much to do with
the choice, but his military claims had
weight in the selection. 1--WE no cddi-
cation, boys" he used to say, "but
when It comes to military duty, Joe is
thar" AS he always made his boast
good, and always drove the Indians
back to the reservation, why. Captain he
that when the young mon "all along
the creek" enlisted in 1861 Joe Nee was
elected captain of that company.
They were all smoking pipes when I
went in, and wishing to make myself
sociable with everybody, rs the custom
Is in our profession, held out q hand
full of cigars and said: Would any
gentlemen join me in smoking good
cigarP"
They all would, with pleasure, and
they did-all except the Major. He
said: "Thanks, young man. Iprefcr
the pipe to-day"
1t was meerschaum pipe of curious
workmanship. The butt of it was
carved into the shape of an eagle S
claw, which grasped the bowl. 1t had
a silver lid on which was engraved a
soldier on horseback waving the Amer
lean flag. This patriotic pipe was very
black with service, especially the eagles
claw.
81 prefer the pipe to-day"
AS the Major repeated his refusal he
blew three strong clouds of smoke into
the air, one from each nostril and the
other from his mouth. 1 saw that by
long practice he had acquired peculiar
skill in twisting his lips and modulatng
his breath SO as to form the smoke into
the shape of rings, flights of stairs,
flocks of sheep. and other curious
formations.
You prefer something stronger
favored than a mild cigar" said l, for
twas easy to see from the age and color
of the pipe that the taste of it must be
very pungent and high-seasoned
''Not that" said the Major; "old
memories"
Had it for a long time, suppose "
said l, in an interrogative way, for
suspected the pipe had history.
"Yes, this pipe was given to me n
st. Louis when we got thar in the fall
of 81, after the Missouri campaign. Il
was a present from Peaceful Miller, thai
used to live up yander at Masonic
Grove--a wild. harm-scarum chap thai
walked all the way down from thar tc
jine my company. He was good stock
: sound hickory, clar through to the hear
of the tree. He was II corporal and ,
, sergeant, and by the time we got to Ben
ton barracks Peaceful was First Lieu
tenant of the company. His correc
front name on the muster-roll was Pa
citicus, an onnateral name given hin
by his parents as punishmant for
/ habit he had of holding his breath whel
he got mad. But the boys all calleC
him Peaceful for short. No fight wa
too hot nor no march too hard for him
, believe that Peaceful would hay,
dropped dead on the road afore he d ,
got into wagon. He was killedin thu
fight around Atlanta, the same day tina
we lost Mcpherson. They was two very
onlucky shots that killed them two mel
that day; for, mind you, Peaceful Miller
was as heavy a loss to our regiment a
MCPHERSON was to the Army of the Ten
nessee.
Peaceful always knew that he wa
| to be killed, and that wasn't. Whel
he gave me the pipe, he says: Captain
, l want you to smoke this pipe for lucl
all through the war; and want you tt
smoke it in your old age in remcm
brance of me. pretended not to no
| tice it, but saw an omen and IL prophe
cy in them words as plain as could Sc,
| the pipe"
"Only fancy, Major" l said
| "There was nothing remarkable in thos,
, words. don't see any connection be
| tween them and the event-no evidenc'
of any premonition.
"YOu mean the omenp"
Yes"
"Well, suppose was twice as old /:
man as he was, what wonld you say tt
( thatp Wouldn't it be curious talk
/ thenp"
"No; don't see that that makes an,
difference.
II do. never had much book larn
in, but can hear voices in the air n.
, we'll as the schoolmaster himself Ny
{ own opinion is that it was the fates tina,
spoke, and Peaceful Miller was only til,
medium of news from destiny to men
same as the prophets were. God speaks
through his prophets to-day, just as HI
ever did. believe too, that the very
same fates made that, pipe charm fol
me, and, out of respect for Peaceful
, granted his wish that should smoke i
in old age. Provided, mind you, pro
vided, that didn't lose it. If lost it
the charm was gone, and was just a
liable to be killed as anybody, wasn't 1
The gift of the pipe from man alread,
marked for sacrifice was the good omer
that saved me. wasn't itp'
The old man had grown more ant
more animated as ho spoke. He hat
, removed the pipe from his mouth ant
used it rs wand to emphasize hi
| words. His eyes beamed with strang,
spirituality He had found, or though
he had, another compensation for hi
want of learning, the power of com
muniOn with the unseen world, the gif
I of interpreting the messages of tina
mysterious influence that ..shapes oul
/ ends, rough hew them how we will. '
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