The National tribune., 1886-05-06

in de olt dObacker shet which you gan almost
see now from here, NIT DER horses hitched
near de shet."
Have they any idea Of our comiHg?'
" Not a visper l heart Captain Krimsted
say lasd nighd dat he vas tired Of doing nut
tings, unit he believed dat unless he got odder
orders he would kO oud NIT his company to-
day unit see if he couldn't int some reppels
somewhere or udder."
Ganuaway was in too much haste to indulge
in comment upon Capt Grimsted's anxiety to
find gentlemen who were bearing aloft theStars
and Bars Here, Corporal BluHes, he said, 81
want you to take charge o this Jew, and see
that he does not get u yard away from yo. At
any moment that | turn around and wave my
hand at you l want you to blow his brains out
without q single word TO or from anybody. At
kins, you take the mules with the hOwItzoT
and ammunition through that brush theh, Oveh
to the knoll just behind the orchard. Theh
yo' can rake the tobacco shed from one end to
the otheh with she'll. While you're getting
into position I'll form the men in line down
theh by that fence, ready for u charge on the
shed after you We ratified them with two or three
shells. Wen wake those hounds up IN a way
that they never expected. YO' go on over and
get ready, aud wait fo' me. Don't fab till l
come"
As this duty promised to let Atkins smell the
battle from afar he started off upon il with
didCIibN, III was Tie uupAb REuC5UIut pEOUlt-
made | ever made. / was Wearled to utter eX-
haustiou, and My spirits and courage were pro-
portionatcly low. One always feels especially
cowardly about daybreak and now every bush
was full of terrors for Ne. / remembered in
all their viyidness the terrOrs of the shelling
We received from the gunbost, and l shiyered
in anticipation of such another awful expert
ence. We reached the knoll at last, and At
kins pecred cautiously through the trees and
brush toward the tobaeco-shed where the sol
diers lay The gray daWning was now sutti-
Ciently advanced to let him make oat the posi-
tiou and outlines Of the tobacco shed with
great di5tinotness.
can't make out anybody stirrin yet but
the guards he said an there probably won't
be till after they blow the Teveille We're a
little too fur to the right to shoot plumb through
an through the shed the long ways. Wen
hev t move over that-a-Way bout rod
He conducted Me to the desired spot and
loaded the hOWIJZeT very carefully, putting IN
a shell with a short fuse. Then he thrust the
priming wire into the vent of the gun, with
drew it, put a friction primer where II had
been and attached to the ring in the friction
primer "a Little hook fastened ON the end of
cord at the other end of which was bit of
wood to hold between the fingers when the
primer was given the jerk which fred the gun.
/ believe the cannOneers call this device " Ian
yard"
Atkins stood around in attitudes showing
anxious expectancy. Presently a crashing WAS
heard in the brush, and Gannaway appeared,
followed by the Kunnel and the Majah.
"All ready, Atkns2" inquired the Captain.
"All ready, sab.
"Now everything depends on the aim. We
want the first she'll TO go through the shed not
more'n foot above the ground, and bust before
il gets out. The way yo' got the hewitzer
aimed it d rake the roof. Lower the muzzle
theh"
Atkins came up and gavo Ne terrible kick
in the ribs. Git yo' back down, yO BRUTE
he said.
Lord, Atkins, that amt the way" oxpostu-
lated the Kunnel. He amt an elephant that's
been taught to kneel. The only way yo' can
do is to chop his hind legs off or back him down
the hill little ways That'll bring your aim
right"
The impatient Gannaway caught hold of
My bride and began backing Me dowp the hill.
"Theh, " hesaid, glaucing over My back along
the surface of the hoWitzer rhat'li Just scrape
the ground on which they are lying. Let 'em
have it."
1t occurred to Ne that it was about time
was heard from. ! turned suddenly around to
see if Gannaway's sighting was as good as it
should be. As / Whirled the muzzle of the
bowitzer swept by the faces Of the Kuunel, the
Majah, Atkins, and the men who accompanied
him, each of whom gave yell OF dismay and
hunted the most convenient tree. The sudden
ness of My movement threw the little bit of
wood at the end of the lanyard up into sap
ling IN the forks of which it caught. / gave
plunge, the cord was pulled taut, and the can
non went off, sending the she'll IN almost the
opposite direction from which it had been origi-
nally aimed / was thrown TO Ny knees by