The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-05-24

good hired girls are
scarce in this new. country, but / can give you
a soldiers welcome. and. perhaps, little better
grub than we used 70 get IN war times.
] gladly accepted the invitation, for the home
Of comralc no matter how humble 1t may
be. possesses for me far more attractions than
the best hotels IN the land.
accompanied The cOmrade to beautIul
cottage in the outskirts of the town, ana WINE
sitting in bis cosy parlor be handed me
tntype Of a b5yish-looking soldIer-such a
picture as nearly every comrade had taken IN
q tent by one Of the field artists who followed
the troops during the war.
This cannot be your pictUre2" ] remarked,
transferring my gaze from the handsome, boy
ish features TO the comrades manly, bearded
face
"No." he replied, with a smile, that is Joe.
He was my bunky' at one time during the
war and If you care TO listen can tell you a
queer story about the little fellow"
assured him that ] would listen with pleas
ure, and be continued:
g ] was a private soldier In an Iowa regiment
attached 10 the Fifteenth Corps. Numerous
battles In Tennessee and Mississippi and the
diseases incident to that hot climate had greatly
deeimated our ranks, and one day lot OF re-
cruits reached US, several of whom were assign
Ell TO my company. Among them was Joe
Ransom whose picture yoH hold IN your hand.
He was little, almost childish looking fellow,
and from the day he joined Us the veterans OF
the company seemed TO look down upon hln.
They dubbed him the baby and many were
the predictions that very little hard service
would break him down. and that the roar of
the first battle would terrify him and make
him cry 10 be sent back home 10 his mother.
The tauuts and gibes hcaped upon the boy
aw0ke sympathy IN my heart, and ! soon found
myself taking a deep interest IN him. en-
listed at a very early age and was but little
I. ~rrs1 H. -frFfgr Il
acts OF kindness and words Of encouragement
I soon gave him 10 understand that he had at
least one friend in the company, and l could
see his face light up with pleasure every time
I approached him.
One day while We were camped in forest
on Black River, in Mississippi, started 10 a
Epring about quarter Of mile distant 10 MI
some canteeus with water. On the way ] met
Joe who had Just emerged from side path IN
the woods, and his red, swollen eyes told me
that he had been weeping.
80 Why, Joe I said what is the trouble?
What have you been crying about?'
His tears began 10 flow afrcsh, and in
broken voice he replied:
80 Charlie, you arc the only man IN the com
pany who is good TO INC, and / just can't stand
the way the men treat me any longer. They
make me the lauEhing-stock not only Of the
company, but OF the whole regiment, and 1t
makes nc miserable. They call me baby
and say that ] ought 10 be al home helping my
mother wash dishes instead Of being down here
trying 70 play soldier. o, VIII we never get
into a fght When We do they may find out
that the big men who wear whiskers are not
the bravest'
90, pshaw, Joe!' said, you mustn't mind
the boys, for they don't mean half they say.
They see that it worries you when they guy
you. and think il is fun to play upon your feel
ings as they do. just pay no attention 10 them,
AND they will soon let Won alone
go How can help but pay attention to them.
] know ] am young and small, and maybe /
ought to have stayed at home, but ! do my duty
just as well as the biggest nan in the company
does. ] believe I'm better soldier than half
OF them now, If I haven't been out long Can
] help i that l wasn't born sooner than l
Was2'
Maybe IL you would report the matter to
the Captain be would put a stop to al this.
Hadn't y0u better 90 70 him and tell him how
the boys treat you2
Joe's eyes flashed as he replied:
That's just what I've been crying about.
You know the Captain drinks, Charlie, but
then he always seems 50 gO9d-natured that
did venture 10 20 70 him a while ago. ] went
into his tent and took of my cap and saIuted
as respectfully as ] knew how, and be looked
AZ me and laughed and said, Hello baby; how
do you get along with your milk down hereg
1t made me mad Charlie, and ] told him ii
Be able 70 get along without ID at all, and then
/ left the tent and came out here in the woods
just because had 10 cry and didn't want any
body 70 see me. i expect he'll put me ia the
FuaFdhOUse fOr iusolcuce.'
No 7 think not, joe ] said Capt vii
liaTEs drinks, i IS true. but he is a brave old
soldier, and as bIg-hearted man as there is il
the regiment he Is good man, joe if b.
does get lIttlc tpsy when not on duty
e. The words were scarcely out Of my m0utl
ere the Captain came around a bend IN the patl
and stood before US. DE halted and, foldiu
his arms, began to look Joe steadily in th
eyes.
So you think ] like my whisky, eh2' b
said. DO sou know what I ought to do in
case Of this kindly
- could see J9e's lips trembling, and kne,
that il was with difficulty be was keeping bac
The tears.
- Captain he said. I know you ought t
punish Ine for my iHs0leuce, but, indeed,
couldn't help L. beg your pardon, sL
and
"'stop, my boy You are on the wron
track. j am going TO do my duty as an Office
and as q gentleman. il was II who was wrou.
and bumb.y beg golU pardon for nag insoleuc
Give noe your hand, my boy, for 1 believe 70
have the material for tie making Of a good 50
der ia you
Joe grasped the honest outstretched han
and actually kissed it. and ] never before ga
such an expression on human face II
ewes filed with tears, and the look he gave Il
Captain was one Of mixed asUOnisnmeut graf
tude and Joyous surprise.
%, Captain, he said, . would give an,
thing If ] could recall what ] said to you but
was desperate. The men Of the company b.
made me Wild with their taunts aud i l..
gone 10 yCu lJE relief, hoping, o, cannot {,
you bow much ! hoped, that You might
something for me. Captain, enlisted tnrous
a. pure patriotism as ever gWayed humi
breast aud came down 10 the front resolved 10,
ny whole duty in battling for my country, b
the men have made my life miserable before
have been given chance 10 show in bait
that j am 2 soldier. i know now that You d
not mean III. sir. but when / went 10 you
relief ana met With the same tauut that Do
almost cTazad me I became desperate aud spo
10 you as ] did. ] am sorry that ! did So
Why my boy, never dreamed that /
men were abusing you ] had heard that ID
had given y0l the title Of the baby soldil
but thought j. was all IN fun, and that V
didn't liHd il. Tell ne all Of your troub
right now
Joe did so, and also told him that was [
only one who had befrienGcd him since
joined the company. The men in his own tc
he said, were the worst, and from the time tll
went ID al night until sleep sieuced them IA
tortured han with their tauuts / spoke
the boy. and told the Captain that il was shan
f.. the way they abused him.